Maruti Suzuki is all set to introduce mid-life updates for its two MPVs (Ertiga and XL6) in India soon. The manufacturer has dominated the segment for a pretty long time with the Ertiga, and the XL6 was introduced in the country as a slightly more premium six-seat alternative to the former. However, the MPV segment recently welcomed a brand new offering – the Kia Carens.
The Kia Carens is packed up to the brim with goodies, and has managed to put decent numbers on sales charts since its arrival. Can the Kia MPV disrupt the dominance of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and XL6, or will the facelifts of the two Maruti Suzuki cars help them expand their supremacy in the market? Here’s a comparison between the three cars to help you find the answer to that question –
Design
The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and XL6 facelifts are expected to carry over their overall design with a few subtle changes to make the cars look fresh. The Ertiga will likely be equipped with a brand-new grille up front, while a new front bumper could also be seen along with a new set of stylish alloy wheels. The same changes are also expected to be made to the XL6 facelift, albeit with unique bits and pieces. It will carry over its muscular look over its 7-seat sibling with plastic cladding all around, roof rails, a slightly flatter nose and bonnet, as well as faux skid plates.
The Kia Carens has a slightly busy looking front-end with split LED headlamps and what Kia calls a ‘digital radiator grille’ with the signature tiger face. At the rear, the Carens is equipped with Y-shaped wraparound LED tail lights that are connected together by a bar. The chrome embellishment on the lower portion of the rear bumper makes the Carens’ rear-end look hefty and proportionate.
Powertrains
| Car | Upcoming 2022 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and XL6 facelifts | Kia Carens |
| Engine | 1.5-litre four-cylinder NA petrol | 1.5-litre four-cylinder NA petrol/ 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel/ 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol |
| Power | 105 PS | 115 PS/ 115 PS/ 140 PS |
| Torque | 138 Nm | 144 Nm/ 250 Nm/ 242 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT, 6-speed AT (new) | 6-speed MT/ 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT/ 6-speed MT, 7-speed DCT |
The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and XL6 facelifts will be equipped with a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder Dual VVT engine with mild-hybrid tech. The engine will likely be offered in the same state of tune as before, i.e. 105 PS/138 Nm. While the transmission duties will be taken care of by a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard, the 4-speed AT will be replaced with a new 6-speed torque converter automatic on both the MPVs.
On the other hand, the Kia Carens can be had with three different engines – a 1.5-litre four-cylinder NA petrol unit (115 PS/144 Nm), a 1.5-litre diesel motor (115 PS/250 Nm), as well as a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine (140 PS/242 Nm). A 6-speed manual transmission is standard, while the diesel and turbo-petrol engines are also offered with an optional 6-speed AT, and a 7-speed DCT respectively.
Features
On the feature front, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga & XL6 facelifts will likely be equipped with a larger 9-inch SmartPlay Pro+ touchscreen infotainment system, a leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, as well as paddle shifters. Features like smartphone connectivity, automatic climate control, push button start/stop, electrically adjustable and retractable ORVMs will be carried over.
In contrast, the Kia Carens gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen with connected car tech, cruise control, ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, rear view camera air-con vents for all three rows, one-touch electric-assisted tumble function for the second row seat, an electric sunroof, a digital instrument cluster, Bose 8-speaker sound system, paddle shifters, and more.
Safety
Maruti Suzuki is expected to add some new safety features to the Ertiga and XL6 facelifts, including 6 airbags, and a 360-degree surround-view camera – both of which were recently introduced with the new Baleno. Safety tech like ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, rear parking sensors, Electronic Stability Program with Hill Hold (AT only), Hill Hold Assist, and ISOFIX child-seat anchorages will also be retained.
Kia offers the Carens with six airbags, Electronic Stability Control, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill start assist, downhill brake control, and all wheel disc brakes as standard. Apart from that, the MPV also gets a rear parking camera, automatic headlamps and wipers, and front parking sensors on higher variants.
Price
| Car | 2022 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga facelift | 2022 Maruti Suzuki XL6 facelift | Kia Carens |
| Ex-showroom Price | Rs 8.4 – 11.4 lakh (expected) | Rs 10.5 – 12.5 lakh (expected) | Rs 9.59 – 17.69 lakh |
The Kia Carens is currently priced between Rs 9.59 lakh and Rs 17.69 lakh (ex-showroom). On the other hand, the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga facelift is expected to be priced from Rs 8.4 lakh to Rs 11.4 lakh, while the Maruti Suzuki XL6 facelift could be priced between Rs 10.5 – 12.5 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Do note that exact pricing for the Maruti Suzuki MPVs will only be confirmed at their respective launches later this month. Source
