Maruti R3 MPV named Ertiga

     The much awaited Maruti MPV, which till now was known by its codename R3 has been named Ertiga. The latest spy picture from Autocarindia shows the Ertiga badge on the rear of the MPV. In our earlier post we has showed many spy pictures of Ertiga being tested on road.

     The Ertiga MPV has been designed keeping in mind the big Indian families families who look for more space and practicality. Unlike Eeco, the Ertiga is not just another MPV with 3 rows of seats. This front wheel drive Ertiga has been designed to look and drive like a car with quality interiors making it an appealing family car.

     Look at the Ertiga from the front; you will know it is a Suzuki product. The Ertiga shares lots of design cues from Suzuki’s other products Swift and Ritz. However, the Ertiga is much wider and bulkier than its hatchback siblings.

     The wheel base of the Ertiga has been stretched from that of the Ritz by 380mm, which now stands at 2740mm. The height of the vehicle has also been increased. The ribbed roof has been designed to give more strength. The rear glass has a wraparound look giving Ertiga a pillar less look from the back. The tail lamps though are small for such a big vehicle.

In the interior the dashboard looks exactly like that of the new Swift including the steering wheel. There is no electronic climate control, not even in the top end ZXi and ZDi variants. We guess Maruti has done so to keep the cost low and competitive. However there is roof-mounted blower to the second and third row of seats, just like the one is Xylo. The Ertiga measures 4265mm long which means it will not come under small car category.

     Two engine options – petrol and diesel will be available. The company has designed a new K14 petrol eninge which makes its debut in Ertiga. The 1372cc K14 petrol engine makes a decent 95 Bhp of power and 13 Kgm of torque. The diesel engine in the offer is the same one lifted from SX4 which has a Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) pushing the power to 89 Bhp.

     Though the vehicle is ready and undergoing final test runs on the road, it will only be launched at the Auto Expo 2012. Expected to be priced under Rs. 10 lakh for the top end variant, it will surely give a strong competition to the market leader Toyota Innova.