After a lot of speculations about the Maruti Ertiga Cross and the 6-seat Maruti Ertiga for a long time, it has finally come to light that both are the same model, called 'Maruti XL6'. It will be launched on 21 August 2019. Here are five things you need to know about the upcoming model.
Maruti Ertiga derivative
The Ertiga has been a highly successful model for Maruti Suzuki and it is the best-selling model in its segment. To gain some additional sales from this MPV, the company has created a production extension in the form of the XL6. It goes without saying that the XL6 is unlikely to as popular as the Ertiga in the market, but it is expected to clock a few thousand units every month. Unlike the Ertiga, the XL6 won't be sold to fleet operators.
Rugged exterior
Compared to the subtle looking Maruti Ertiga, the Maruti XL6 tries looks more aggressive because of its rugged exterior. The entirely different front-end has a major contribution in this aspect, with sharper headlamps, bigger radiator grille featuring twin chrome slats, chunkier bumper and a faux skid plate. On the sides, black alloy wheels, black cladding across the length, silver roof rails and silver garnish on the rocker panels contribute to the rugged character. At the rear, there's a new bumper with vertical reflectors and a faux skid plate.
Unlike the Maruti Ertiga, the Maruti XL6 is said to feature LED headlamps. The new model could be slightly longer and wider and offer a higher ground clearance.
Plusher interior
Inside, the Maruti XL6 has the same design as the Maruti Ertiga. However, the cabin is plusher and offers more amenities. The biggest difference is the replacement of the 60:40 split-folding bench seat in the middle-row with two captain seats for more comfort. This makes the Maruti XL6 a six-seater. The cabin has an all-black theme. Extra/better features over/compared to those offered in the Maruti Ertiga include leather seat upholstery, Smartplay Studio infotainment system, cruise control, automatic headlamps and automatic wipers.
Petrol-only model
The Maruti Ertiga is available with the K15B 1.5L petrol engine and even the D13A 1.3L diesel engine. The Maruti XL6, on the other hand, will be sold with only the K15B 1.5L petrol. The petrol engine will feature mild-hybrid tech and be BS-VI compliant. The BS-IV version produces 77 kW (104.69 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic will be the transmission choices. The D13A 1.3L diesel engine is not going to be upgraded to BS-VI. The same is the case for the E15A 1.5L diesel engine that is offered in the Maruti Ciaz.
NEXA offering
For months now, a Maruti Ertiga to be sold through NEXA outlets has been in the rumour mill. The Maruti XL6 is that model. At NEXA, models are typically sold in Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha grades. In case of the Maruti XL6, there will be two grades, namely, Zeta and Alpha, featuring silver alloy wheels and black alloy wheels respectively. In addition to the black paint for the alloy wheels, reverse parking camera, leather seat upholstery, cruise control and dual-tone colour scheme will be included in the feature list of only the Alpha grade.
[Image Source: gaadiwaadi.com]
