Maruti Ertiga VDI

Maruti Suzuki India is the leading car maker in the Indian car market for a very long time now. This car maker has a very smart and practical MPV (multipurpose vehicle), which is known as Maruti Ertiga. The company calls it an LUV – Life Utility Vehicle and it has been doing impressive business, since the time it was introduced in the Indian car market. This LUV is being offered with both petrol and diesel engine based options with three trims each. The Maruti Ertiga VDi is the mid level trim in the diesel engine model lineup. The company has fitted this Maruti Ertiga VDi variant with a power packed 1.3-litre, DDiS (direct diesel injection system) based diesel engine that also has a CRDI (common rail direct injection) fuel supply system and is equipped with 4 cylinders holding 16 valves. This impressive diesel engine is skillfully coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission for smoother gear shifts. The company has also fitted this Maruti Ertiga VDi trim with some very exciting and practical features, which will certainly amaze the buyers. Some of these are a powerful music system with remote and speakers, an influential air conditioning system with rear blowers as well, a sporty dashboard and many more such thrilling features. Apart from this, the company has also equipped this LUV with some very crucial and significant safety features such as a highly developed ABS with EBD and brake assist, sturdy seat belts for all the occupants, a security alarm system and also an advanced engine immobiliser as well.

Exteriors

This mid level trim has remarkable exteriors with a stylish front façade that has a big radiator grille with black coloured slats in it along with a large chrome finished emblem. This grille is surrounded by a large head light cluster fitted with high intensity lamps. The body coloured bumper that has a wide air dam in the center and is flanked by a pair of fog lamps. The side profile is impressive with body coloured door handles along with outside rear view mirrors. The wheel arches have been fitted with a set of 15-inch steel wheels with full wheel covers that are covered with tubeless radial tyres of size 185/65 R15. The rear end has a classy tail lamp cluster that is quite luminous, while the roof is ribbed and has a mounted antenna as well. The overall dimensions of this large MPV are quite spacious and can accommodate seven passengers in it. The total length of this MPV is 4265mm along with an overall width of 1695mm. The total height of this massive vehicle is 1685mm, while it has a liberal wheel base of 2740mm. The minimum ground clearance of this Maruti Ertiga VDi is 185mm and the gross vehicle weight is approximately 1760 Kgs, while the minimum turning radius is 5.2 meters. This MPV has a centrally mounted fuel tank that can hold up to 45 litres of fuel in it.

Interiors

The company has done up the insides of this charming MPV stylishly and have added a lot of modish aspects in it. The seating arrangement is comfortable and has been covered with premium upholstery. Some of the other features include a couple of in-cabin lamps, a remote fuel lid opener, a driver’s side ticket holder, sun visors for the driver as well as the front co-passenger with the passenger side getting a vanity mirror, five folding assistant grips all over, a large glove box that can store quite a few things and a front door trim pocket as well. Apart from all that, this MPV also has a day and night internal rear view mirror, electronically adjustable external rear view mirrors from inside, front and rear door power windows with the driver side window getting a auto down function, keyless entry with central door locking, internal chrome finished handles, a remote tail gate opener and also a back door handle to release it, which is positioned just above the license plate.

Engine and Performance

The company has fitted this impressive MPV with a reliable 1.3-litre, DDiS (direct diesel injection system) based diesel engine that also has a CRDI (common rail direct injection) fuel supply system and is equipped with 4 cylinders holding 16 valves. This power packed diesel engine has the ability to displace 1248cc and also has the capacity to churn out 88.8bhp at 4000 rpm in combination with a maximum torque of 200Nm at 1750 rpm. This performance packed engine is skilfully mated with a 5-speed manual transmission. The company claims that this majestic MPV has the capacity to generate a healthy mileage of 20.77 kmpl, when driven under standard conditions, which is quite good.

Braking and Handling

This charming Maruti Ertiga VDi MPV has an reliable braking system. The front wheels are fitted with efficient disc brakes, whereas the rear wheels of this MPV has been given solid drum brakes for improved braking. The company has also included this variant with an advanced Anti-lock Braking System with brake assist and also a sophisticated Electronic Brake-force Distribution System for enhanced braking. On the other hand, this MPV also has a well balanced and adept suspension system. The front axle of this massive MPV is fitted with a McPherson strut type of mechanism, while the rear axle has been equipped with a torsion beam that adds to the stability of this massive vehicle.

Comfort Features

The company has integrated a lot of exciting comfort features in this Maruti Ertiga ZXi, which will definitely impress the customers. This MPV has a powerful air conditioning unit with heater and also second row air conditioning with blowers, an advanced audio system with remote control that also has radio FM, CD player, a USB interface along with four speakers and two tweeters in the front. The driver as well as the co-passenger seat have back pockets and the second and third row seats have head restraints while the electric power steering is a rack and pinion type and can be tilt adjusted and has been equipped with mounted audio control buttons. Some other storage options include a single cup holder in the front console, a retractable cup holder in the dashboard, an accessory outlet of DC – 12 V, a low fuel warning notification lamp, a head light as well as key ‘on’ reminder lamps, a door open warning lamp, a driver seat belt reminder notification lamp and a few other vital notifications as well for the driver. There is also a brilliant instrument panel with an information display integrated into the meter cluster that has a digital clock, an instantaneous or average fuel consumption gauge, driving range and other information for the driver.

Safety Features

This Maruti Ertiga VDi has been fitted with an advanced ABS (anti lock braking system) with the sophisticated EBD (electronic brake force distribution) and BA (brake assist) system for enhanced braking on any terrain. Apart from these, this Maruti Ertiga VDI also has advanced seat belts for all the occupants, a security system and also an engine immobilizer as well for the protection of the vehicle as well as the passengers. All these aspects put together makes this mid level Maruti Ertiga VDi, one of the safest and well done up vehicles in the Indian car market.

Pros 

Impressive interior features, good space, powerful engine.

Cons 

Engine noise and vibrations can be reduced, mileage can be better and the exteriors can be better designed.