2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Ciaz facelift spotted on test, could they be heading for Auto Expo?

All eyes are on the 14^th edition of India's biennial auto show -- Auto Expo -- which will kick-start from February 9. And the country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, is busy testing its new models on the Indian roads. Two of Maruti Suzuki's upcoming models — the new Ciaz facelift and 2018 Ertiga —have been spied undergoing testing in two different instances.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Maruti Suzuki has been testing the new updated Ertiga on different terrains of India. Although the launch of the new Ertiga is expected only in the second half of 2018, the auto enthusiasts could get a first glance at the model at the Auto Expo in February.

From the images of the new Ertiga, the MPV seems to have grown bigger in size with changes expected in the front and rear. It is rumoured to be based on the Heartect platform that also underpins the new Dzire and the soon-to-be-launched next-gen Maruti Suzuki Swift.

Also read: Auto Expo 2018: A look at Maruti Suzuki cars from new Swift, Swift Sport, Ciaz facelift, Ertiga facelift and more

The Ertiga in its new avatar is also rumoured to get changes under the hood. It is said that the new Ertiga could be the first model to get the company's indigenous 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine under the hood. The engine is likely to replace the 1.3-litre mill in the current model. The current 1.3-litre multi-jet diesel engine develops 89bhp of power and 200Nm of torque; it also gets the SHVS small hybrid system. The Ertiga is now also available with a 1.4-litre K Series petrol engine that produces 94bhp and 130Nm mated to a five-speed transmission.

The next-generation Ertiga is likely to get features such as Smartplay touchscreen infotainment system with Apple carplay and Android auto support along with safety features such as airbags and ABS as standard.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz

Maruti Suzuki is also expected to show the new Ciaz facelift at the Auto Expo. The latest spy images of IAB reveal the new tail lamp design of the Ciaz. The new Ciaz is also expected to get new front grille, updated front and rear bumpers, new headlamps, LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs), fog lamps, among other updates. Inside the cabin, the layout of the car is likely to remain untouched. However, the new Ciaz could get features like updated touchscreen infotainment system and new instrument cluster.

Also read: Auto Expo 2018: Waiting period of new Maruti Suzuki Swift gets longer, stands at 4 months now

Under the hood, the new Ciaz is likely to get same engines as the current model. It now comes with the option of 1,373cc petrol and a 1,248cc diesel mills in India. The current petrol unit develops 91bhp at 6,000rpm and 130Nm of torque at 4,000rpm mated to five-speed manual transmission and the diesel unit comes equipped with a small hybrid system which produces 89bhp at 4,000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 1,750rpm.

Image: IndianAutosBlog