The XL6 MPV looks beautiful from the front but has it enough to differentiate from the low-priced Ertiga? Let’s get down.
Indian MPV segment revolves around the Innovas and Ertigas, which compete in completely different price segments. Maruti Suzuki tried to leverage this price gap between the two by offering an MPV which gives all of the Ertiga along with some additional premium kit. It is essentially for buyers who wanted Ertiga but don’t want to be perceived as driving a tour vehicle. The Maruti XL6 does carry a premium appeal not only outside but inside its cabin too.
KNOW MARUTI XL6 ON-ROAD PRICES AND OFFERS HERE
Similar to the Ertiga, the XL6 is offered with a petrol engine option only. It does not get a diesel choice. However, there is an automatic version on offer. The dimensions of the XL6 have grown slightly compared to the Maruti Ertiga. In due course, the price has gone a notch higher but is it able to do justice with the premium it commands? Keep reading.
Exterior
A glance at the XL6 ‘s front makes you go wow. The highlight of the fascia is, of course, the large headlamps with LED DRLs blending with the chrome slat grille on either side. The imposing grille, sculpted bonnet, neatly tucked fog lamp housing, faux skid plate – all look premium. The black cladding at the front and rear give it a SUVish stance. However, on fenders, it’s an eyesore. And those 15-inch wheels look way too small given the large wheel arches.
The XL6 gets blackened A and B-pillars. The roof rails, rubbed roof and copy-pasted tail lamps of Ertiga give it an appealing look. Move to the rear and you would be welcomed by the tweaked Ertiga rear. It gets a rear faux skid plate too.
Dimensions
| Cars | XL6 | Ertiga |
| Length | 4445 mm | 4395 mm |
| Width | 1775 mm | 1735 mm |
| Height | 1700 mm | 1690 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2740 mm | 2740 mm |
| Boot space | 209-litres | 209-litres |
For reference, we have mentioned the dimensions of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. The XL6 is 50mm longer, 40mm wider and 10mm taller than its MPV sibling. However, since it shares the same platform, the boot space and wheelbase remain the same.
Interior
The premium quotient of the XL6 is evident in the cabin as well. The Japanese automaker has replaced Ertiga’s upholstery with leatherette upholstery. Another major change is the captain seats in the second row. Both seats get decent room to seat most-size passengers. The sliding option ensures you can adjust the legroom of 3rd row passengers. The second-row seats do not tumble forward. However, you can walk to the third row from the space between the two captain seats.
The all-black cabin with stone finished dash and connected vents (similar to Audis) lift the ambience of the XL6. It gets a large glass area which gives you a good view all around. However, the combo of large glass area and all-black theme might not go too well during summers. It gets enough of storage spaces such as front cup holders, large door pockets to engulf your water bottles and other stuff. On the downside, you miss out on necessary features of this segment such as one-touch windows for all passengers and rain-sensing wipers.
Engine and Specifications
The Maruti Suzuki XL6 is powered by a 1.5-litre Smart Hybrid petrol engine of the Ertiga. The BS6-compliant motor is good for making 105PS of max power along with a torque of 138Nm. It is paired to a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. The fairly insulated cabin ensures the NVH levels are mostly controlled.
| Engine | 1.5-litre Smart Hybrid Petrol |
| Capacity | 1462 cc |
| Power | 105PS |
| Torque | 138Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual/ 4-speed AT |
| Mileage | 19.01kmpl |
Features
The Maruti Suzuki XL6 gets a plethora of creature comfort features which include engine push start/stop with smart key, auto headlamps with follow-me-home, 2nd row AC, remote keyless entry, cruise control, day-night adjustable IRVM, accessory socket in all three rows, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVM, 2nd row captain seats with one-touch recline and slide, 3rd row seats with 50:50 split and recline, voice command system, steering mounted audio and calling controls, USB and Aux-in connectivity, 4 speakers + 2 tweeters and more. The XL6 also gets a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
Safety
The Maruti Suzuki XL6 MPV gets adequate safety features such as dual airbags, ISOFIX, ABS with EBD, front seatbelts with pre-tensioner and force limiter, ESP with hill hold, reverse parking camera, reverse parking sensors, speed-sensitive auto door lock, rear wiper & washer, rear defogger and several others.
Price
The XL6 MPV is available in 4 variants – Zeta, Alpha, Zeta AT and Alpha AT. Here are the prices of each variant.
| XL6 variants | Price (ex-showroom Delhi) |
| Zeta | Rs 9.85 lakh |
| Alpha | Rs 10.41 lakh |
| Zeta AT | Rs 10.95 lakh |
| Alpha AT | Rs 11.51 lakh |
Verdict
The Japanese automaker has been successful in packing the Ertiga into a premium offering. It’s essentially new wine in the old bottle. It does miss out on some practical features. However, you get the reliability of Ertiga with the XL6. Safety features seem to be compromised given its price tag – it misses side curtain airbags. Overall, the XL6 does make for a premium package with its rich cabin, captain seats and a fully-loaded automatic variant.
