Maruti Ertiga vs Mahindra Marazzo – Shootout

Interiors – The interior of the Maruti Ertiga looks and feels premium with the beige theme. The light colour makes it airier too. The interior of the previous Ertiga was a cut-copy-paste job of the Swift while the new one shares its elements with the Swift, the layout is welcomingly different. The faux wood finish that flows across the dash looks neat and the panel above it gives you a feeling that the AC runs across the dash, reminding you of some Audis.

The equipment levels are strong too with a touch-screen infotainment system, steering mounted audio controls, climate control, cooled cupholders, etc. The dials in the instrument cluster are legible and the colour MID display looks neat and gives you loads of info. You also get keyless entry and go. The downside is that the build quality isn’t very good. The cabin materials feel light and don’t feel well screwed together. Some plastics could’ve been better too.

The Marazzo’s cabin feels more premium and well-built as compared to the Ertiga

The interior of the Marazzo is a massive step up from anything we have seen from Mahindra in the past. There is a nice fusion of new textures and traditional elements. The dashboard looks clean and minimalistic. You get generous equipment in the Marazzo but the car misses out on the stop/start button. Nonetheless, you do get a touch-screen with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control and leather-wrapped steering wheel. But what seals the deal is how solid this cabin feels. All the materials feel durable and the doors shut with an assuring thud. Overall, the cabin of the Marazzo feels more premium and has better quality than the Ertiga’s.

The negatives do come in the form of ergonomics. The jet-lever like handbrake looks cool but is fiddly to operate and the armrests at the front are not well positioned. We would’ve liked a faster response from the touch-screen and the instrument cluster does not feel as bright as the Ertiga’s.

The Marazzo is much bigger than the Ertiga. The Mahindra is 190 mm longer, 131 mm wider, 84 mm taller and has a 20 mm longer wheelbase than the Maruti. This means the Marazzo has more interior room than the Ertiga.

It is especially evident in the second row, with the option of captain seats. The Marazzo is the only car here to offer captain seats and the well-bolstered seats coupled with excellent space makes it a very comfortable place to be in for long drives. The seats can be reclined and adjusted to suit your needs and you also get sun blinds. All this just heightens the back-seat experience in the Marazzo. The third row too has good space but more under-thigh support would’ve made it great for adults.

The Marazzo is more spacious and comfortable than the Ertiga

The front seats of the Marazzo offer superb cushioning and fantastic lateral support. We also love how effective the air-con design is in the Marazzo. It cools the cabin in no time. Getting in and out is not very challenging either.

The Ertiga, being more compact does not liberate as much interior space as the Marazzo. The second row does not give you the option of captain seats. Although fairly comfortable, the bench layout lacks the last degree of relaxation offered by the captain seats. The seats too lack the thick bolstering of the Mahindra making them a little less comfortable. The space in the second row is very good on its own but is overshadowed by that offered in the Marazzo. The third row is best left for kids as space is tight. But you can recline the seats in the third row to make room for your head. The AC is simply not as effective as the Marazzo’s. But ingress and egress is effortless in the Ertiga as it is relatively low slung. What is great to see is that both the cars offer ISOFIX mounts for the little ones.