Delivery of top-end Maruti Suzuki Ertiga variants delayed

There has been a strong demand for the new Maruti Suzuki MPV Ertiga since its launch. And the recent hike in petrol prices has resulted in an even stronger demand for diesel variants. This has created quite a row over deliveries of the vehicle, especially the top end ZDi and ZXi variants. 

While the base and mid range LDi and VDi have a delivery period of three to four months, the waiting period for the top end petrol Ertiga ZXi is about six months while the waiting period for the top end diesel Ertiga ZDi is indefinite. 

Bookings for the Ertiga ZDi made during the first week after launch had a delivery period of six weeks that has stretched to an indefinite period. 

We tried to contact Maruti officials about the lengthy waiting period for the Eritga but upon enquiry they denied any such issues.

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Dealers say that the lengthy waiting period is due to the short supply of the alloy wheels that the top end ZDi and ZXi come fitted with. 

But dealers are willing to sell you a VDi or LDi instead of the ZDi with a set of the exact same set of alloy wheels from Maruti’s accessories division. 

Usually, demand for low and mid level variants like the LXi, LDI, VXi and VDi is higher than the demand for top end variants. Maruti expected the demand for the top end variants to be below 30 per cent. But due to a smaller than usual price gap of around Rs 60,000 between the VDi and ZDi, bookings for the ZDi have shot through the roof and have accounted for roughly half of the bookings for the Ertiga. 

The difference between the VDi and ZDi variants of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga are airbags, alloy wheels, height adjustable driver’s seat, rear defogger and rear washer wiper. 

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