- The second-gen Ertiga debuted the new K15B 1.5-litre petrol engine.
- The engine will be made in India when the Ertiga makes its Indian debut.
- Plonking the petrol motor in the S-Cross will add to its value proposition.
The new second-generation Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is on its way to India. When introduced in the Indonesian market last month, the MPV debuted an all-new K15B petrol motor. When it is launched in the Indian market, the Ertiga will offer the same new petrol motor, which will, obviously, be made in India. But will Maruti offer this petrol motor in the slow-selling S-Cross in the country?
Firstly, let´s talk about the new engine. It is a 1462cc four-cylinder motor producing 104bhp of power and 138Nm of torque. The power is sent to the front wheels via either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. The K15B engine is Euro 4 compliant. The power output is a step up from the current 1.4-litre petrol motor of the Ertiga which produces 94bhp/130Nm.
Meanwhile, the difference in the petrol and diesel prices has diminished to the point where demand for petrol powered vehicles has increased, of late. However, Maruti still doesn’t offer any gasoline engine option for the S-Cross.
Since the new K15B engine for the Ertiga will be produced in India, it could be a viable decision to start offering it in the S-Cross as well. Offering the S-Cross with a gasoline powerplant will bring down the price by around Rs 50,000. So the top-spec S-Cross could be had in the same price range of compact crossovers like the Honda WR-V, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon. It would open the S-Cross to a new set of buyers who currently shy away from it due to the lack of petrol powertrain option and its expensive price tag.
What remains to be seen is whether Maruti will decide to plonk the new petrol motor in the S-Cross. As for the new-gen Ertiga, it is due for production in India and will also be exported to two other countries.
