The 2018 Suzuki Ertiga has been unveiled in Indonesia, as has been expected. In line with most sightings and expectations, Suzuki has upped the quality quotient by a notch, and the all-new Ertiga now presents a smarter face, along with a host of design upgrades to the exterior. The front grille looks much smarter, while the tail lamps now resemble Volvo's XC60. On the inside, the overall package has been improved in terms of features and the overall aesthetics. The new Suzuki Ertiga also gets a new engine, and is selling in Indonesia with 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic gearboxes. This edition of the Ertiga will come to India later this year, and will aim to take a share of the Toyota Innova Crysta's market share. Here's taking a look at what it has on offer.
The front grille is now bolder and more modern, with sharper angles, bolder fog lamp housings and an overall taut design. The new Ertiga is also bigger than its predecessor, giving it a bigger presence on the road.
From the sides, the MPV looks significantly more premium than before. It gets a slightly slanted windowline, and all the lines converge towards the rear, which gets a completely new design too.
The tail gate is nothing like the one before, and gets a sharp cut below the rear window. The LED tail lamps are angular now, and somewhat resemble the rear lights on the Volvo XC60 SUV.
The new Ertiga gets front projector headlamps. The lights are sharper than the rounded ones selling in the present generation Maruti Ertiga plying in India, and are in line with the rest of the car's design.
Here's a closer look at the headlamp cluster of the 2018 Suzuki Ertiga.
Inside, the Ertiga has received a host of upgrades, beginning with seat bolstering, the flat-bottom steering wheel, the instrument cluster with a monochrome MID and more.
The new Suzuki Ertiga gets premium electronic elements, including a push-to-start button.
There are also steering-mounted entertainment and telephony controls, in line with the new generation Maruti Suzuki cars and the multi-functional steering wheel that are present in them.
The dashboard gets faux leather and wood inserts, as you can see here. The wood insert is more prominent here, and is more elaborate than what you'd see in the present generation Maruti Dzire. Also present is the 6.5-inch infotainment display at the centre of the console, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The overall interior design looks much more premium, and the horizontal slots up front add more character to the interior. The beige colour theme is likely to be retained in the India trim of the new Suzuki Ertiga, and the dual-tone dashboard is expected to be present too. The Ertiga also gets a 4-speaker stereo audio setup.
Overall interior space is said to have improved, with more space for the third row passenger. The middle row gets access to a power socket, and is likely to be offered as bench and individual seat configurations.
In what is a pleasantly surprising inclusion, the cup holders to the front are ventilated to keep your can of soda cold, even in the summer heat.
In terms of the powertrain, the new Suzuki Ertiga is being offered in both 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmission options. In India, Maruti Suzuki is likely to offer its AMT gearbox.
The new 2018 Suzuki Ertiga is powered by a 1.5-litre, K15B DOHC VVT petrol engine that produces 104bhp and 138Nm torque. This is an upgrade from the previous engine, and India is likely to get the same engine too, with the same tune of power.
The new Ertiga gets a few bells and whistles in the safety department, including ESP, traction control, two-point rear parking sensors and ISOFIX child seat mounts. All of this makes the new Ertiga a rather well-equipped overall package, particularly considering its category.
The all-new 2018 Suzuki Ertiga is expected to be introduced in India later this year, and will be vying for a slice of the MPV market by improving on the overall aesthetics, equipment and powertrain. When launched, the new Ertiga may be priced between Rs. 7 lac, with top trims expected to go all the way up to Rs. 10 lac. It may also bridge the gap in the MPV market that persists between the likes of the present-generation Ertiga and Lodgy, and Toyota's upmarket MPV, the new Innova Crysta.