ertiga - an ideal family utility vehicle

 I am the first one to own an ERTIGA Zdi in TRIVANDRUM,Kerala. So far I have clocked 650km including city & highway trips. Here are my honest views about ERTIGA- Exterior looks like a blend of SWIFT & RITZ. But I really don't like way it looks from the front.It is neither an MPV or an SUV, ERTIGA is a FAMILY UTILITY CAR.(I still don't buy to the nomenclature of MARUTI as LUV) Just 2 feet longer than the SWIFT, ERTIGA can easily accomodate 7adults with reasonable comfort, as the front & middle rows can be slided according to the comfort of the passengers seated. With 7 passengers,the car could easily cruise at 90km/hr at ease.There is a turbo lag which was evident in low revs but that fades off once you touch 1700rpm and above. The best acceleration is achieved above 2000rpm. Power delivery is smooth, body roll is minimal(despite a higher ground clearance & higher centre of gravity). Thanks to the tweaked suspension,even the 3rd row passengers are seated comfortably, without any back ache or body roll. The driver seat with height adjuster is really good & it gives a better riding position for 6footers like me. I could register an average of 17.10km/ltr in combined driving(city & high way). The best avg is delivered at a speed of 70km/hr in overdrive. You will realise the improvement in quality to a great degree(unlike previous MARUTI cars)- right from the quality of fan switch gear, seat belts(height adjustable),brakes work well with ABS & EBD & an ultra light steering wheel.An excellent stereo system that delivers good sound(less noise).Even the A/C is powerful enough to cool the entire cabin. The drawbacks are Lack of luggage space, difficulty in alighting from 3rd row for elders & lack of a touch screen system in Zdi. Overall it is a packaging miracle for MARUTI, which will allow an average extended Indian family to be together in a comfortable monocoque like this. Finally I feel that the pricing could have been better if they had only two variants Vdi for 8.40Lakhs & about 9lakhs(on the road) for Zdi.

Most of those people who give negative reviews about the ERTIGA have not owned one. I understand that they are more oriented towards performance. Don't just go by what people say, experience your self. My only advice to prospective buyers, Never decide on a car by expert review or books, please touch,try & feel it for yourself.