Maruti Ertiga Vs Maruti XL6 Vs Kia Carens: Which Family MPV Does Better Diwali Duties?

Diwali is the festival of joy, lights, and rekindling with your loved ones, but it is also a festival that accompanies a lot of chores: cleaning the house, buying gifts, sweets and new clothes, and travelling to meet family and relatives – all the things that add to the grandeur of the festival.

Now, a lot of these chores are carried out via the vehicle you own, and no other car can carry the entire family, their dramas and the baggage that comes with them better than an MPV. So, in this story, we’ve got the three most sensible family MPVs that you can buy in India today: the Maruti Ertiga, Kia Carens, and Maruti XL6; to find out which one is better at handling the Diwali duties. This won’t be a regular spec comparison, but a comparison of parameters and traits that matter most during this festive season. But first, a price check.

Price

• In the list of our sensible family MPVs, the Maruti Ertiga offers the lowest entry-level price; however, at the top end, it is slightly more expensive than the Carens. 

• The Kia Carens sits right in the middle of the Ertiga and XL6 in terms of pricing. But do note that this is the older version still on sale, which is available only in a few variants. If you want a better-equipped product, you can pick the newer Carens Clavis.

• XL6 is the dearest MPV here, with prices reaching almost Rs 15 lakh.  

Space

More often than not, a car has to accommodate more people than it is actually supposed to during Diwali, and that's why an MPV is just better in these cases. But out of the three, which one makes sure your family stays the most comfortable? 

Second row space

To be honest, all three cars are pretty accommodating for six to seven people. Of course, the XL6 is a 6-seater only with captain seats in the middle, while the Clavis gives you the option to choose between 6- or 7-seats. The Ertiga is a 7-seater only, with no captain seat available. 

Now, in terms of outright space, all three cars here have a slide-and-recline function in the second row. Which means if the third row is empty, you can open up plenty of space in the second row to accommodate a 6-feet tall human being with ease too. 

For comfort, the XL6 and the 6-seater Carens both get individual armrests. However, in the 7-seater version, the Carens does not get a rear central armrest while the Ertiga does. What it does get is roof-mounted AC vents, which are much more useful than the AC vents placed down below in the Ertiga. XL6 also gets a row of AC vents mounted on the roof.

Third row

But getting into the third row, and even the overall experience in the third row, is by far the best in the Carens. Firstly, getting inside is super easy because the second-row seats tumble and fold at the touch of a button, while in the Ertiga and XL6, you have a relatively small opening to squeeze through as the seats don’t fold and tumble entirely.

And once you are inside, you understand where that extra length in the Carens (longest car here) makes itself useful. Two adults can comfortably sit in the third row for a couple of hours. To put things into perspective, you can seat a 6-footer in all three rows of the Carens without any trouble. The sense of space is good too and the third row gets dedicated AC vents as well.

On the other hand, in the Ertiga and XL6, it does take some time to get inside the third row, and healthier people might find it a bit of a squeeze. Once inside, adults will complain about the lack of under-thigh support over longer journeys because the seating position requires you to sit with your knees up. 

Thankfully, the backrest does get recline functionality, so if you don't have luggage in the boot, it can be made slightly more comfortable. Both cars also get AC vents in the third row with fan speed control.

But overall, the win for the third row goes to the Carens, and in the overall space parameter, it is the Carens that comes out on top.

Boot Space

The Maruti Ertiga has a boot space of 209 litres (with all three rows up), which is good enough to store a couple of cabin and laptop bags. After folding the seats down, you do get a bump in the floor, so it isn't as convenient as the flat floor that you get in the XL6. Although you can even fold the second-row seats down and they fold flat, unlike the XL6. 

The maximum space, with the third row up, is offered in the Carens, where you can even store a large suitcase and still have space for an overnighter trolley. The third-row seats fold flush.

In the CNG variants, the boot space is limited in all three cars, with a single CNG tank taking up most of the space.

Fuel Efficiency

During Diwali, literally the entire nation is out on the roads for various purposes, the consequence of which is traffic, which is worse than usual. In moments when you're stuck in crawling bumper-to-bumper traffic or even when you do eventually hit the open road, fuel efficiency is a figure that matters more than horsepower when travelling with the whole family. Let's check out which is the most fuel-efficient MPV here:

The Maruti Ertiga and XL6 share the same powertrain options with a NA petrol and CNG engine, with respectable claimed fuel efficiency figures. The Kia Carens always had petrol and diesel engine options, the latter of which is a unique proposition here. Additionally, Kia also launched a CNG powertrain paired with the NA petrol engine recently. 

The only issue is that Kia hasn't revealed any fuel efficiency figures for the Carens CNG, so we can't really compare it to the two Maruti options here. But the fuel efficiency of the NA petrol powertrain is significantly lower than the two Marutis. 

However, not only does the diesel have a higher claimed fuel efficiency figure than the NA petrol engines of the Ertiga and XL6, but of course it costs less to refuel, which lowers the overall running cost with the diesel powertrain while giving you better tank-to-tank range and performance as well. 

Fuel efficiency aside, you do have to stick to a manual option in all the powertrains that you get in the Carens. On the other hand, both the Marutis offer you the option of a six-speed torque converter automatic with their petrol powertrains, which is a great convenience to have, especially in the traffic that chokes the roads during Diwali.

So if you’re looking for an MPV that can be light on your pocket, you can choose the Carens Diesel. However, if you want a car which offers convenience during your Diwali commutes, picking the Ertiga or XL6 automatic will make more sense.

CarDekho Says…

While the cars might be very similar on paper, it is actually very easy to pick between the three. They might serve the same purpose, but they go about it in a very different manner. 

Here’s when you should pick the Ertiga: 

When budget is a defining parameter, and you just want a comfortable and spacious 7-seater family MPV at the lowest price possible. In that case, beyond these three cars too, the Ertiga is your best bet. It just gets the basics and fundamentals of a family car right, no fancy stuff. But with Maruti's low-cost service and promise of reliability, it is definitely the most sensible car here. 

Here's when you should pick the XL6:

When you want the same promise of low-cost service and reliability, but in a package that is slightly more modern. Because not only does it get feel-good features like front ventilated seats and captain seats in the second row, it also has slightly better space in the third row. Another reason to purchase the XL6 over the Ertiga can be the fact that the Ertiga’s brand image is highly linked to commercial duties. While the XL6 too does feature in commercial fleets, it isn't nearly as omnipresent, and hence, feels more premium.

Here's when you should pick the Carens:

When you want a more premium experience and the best possible space. Right from the exterior and interior design to the cabin’s fit and finish, the Carens just feels more polished. It offers easy ingress and egress in the third row and a space that’s genuinely usable for adults. And then there is the unique option of the diesel powertrain, which offers a great balance of usable performance and fuel efficiency. The only reason not to pick it would be when you want the convenience of an automatic that you get with the other two, and when you want the unmatched peace of mind of being the owner of a Maruti vehicle.