Maruti Ertiga- User Review

Today marks the 8th Birthday of our Maruti Ertiga. Back in the day when it was launched, it was a show-stealer at the 2012 Auto Expo in Delhi which I attended with my family to particularly check out this new MPV that Maruti had planned to launch. The Ertiga seemed to be the perfect fit for our budget and purpose. We bought the top-end ZXI variant in serene blue color on 18 May 2012. The Toyota Innova had been dominating the MPV segment for years and it was time for Maruti to launch something interesting, practical, economical and efficient, and they were successful. Initially, in May 2012 the Ertiga was quite the attention seeker on the road. While on a road trip, I remember people asking my father whether the car was an import from Japan or not. Well, since then we have come a long way with our Ertiga.

After 8 years of owning and driving the car for almost 49K km, we made it through with the car under every situation possible, in terms of different road and terrain conditions combined with unpredictable weather and multiple passengers. 

Engine and Transmission:

The Ertiga debuted with Maruti’s new K14 1.4L petrol engine. This 1,373cc engine was rated at 94 HP (@ 6,000 rpm) and 130 Nm of torque (@ 4,000 rpm). The diesel counterpart was the standard 1.3L DDIS on offer. We opted for the 1.4L petrol since our family’s running wasn’t that much. The Ertiga’s 1.4L motor is extremely rev-happy and willingly crosses the 6,000 rpm mark. The pickup of the car is powerful and revving the car feels fresh even now. Vibrations are well-insulated throughout the rev range. The petrol engine came mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox which is a slick and smooth unit. The clutch pedal is light & effortless to use too; this combined with the light steering, a commanding yet comfortable ride quality and low-end torque make the Ertiga easy to drive in the city and on highways. The 1.4L petrol is rather quintessential to use in bumper to bumper traffic.

Driving experience:

The car is an absolute delight to drive on long-distance trips. Our family has had frequent trips to Dehradun and Mussoorie, which is about 270kms from New Delhi. It feels smooth and planted on the highway, even while overtaking, the peppy petrol engine does a good-enough job. This tallboy MPV is deft to use in the city. The car-like dimensions make driving in New Delhi almost effortless. That being said, parking space is not at all Ertiga’s concern when compared to other MPV’s like the Toyota Innova and Mahindra Scorpio. The shorter gear ratios complement the ease of use within the city, but power response takes a hit. The driver feels a constant need to change gears since the car feels drab under certain situations. The lack of power and the increased amount of strain on the 94hp engine is felt at large in hilly areas. Steep inclines get tough to maneuver. One has to downshift gears and keep the clutch game strong. The taller gear ratios for the 4th and 5th gears do tend to hinder the highway experience for the car. The taller gear ratios leave the driver in need of a 6th gear and the engine seems to run out of breath at times.

 

Additionally, this 1.4L motor highlights the flat mid-range problem and thus, constant downshifting is something our family has gotten used to in the Ertiga. All in all, the petrol Ertiga is the real deal when it comes to city-friendly people movers and feels burnished to drive on the highways too. After 8 years of owning the car, I can surely say that the driving experience has been pleasant with a few hits and misses here and there. 

Interiors:

The color combination on the Ertiga’s interior feels plush but the beige color may not suit everyone’s liking. The first-gen Ertiga had plenty of features to offer, the waterfall-like design of the center console appears premium till date and the cabin has an opulent feel to it. Our Ertiga being the top Z trim came with the two-din audio head unit with Radio, MP3, USB, AUX, I-pod, and a CD player functionality.

Moving on to the seats, the Ertiga offers enormous and comfortable front seats with excellent thigh support. This is the place I generally like to be in. Frontal visibility is fantastic due to the higher seating position. The driver’s seat also comes with a height adjuster. 

The second row of seats is easy to access and offer humongous amounts of space. There is a good amount of headroom even for taller passengers. The second row of seats with the slide and recline feature is a boon in the absence of 3rd-row passengers. The seats slide back completely offering immense legroom for any person to take long and comfortable naps. Believe me, my mom and sister have taken many! On the other hand, the headrests for the rear could have been shaped better since they do not match everyone’s sense of head comfort. Very often, my brother used to take them out on long road trips. They tend to hit the shoulders when they are on the lowest level. 

The efficient air conditioning system with vents overhead in the middle row makes circulation of air an extremely easy job.The passengers in, both, the middle and the last row do get to get cold very fast when the blower is set to higher fan speeds. Sadly, the ingress and egress for the third row is a weak point for the Ertiga. Access could have been better.

On the space front, the 3rd row does not offer much space for average-sized adults. Once seated, the legroom is limited, unless you move the 2nd row forward, but then the middle-row passengers lose out on space. The 3rd row is not meant for long distances, but it offers ample space for city rides. 

Overall, the interior is spacious with wide glass areas for the front and sides. The car offers plenty of storage spaces even in the last row with big bottle holders on each side along with armrests. That being said, the car has plenty of airiness on offer and the second row is the perfect place to be for congeniality. With the last row down, the boot space increases to a gigantic 500 liters. 

Exteriors and Ride Quality:

The car has a more conventional MPV like design and looks have never been the talking point for the Ertiga. The big headlights though halogens offer a good throw for every lighting condition. The fog lamps on offer do help to spot bumps and potholes in the night. The side doors are unconventionally big and one has to be on a lookout when opening them. The rear-view mirrors integrated with turn indicators offer great visibility. The multi-spoke alloy wheels complement the car’s stance but the tyre size is too small for a car this size. The small tyres do come under scrutiny around potholes with a full load of passengers on board. 16 or 17 inchers would have been the right choice. However, the car absorbs rough patches well but larger potholes do bring some thud inside the cabin.

Despite the soft suspension tune, the handling is well contained in the Ertiga as per MPV standards. On corners and at any speed, the Ertiga allows you to maneuver with stability and confidence. Although slight body roll is evident. The long wheelbase is a significant contributor to the good stability of the Ertiga.

Hits & Misses: 

Hits:

The Ertiga scores high on practicality and comfort. It feels light to drive and is a comfortable car with the ability to do long trips without much hassle. The low maintenance cost is a big plus point for the Ertiga. For over 8 years with regular services, maintenance costs have been nothing but economical. Comfort and convenience are where the Ertiga knocks it out of the park. The sense of security and command the car offers is commendable too. The large seats and a well laid out cabin with good quality materials add to the plushness and premium feel of the car. The Serene blue color is peculiar and is an uncommon sight on the road, though it fits perfectly with the car’s elegance. Considering the price range it was launched in, features like the steering mounted audio controls, tweeters, and a rear fog light made the Ertiga stand apart from its rivals. The Ertiga scored high on the safety front as well with ABS, EBD, and 2 front airbags on offer in my car.

Misses:

Minimal boot space with three rows up, the lack of Bluetooth connectivity for the audio system, and no automatic climate control, which by the way was on offer in the Swift Z trims back in 2012, were major misses in the first-gen Ertiga. Consequently, the practicality of the car does come at a cost, the letdown being the poor fuel economy figures in the city. That being said, the car also comes across as underpowered on hilly sections and steep inclines with more than five passengers on board. The boot space becomes an issue on long-distance trips when the entire family is aboard. Fortunately, the first-gen model served as a successful predecessor to the current-gen Ertiga which took into account these shortfalls. Personally speaking, I do miss some other Knick-knacks like a driver’s side armrest, a cooled glovebox, and auto-folding rear view mirrors. Lastly, the utilitarian look of the car was a letdown for many Indian car buyers.

FUN FACTS: 

•    The Ertiga is one of the very few cars to have an all beige steering.

•    The top-end Z trim came with 2 tweeters located at the ends of the dashboard.

Before completing the review, it is unfair to not talk about what my family had to say about this family-friendly car:

“The car has been a real value for money. Overall, a very good MPV to own, both, for the city, and long-distance driving even with a full load of passengers.” commented my father, Mr. Arvind Srivastava.

“I like the initial pickup it gives me a very strong feeling. It is comfortable to drive. But the fuel consumption figures could have been better considering it is a car made for traveling purposes.” says, my brother, Armaan Srivastava.

 

Final Verdict: 

The Maruti Ertiga has been a huge success for Maruti Suzuki in India and continues to be a hot-selling MPV even today. The car-like dimensions coupled with comfort and practicality do make the Ertiga the ideal Indian “family car”. After 8 years of use, the Ertiga stays true to its purpose of offering comfortable city and highway rides with the reliability of a Maruti. All said and done the Ertiga is comfortable to drive, economical, scores high on practicality, and with all that it had to offer, for me and my family it was worth the investment. Maruti badged the Ertiga as a feeling called “LUV” and indeed, it turned out to be that way for us, a Life Utility Vehicle.

By: Shloak Srivastava