Maruti Suzuki Ertiga gets 800 bookings per day: Waiting period RISES!

Maruti Suzuki launched the all new Ertiga just last month and the MPV has been a hit ever since then. The previous generation Ertiga was also quite a good seller but of lately, was bogged down as it was in a dire need of an update. Now, latest reports indicate that the new Ertiga has been well recieved by the buyers and the waiting period for the MPV has already stretched to as much as 3 months. Maruti Suzuki has received a total of 37,000 orders for the new Ertiga since the bookings opened on November 14.

RS Kalsi, executive director, sales and marketing at Maruti Suzuki, talked about the exhilarating response the Ertiga has received. He said that the response to the new Ertiga has been very positive and the company has been receiving on an average 800 bookings a day. He further added:

MPVs are back. The concept of togetherness is taking a different meaning. It is no more about family get-togethers. The weekend out with friends and colleagues is also an increasing trend and stylish MPVs do serve the purpose,

In its segment, the Ertiga does not face any kind of threat as there is no direct competitor for the MPV. The Mahindra Marazzo is its closest rival but that starts about Rs. 2.50 lakh dearer to the Ertiga. The Renault Lodgy had always been a dud seller so that is no competition again. However, the upcoming Kwid based MPV from Renault could pose some serious threat to the Ertiga. Code named the RBC, the MPV has been spotted testing multiple times now and Renault will  place it squarely against the Ertiga upon launching.

Talking of the new Ertiga, it is based on the all-new Heartect platform. The MPV is now larger in size and has grown in length by 99mm and has become wider by 5mm. The wheelbase remains the same at 2,740mm but the cabin space has increased and so has the boot space. Ertiga remains 7-seater as before albeit the last row gets ample space too now.

The all-new Ertiga is powered by the all-new 1.5-litre petrol engine that also powers the all-new Ciaz in the Indian market. The diesel engine is the same 1.3-litre multijet diesel engine sourced from Fiat. The MPV also gets SHVS mild hybrid system which further aids in fuel efficiency. The petrol engine produces a maximum power of 104 Bhp and peak torque of 138 Nm. The diesel unit produces 89 Bhp of power along with 200 Nm of torque. A 5-speed manual transmission is available with both the engine options. A 4-speed torque converter automatic transmission is also available, though only with the petrol engine.

Prices for the new Maruti Suzuki Ertiga start at Rs. 7.44 lakh for the base LXi varinat and go all the way upto Rs. 10.90 lakh for the top of the line ZDi+ variant. Compared to the previous generation model, the base model is about Rs. 1 lakh more expensive. However, the new Ertiga is bigger and better than the model it replaces in almost every way, which justifies the price tag.

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