Comparison: Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vs Maruti Suzuki XL6

The MPV segment has started to catch up with the expectations of the Indian consumer. Maruti Suzuki has two cars as contenders in this segment. Both the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Maruti Suzuki XL6 differ a lot in character, but are they truly very different from each other? Despite sharing the same drivetrain and the platform, these cars are used for two very different purposes. Which one suits you more depends on what you expect from your car.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga was launched in the Indian market over 10 years ago. That was the time where most of the three-row cars were used as commercial vehicles (mostly taxis) due to their ability to carry extra passengers. That was also the reason the interiors of these cars were basic when compared to a sedan or a hatchback. With times changing, people started showing interest in this segment and manufacturers upgraded to meet the needs of the customers. The Maruti Suzuki XL6 was launched in 2019, and it’s visible how both these cars have been positioned very differently by Maruti Suzuki in the Indian market. Which one of them is the right car for you? Let’s find out.

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Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vs Maruti Suzuki XL6: Dimensions

Considering that both these cars are MPVs and revolve around adding more utility to your everyday car. On the outside, the XL6 shines due to its bolder and bigger stance despite being built around the same frame. The Ertiga was never meant to be a looker; it was made to be purposeful and do its duty in a no-nonsense manner which it does. The XL6, however, is new and has to keep up with the competition. The Maruti Suzuki XL6 has a bigger and more aggressive front grille, the headlamps on the XL6 look innovative and more advanced. 

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vs Maruti Suzuki XL6: Engine and Transmission

Both the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the XL6 not only share the same chassis but also the same engine – the 1.5-litre K series engine – that delivers enough to ferry 6 (or 7 in Ertiga’s case) passengers easily. Both the cars come with two drivetrains to choose from – one mild hybrid and one CNG. Where the mild hybrid trims in both cases are mated to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, the modest CNG versions only get the five-speed manual gearbox. The Maruti Suzuki XL6 has a slightly better ARAI-certified fuel efficiency, but in real world, it should be almost identical for both the cars.

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Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vs Maruti Suzuki XL6: Features and Comfort

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Maruti Suzuki XL6 are essentially the same cars with some visible changes trying to lure the segments they both cater to. The new-generation Ertiga has a lot of features that were introduced with time to still keep it relevant to the buyers. The XL6 has all of these features plus something extra to justify the badge and the price. For example, Cruise Control on the Ertiga is available only on the top-spec ZXi+ models, whereas it is standard across the range in the XL6. The Ertiga also misses out on the ventilated seats that the XL6 offers in its Alpha+ trims.

Probably, the only thing that the XL6 does not have and the Ertiga does is the 60:40 rear seat split, but that’s because the XL6 has two captain seats unlike the bench seats in the second row as that of an Ertiga. Some of the features mentioned above are not standard across the range in both Ertiga and XL6, so take a closer look at the variant in your budget while considering it.

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On the inside, both the cars offer three rows of seats but one look and you know which one feels more premium. The Ertiga has evolved a lot from the time of its launch in 2012 and it shows on the plastic quality and the quality of interiors. Where the Ertiga gets the beige interiors, the XL6 gets a classier black look and feel on the inside. The Maruti Suzuki XL6 has captain seats in the second row which delivers a much more comfortable experience than the middle row of the Ertiga.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vs Maruti Suzuki XL6: Safety Features

The Indian market is now waking up to the importance of the safety features in its cars. Things that were avoided earlier to keep the costs of cars low are now becoming standard in most of the cars these days. Both the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the XL6 have features like dual airbags at the front, hill hold assist, rear parking sensors, stability control, and stability control standard throughout its range.

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Some features like rear parking camera, and front-seat side airbags are available in the higher trims of both the models. The XL6 has a 360-degree camera on the Alpha and Alpha+ variants as opposed to the rear parking camera found on the ZXi+ versions of the Ertiga. The Ertiga carries a 3-star safety rating from the guys at the NCAP and the XL6, even though it has not been crash tested by NCAP, should be equally safe if not more. This makes both of them a safer option than many other cars found on our roads.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vs Maruti Suzuki XL6: Price Comparison

Despite being very similar to each other on paper, both the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Maruti Suzuki XL6 are very different on the price front. Where the base version of the Ertiga is cheaper than the base model of the XL6 by Rs. 2.88 lakh, the difference deepens as we go up the food chain. The price difference between the top-end Maruti Ertiga and the most-expensive XL6 is Rs. 3.6 lakh. For a price sensitive market like ours, this margin is quite a lot. Yes, both the models are aimed at pleasing people from two different walks of life, where one is more of a utility vehicle and the other one is more of a lifestyle product for the urban population. This is also one of the reasons why the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga outsells by leaps and bounds on a MoM and YoY basis. 

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In the month of October 2022, Maruti Suzuki sold almost 10.5 thousand units of Ertiga, whereas it could only manage to sell approximately 2.5 thousand XL6s in the Indian market. The fact that the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is not a new car and has not gone through a major overhaul in a while says a lot about one of the top-sellers in the Maruti stable. The Maruti Suzuki XL6 reaches the markets via the Nexa dealerships which are very few in numbers which can also be one of the reasons the XL6 has failed to make a mark in the last three years. The XL6 is catching up, but the premium six-seater segment is already flooded with cars like Tata Safari, Kia Carens, MG Hector Plus, MG Gloster, and Hyundai Alcazar which offer a lot more value for every rupee you spend on them.

Summary

There is no verdict here. Both the Ertiga and the XL6 offer the same thing under the hood, but they both cater to two very different lifestyles. Where the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is focussed on people who might want to use it commercially, the XL6 is a family car that offers more comfort and has a more premium feel to it. 

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Unless you have a family of exactly seven people, chances are slim that an Ertiga will be high on your priority list. Most of the Ertiga consumers are either found in rural India or in tier 2 or 3 cities. For them, an Ertiga can carry more people in one go, and they do not put much weightage on luxury either. If you are reading this piece on your laptop or on your smartphone, chances are you will go for an XL6 too.