It looks like Maruti Suzuki wants to improve
the sales even further and is planning a more premium and rugged variant of the
highly popular MPV by launching a Cross variant which has been spied recently
on test in Pune. The test mule was spotted entirely wrapped in camouflage but
when looked closely, it can be figured out that the Ertiga Cross features an
upright nose, a much larger front chrome grille and redesigned headlights with
integrated LED daytime running lamps.
The crossover also gets a new front bumper and
larger air intakes and there is also a newly designed rear-bumper. Also, it
sits higher compared to the regular Ertiga thanks to its increased ground
clearance. The MPV on test can clearly be seen fitted with emission testing
gear, which suggests that the company might be working on the BS-VI compliant
K15B petrol engine under the hood of the new crossover.
Due to the limited view
in the spy shots, the interiors are not visible clearly but it is assumed that
the Ertiga Cross may get an all-black cabin, as seen on the Ertiga Black
Edition. Previous reports also say that 6-seater Maruti Ertiga Sport is also in
the works.
The K15 SMART HYBRID petrol engine in its current,
BS-IV version churns out 104 PS at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm at 4,400 rpm.
The engine comes paired with a 5-speed MT or a 4-speed AT. The fuel efficiency
rating is 19.34 km/l (MT)/18.69 km/l (AT). The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Cross
will likely be positioned as a top-of-the-line variant of the MPV, and when
launched, it could retail from the premium NEXA dealerships instead of Arena
showrooms.
