2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga to get new 1.5L diesel engine: Report

Maruti Suzuki may not have plans to launch its new Ertiga in India anytime soon. But the rumour mills have already been burning the midnight's oil since it was first spied testing in India. The latest news is that the new seven-seater MPV is going to feature new engine under the hood.

A report of TeamBHP says that the new Ertiga could be the first one to get the company's indigenous 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine under the hood. The new 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 SHVS small hybrid system. The Ertiga is now also available with 1.4-litre K Series petrol engine that produces 94bhp and 130Nm mated to a five-speed transmission.

Reports indicate that the new Ertiga will be launched in the country only in the second half of 2018. Maruti Suzuki may make its debut at the upcoming Auto Expo in February 2018. From the spy images of the new Ertiga that we have seen so far, the MPV seems to have grown bigger in size with changes in the front and rear. The new Ertiga is rumoured to be based on the Heartect platform that also underpins the new Dzire and the next-gen Maruti Suzuki Swift.

Although the changes in the interiors are not known yet, the word around the web suggests that the MPV is likely to get upmarket interiors with features like Smartplay touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android auto support along with safety features such as airbags and ABS as standard.