Maruti Ertiga unveiled at Auto Expo 2012

Maruti Suzuki has unveiled one of the most waited cars of 2012, the Ertiga MPV. The 3-row, 7-seater Ertiga marks the car maker's entry into the utility vehicle segment. Prices will be announced at the time of launch in April 2012 though expect it to be upward of Rs. 6 lakh.  

Though an MPV, the Ertiga has a very car-like styling and stance. In fact, the Ertiga borrows several design cues from other cars in the Maruti Suzuki family. The sweptback headlamps resemble the Swift's while the rest of the exterior looks similar to the Ritz. At 4.26m length and 1.69m width, it's smaller than the Renault Duster (4.31m and 1.82m), the Ertiga's most likely contender. But at 1.68m, the MPV is marginally taller than the Duster, which stands 1.63m tall. It also has a longer wheelbase (2.74m), which means better legroom for rear seat passengers and greater stability.       

As reported by ZigWheels earlier, the Ertiga shares several parts with the Swift. The dashboard, for instance, is a Swift clone. Other features on the Ertiga are a 3-spoke, tilt-adjustable electric steering with audio controls, power windows electrically adjustable mirrors, central locking and keyless entry, twin AC, USB-compatible audio system and multi-information display.

The Ertiga will come in both petrol and diesel specs, an all-new 1.4-litre K14 VVT petrol mill and a 1.3-litre DDiS super turbo diesel engine that also powers the Maruti Suzuki SX4 diesel. The petrol Ertiga develops 95PS of power and 130Nm of torque while the diesel powerplant puts out 90PS and 200Nm of torque. Fuel efficiency is a claimed 16.02 kmpl and 20.77 kmpl for the petrol and diesel variants respectively.