-The Ertiga is the company’s bestselling MPV

-It is the only MPV in the country with factory fitted CNG option

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has announced a sales milestone of 5.5 lakh units of its highest selling MPV – Ertiga. The company claims that 20 percent of its buyers are repeat customers signifying strong brand association. The MPV was initially launched way back in 2012 as ‘Life Utility Vehicle’ and gained instant popularity among Indian consumers with its familiar petrol and diesel engine options.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga reached the 1.3 lakh sales mark within the first year of its launch. In 2013, the Ertiga was introduced with factory fitted CNG kits, thereby making it, even more cost effective for the buyers. The CNG variants were also well received by commercial fleet operators. During its lifecycle, Ertiga underwent cosmetic updates in the year 2015 and the all-new second-generation was also launched in 2018. The model went on to achieve the 3.8 lakh sales milestone in the year 2017-18. In the following year, Maruti Suzuki launched the XL6, which was a six-seater version of the model with the middle row available in captain seat configuration. It is retailed through the car maker’s premium Nexa dealerships.

The diesel variant of the Ertiga was axed earlier this year under the company’s initiative of manufacturing only BS6 petrol vehicles. The current generation Ertiga is now available only with a BS6 compliant 1.5-litre K15B smart hybrid petrol engine producing 103bhp and 138Nm torque. The engine is paired to a five-speed manual transmission of which the VXI trim is available with CNG fuel option and an automatic gearbox. The car is retailed through the Arena dealerships across the country.

Speaking on the success, Mr. Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “Over the years, brand Ertiga has redefined the notion of utilitarian MPVs with its sharp style, space, comfort, safety and host of technology features. As India’s first compact MPV, Ertiga continues to build a legacy of innovation. The remarkable milestone of 5.5 Lakh sales is a testimony of its success. While making a purchase decision, customers often cross-consider MPVs with UVs. Despite being cross-considered with top selling UVs in the country, Ertiga has dominated the market and increased its market share in the segment.”