Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZDI+ SHVS Road Test Review

The Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki (SHVS) is a new age technology driven, Smart Hybrid car. Apart from the features like Engine Idle Start Stop function offered by Micro Hybrids in the market, SHVS takes it to the next level by adding Engine Assist (engine power assistance using an electric motor and efficient power regeneration (brake energy regeneration) system, which improves energy efficiency thus contributing to the environment. Also the Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) ensures quick and silent restart, which is not possible by conventional starter, based Micro Hybrids. During deceleration / braking, the ISG charges the advanced high capacity battery and provides energy to assist the engine’s idle stop start function and helps the engine during acceleration

In terms of convenience and fuel saving the vehicle does score top marks because it makes switching the engine on and off so easy. During our daily commutes we encounter jams at almost every corner be it at a red light, a toll booth or just bad roads but the Ertiga SHVS does the job with ease. Maruti Suzuki has seamlessly integrated this technology into the car making it extremely convenient for users to operate and save fuel. Speaking of fuel efficiency the vehicle offers 24.52kms to a litre of diesel which is quite decent.

The Ertiga when launched was an extremely popular MUV simply because it was much more affordable than an Innova and was very practical for city users. Yes, the Toyota Innova which comes with a much powerful engine, has its own strengths to offer. The Ertiga has now received some aesthetic changes and has a bolder looking front grille with ample chrome garnishing and an aggressive looking bumper. The Ertiga has an impeccable stance and road presence despite the fact that it is an MUV. On the inside the car now gets a smart play infotainment system which offers Bluetooth connectivity of navigation, audio streaming and smart phone integration. The dashboard is well laid out with all buttons easily accessible to the driver. The Ertiga also comes with power adjustable and retractable ORVMs as well as steering mounted controls for audio and mobile phone access. 

The Ertiga has practicality built in to its spaces, the car has 3 seating rows and can seat up to 7 people. The first and second row can be adjusted to increase space for third row occupants. The driver seat provides ample of support of the thighs, back and shoulders. The second row also gets a centre armrest but it does not have cup holders. There are plenty of cubby holes and spaces in all three rows to store pocket sized items apart from the usual bottle and cup holders. The seats are quite comfy and 7 average sized Indian adults can fit into this car with ease. The Ertiga however does not come with a lot of boot space. At just 135 litres the boot space I felt was grossly inadequate but the vehicle does offer foldable second and third rows to create more space. The MUV also gets AC vents for the second row.

The Ertiga is powered by a 1248cc diesel mill which produces 88.5bhp of power and 200Nm of torque. For urban commuting the vehicle has an optimal power output and can achieve a good speed easily with 3 to 4 passengers seated. However if you are seating 7 people in the vehicle there is a slight drop in performance but nothing that is detrimental at all. The 1.3 litre diesel mill is very peppy. The turbo kicks in anywhere north of 1800rpm after which the Ertiga is able to pick up speed quickly. The build quality of the vehicle is very sturdy and the ride is quite solid. The suspension set up is on the stiffer side and riding over bumps and potholes is not too much of a bother. The Ertiga also has a decent turning radius (5.2 metres) despite is size and is very manoeuvrable through traffic and tight corners.

We had previously taken the Ertiga to Tirthan valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh and drove through some really bad roads as well as very narrow mountain stretches. The vehicle got us there with ease and did not pose any problems on the way. It provided enough room for our luggage and catered for a very comfortable journey. A car as I said earlier is also a companion on your journeys and this is one companion who I would take along with me any day.