Maruti Suzuki Ertiga 1.3 diesel discontinued: Diesel variants now start at Rs. 9.68 lakh

Maruti Suzuki had hinted a few months back that it would not carry diesel engines in its lineup come April 2020, which is the deadline for BSVI emission norms mandate. The company is already working to upgrade its model lineup to be BSVI ready and now, the manufacturer has discontinued the 1.3-litre diesel engine variants of the Ertiga MPV. Though Maruti Suzuki offers another diesel engine in the form of a 1.5-litre unit, the variants carrying this engine are about Rs. 1 lakh expensive than the now-discontinued 1.3-litre counterparts. The prices for the diesel-powered Ertiga, therefore, now start at Rs. 9.86 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

To let you know, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is the best selling MPV of India with the diesel variants constituting a major part of its sales. The 1.3-litre diesel which has been given a farewell from the Ertiga has been long in service for the company and was available with the Ertiga since the MPV was launched in India for the first time back in 2012. This engine is, in fact, one of the most common mills found on Maruti cars. The Fiat-derived unit once powered cars ranging from the Ignis and Swift to the Ciaz and S-Cross. However, the upcoming stricter BSVI norms mean this engine had to be let go of since upgrading it would result in too much expenditure.

The Ertiga is now available with two engines, both of which are 1.5-litre units. One is a 1.5-litre petrol unit that churns out a good 103 Bhp of power along with 138 Nm of torque. This engine comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed torque-convertor automatic gearbox. The engine also gets the Mild Hybrid system that helps in increasing fuel efficiency and make the vehicle much more frugal. The diesel engine, on the other hand, churns out 94 Bhp of power along with 225 Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. This engine will also be axed from the lineup before the April 2020 BSVI emission norms implementation deadline.

As of now, Maruti Suzuki is readying an all-new sporty and premium version of the Ertiga that will be launched on the 21st of this month. Called the XL6, it gets a new face along with a more rugged-looking body design and is a tad bigger in size compared to the Ertiga, though the wheelbase remains the same. On the inside, the XL6 will come with 6 seats with the mid row featuring two captain seats. Maruti Suzuki will offer the 1.5-litre petrol engine on the XL6 and there will be no diesel mill on offer. The interiors will get black and plum coloured finish and the car is targeted towards those who want a more luxurious MPV without spending too much.