2012 Maruti Ertiga review, road test

With the Ertiga, has Maruti come up with something genuinely unique, which is both practical and desirable? We find out.

Published on Aug 10, 2012 04:58:00 PM

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The Ertiga is a balancing act between size, practicality and ease of use that Maruti has played almost to perfection. It offers the practicality of a seven-seater and yet is as easy to drive as a mid-size saloon. True, it doesn't have the sheer interior space of a full-size MPV, but with average-sized adults and children on board, the flexible interior allows you to find a happy compromise within its compact confines.
To offset the upward spiral of petrol costs, Maruti has priced the base petrol variant at a mouth-wateringly low Rs 5.89 lakh, which makes it outstanding value. The diesel Ertiga, however, is significantly more expensive, with the top-end ZDi stretching to Rs 8.45 lakh. Also, the diesel motor feels sluggish at low speeds and the spiky power delivery can be annoying in traffic.
For sheer versatility, there is no other vehicle at this price point that even comes close, and as a pure family car the Ertiga is hard to beat.