Maruti Ertiga 1.5 Diesel With 6-Speed MT Spotted On Test

Maruti will replace the existing 1.3-litre MultiJet engine with the all-new in-house developed 1.5-litre powertrain before the BS6 deadline.

The new generation of the Maruti Ertiga was launched in India last month. The car has been priced from Rs. 7.44 lakhs to Rs. 10.90 lakhs (ex-showroom) and takes on the Mahindra Marazzo. Apart from significant exterior and interior details, the biggest change for this generation of Ertiga is under the hood. The 1.4-litre petrol motor has been replaced by a 1.5-litre K15B engine with mild hybrid technology.

The new petrol engine is more powerful than the older engine and uses what Maruti calls as a Smart-Hybrid-Technology or SHVS to marginally improve the fuel efficiency. The petrol engine is accompanied by the tried and tested 1.3-litre Fiat-sourced diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

It was initially expected that the Ertiga would come with the 1.5-litre engine that has been developed by Maruti Suzuki in-house. However, Maruti decided to continue with the same 1.3-litre engine for some time. The 1.3-litre engine has a class-leading 25.47 km/l fuel efficiency figure and will be eventually replaced by a bigger, more powerful 1.5-litre mill.

The Maruti Ertiga 1.5 diesel and it will meet the stringent BS6 norms. The engine is expected to be fitted into the MPV before the 2020 deadline and will also come mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. It is believed that the engine will produce 110 BHP and 270 Nm of peak torque.

Maruti is also working on introducing a sporty 6-seater version of the Ertiga which will be based on the top-end variant and sold through the Nexa dealerships.