Spec comparison: Mahindra Marazzo Vs Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Mahindra has finally taken the wraps off the all-new Marazzo in India. The eight-seater has been introduced as a direct rival to the ageing Maruti Suzuki Ertiga in the MPV segment. Although Ertiga is due for a generation change, which we suspect will happen later this year, we have pitched the Marazzo against the current segment leader. Let’s see how the newcomer performs against the highest selling MPV on paper. 

Exterior and styling:

The Marazzo claims to have been inspired in its styling cues by a shark, something which is evident all around the vehicle. The grille gets vertical slats as seen on other Mahindra products, but with shark-like teeth appearance. The bumpers has stylish air damps while the twin-barrel swept-back headlamps add to the aggressive fascia. There are LED DRLs on the fog lamps with chrome inserts and lots of black treatment. The MPV sits on 17-inch alloy wheels with disc brakes on all four corners. The large shark-fin-like tail lamps dominate the rather simple-looking rear. 

In comparison, the styling of the Ertiga is more mature and seems dated. The large wrap-around headlamps, chrome inserts on the grille, Swift-like bumpers and small tail lamps make the Ertiga appear old-fashioned. The design has remained the same since the Ertiga’s introduction in 2012 albeit some very subtle changes three years back. This will change when the new-gen Ertiga arrives in India. It will use the new Heartect platform with an overhauled styling. 

Interior and features:

The cabin of the Marazzo has a well laid-out dashboard with seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system and the gear-lever dominating the centre console. The instrument cluster is all-new with a unique purple backlit integrating a multi-function display screen between the twin pod clusters. The buttons and switches have been ergonomically laid out within reach. The middle row seats can be reclined or folded flat according to convenience. Meanwhile, the third row appears to be spacious as well. The novelty feature is the longitudinally-roof-mounted rear AC which claims to make the Marazzo’s cabin the fastest cooling cabin in its class. 

The all-beige cabin of the Ertiga makes it appear more spacious than it actually is. The dash is simple with everything designed to make it more practical and appealing. It does get the new infotainment screen that one finds in the modern Maruti cars, which is a huge benefit. The instrument cluster and steering wheel are all functional with no fuss. It also gets a decent standard feature list as well.

Engine and performance:

The Marazzo is introduced with a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel four-cylinder engine developing 121bhp of power and 300Nm of torque. The transmission is only a six-speed manual at the moment, but a petrol variant and automatic will join the line-up soon. The transverse mounted FWD setup engine has been designed by AVL. 

The Ertiga gets two engine options. The petrol is a 1.4-litre unit that produces 94bhp and 130Nm which can be had with a five-speed manual or a four-speed AT. The diesel, on the other hand, is the 1.3-litre Multijet unit that produces 90bhp and 200Nm of torque and has been mated with the five-speed manual. It comes mated to the SHVS hybrid technology as well.

Pricing:

In terms of pricing, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga starts at Rs 6.77 lakhs while the top-spec diesel is priced at Rs 10.95 lakhs. The new Marazzo, on the other hand, starts at Rs 9.99 lakhs while the top-spec M8 retails at – Rs 13.90 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom).