New Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Cross spotted testing for the first time in India

- It gets rugged styling and an upright nose.

- The Ertiga Cross will be launched towards the end of 2019.

- It will get a six-seat layout with individual captain seats in the middle row.

In May, we reported about Maruti Suzuki readying a sportier version of the Ertiga with a six-seat layout. And now, the first set of spy photos of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Cross have surfaced online. This new model will bring a much-needed ruggedness to the otherwise mature-looking people mover.

Although heavily camouflaged, a second look reveals flared wheel arches along with a body cladding that runs from the front to rear and across the profile. Compared to the regular model, the Ertiga Cross sports an upright nose, while the roof rails add a zing to the beefier looks. Up front, it gets a large chrome grille, new headlamps with LED DRLs and a new front bumper. Then, there's a redesigned rear bumper as well.

Though the spy shots are grainy, we were able to ascertain that the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Cross gets individual captain seats in the middle row. It is in-line with earlier reports suggesting a similar variant under development for the domestic market. Further, Maruti Suzuki could also offer all-black interiors on the Ertiga Cross, identical to the Indonesia-spec Ertiga Black Edition.

This premium version of the regular MPV will reportedly retail through the NEXA channel of dealerships, while the standard model will continue with its Arena positioning. We can also spot some emission testing equipment at the rear of the Ertiga Cross, which suggests it will come with a BS-VI compliant 1.5-litre K15B petrol motor. And unless there's a strong demand for a diesel variant post the BS-VI implementation, we don't expect Maruti Suzuki to introduce a 1.5-litre DDiS 225 BS-VI diesel engine in the Ertiga Cross.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Cross will likely be positioned as a top-of-the-line variant of the MPV and will be offered at a slight premium over the top-end (Z+) trim of the standard model. The Ertiga Cross could be launched in India towards the end of 2019.

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