2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga launched in India at Rs 7.44 lakh

Rishabh Bhaskar Updated: August 14, 2019, 03:58 PM IST

Maruti Suzuki has just launched the all-new Ertiga MPV in India at a starting price of Rs 7.44 lakh (ex-showroom) for the manual petrol. The new generation Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is available in 10 variants with the top-spec diesel variant priced at Rs 10.90 lakh. Besides the tried and tested 1.3-litre SHVS diesel motor, the new Ertiga also gets the new 1.5-litre petrol motor that debuted in the all-new Ciaz. The Ertiga will be available in five colour options.

The new Ertiga features an bold new front fascia and now comes with wider double-barrel trapezoidal projector headlamps. The grille is now slightly larger as well and has heavy chrome detailing. The front bumper is more aggressively styled with a few prominent creases around the foglamps. The bonnet contouring looks to have changed as well. The side profile sees few changes and the basic shape follows that of the earlier car. The major change is the third-row glass area which is now larger and has a blacked-out panel to reduce the visual mass of the rear end. The new car is 130 mm longer, 40 mm wider and 5 mm taller than its predecessor but the wheelbase remains the same at 2740 mm.

Like the front, the rear is completely redesigned as well. The biggest change is the LED taillamps, these are now larger. The rear windscreen is more raked than before and sits on top a new tailgate design as well. A chrome strip runs across the length of the tailgate while the bumper is a slim design which barely juts out of the body.

Based on the Heartect platform that underpins the Ignis, Swift and Baleno, the resemblance of the interior to the aforementioned cars is a given. That said, the Ertiga's cabin is swathed in beige and wood that lends it a distinct air. The horizontal slats that distinguish the top and bottom halves of the dashboard look neat while the floating, touchscreen infotainment system is similar to the one in the Baleno and Swift.

Maruti Suzuki seems to have found the sweet spot between ride and handling, going by how well the Swift and the Dzire absorb bumps and go around a corner. Expect the new Ertiga to ride and handle better than the previous avatar. Something that we shall confirm after driving the car shortly.

The Ertiga will be available at all Maruti Suzuki dealerships and bookings have already begun. Stay tuned for a detailed first drive review.