Next-gen Maruti Ertiga test mule spied in India for the first time

Team-BHP has posted spy shots of a new 7-seat Maruti MPV test mule that was spied testing on the Greater Noida Expressway recently. This is most likely the next-gen Maruti Ertiga (code: Maruti YHA) making its spy photo debut.

The test mule, especially from behind the C-pillar, looks much bigger than the current Maruti Ertiga. The second generation model may have a longer body and a bigger wheelbase for increased seating space. The current model is 4,296 mm long, 1,695 mm wide and 1,685 mm tall. It has a 2,740 mm wheelbase.

Maruti Suzuki has managed well to hide the new design with the heavy camouflage. However, the steeply raked backglass in the second generation Maruti Ertiga is evident. The company has refrained from using sliding rear doors in the redesigned model. The interior may look very similar to that of the all-new Swift, save for a distinctive colour scheme aimed to make the cabin look elegant.

The next-gen Maruti Ertiga will likely share the Heartect platform with the Dzire and the next-gen Maruti Swift due early next year. The new platform should bring weight savings and increased stiffness to the MPV.

Also Read: Maruti’s Mahindra XUV500 challenger arriving in 2020

With the lifecycle change, Maruti Suzuki is set to replace the Ertiga’s 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine with a new in-house developed, royalty-free 1.5-litre diesel engine. It is unknown whether the K14B 1.4-litre petrol engine will continue. With an increased focus on vehicle safety, the all-new Ertiga may have dual-front airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchorages and other vital safety features that should come standard.

The next-gen Maruti Ertiga is forecast to reach showrooms in mid-2018. The Suzuki-badged version will arrive in Indonesia in H1 2018.

[Image Source: Team-BHP]