Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vs Maruti Suzuki XL6 Comparison: Should you opt for the XL6 over the Ertiga?

We love comparing cars. It sure comes across as a rather gruelling task, but our thirst to find the best product in a particular segment is often only quenched by a true-blue comparison to not just help our viewers to make an informed decision, but also to get an idea of how one product stacks up against other.

Ever heard of the term sibling rivalry? Well, our lot for today packs in two siblings that are more related to one another than one would think. You see, MPVs have gained some really good ground of late and Maruti Suzuki’s Ertiga and XL6 are both extremely compelling packages. But we’re here to answer which one of these MPVs does it better? And does the XL6 pack enough to justify that price premium over the Ertiga? Just like you, we’ve loads of questions and we’re going to answer probably all of them down below.

So, in essence, both the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Maruti Suzuki XL6 are great products. They’re built on the same platform, share the same underpinnings, and are closely matched in terms of pricing. But, where the Ertiga retails from the company’s Arena dealerships, the XL6 can only be found in the brand’s relatively luxurious Nexa outlets. So, which one of these dealerships should you sign that cheque for?

Both the Ertiga and XL6, as said earlier, are based on the same platform. This also translates to a fact that both these cars are more or less similar in dimensions. So, the bigger the better quotient simply doesn’t apply here, if you’re wondering.

What does apply here is the way they both look on the road. You see, despite being very similar products, Maruti Suzuki’s both MPVs have distinctive styling, and, as a result, have distinct road appeal as well. I’m quite sure one wouldn’t just mistake the Ertiga for the XL6 out on the road and vice versa.

Let’s start with how the Ertiga looks. In its second-generation, the Ertiga looks poles apart from the first-generation model, and it’s indeed a good thing. It’s now a bit more muscular, a bit brawnier, a bit more desirable, and, of course, a step in the right direction. The long MPV shape is disguised very well with the help of subtle lines, an upright stance, and a pleasing exterior. There are also some modern elements like new wing mirrors, projector lamps, puny but subtle alloy wheels, and sizeable tail lamps that give the overall bland rear a nice lease of life.

The XL6, on the other hand, takes all the modern elements and subtle lines from the Ertiga, but for the extra price, it gets a few additional tweaks that make it more desirable and compelling. Maruti Suzuki cars have revised the front-end completely to make it brawnier, with the help of a skid plate at the bottom and a fully upright nose reminiscent of SUVs. It also gets new headlamps – which are now full LEDs, a new bumper, and LED fog lamps. Blacked-out ORVMs, pillars, and an insert joining the LED taillamps are also part of the upgrade. It also gets black cladding that runs across the whole body for the added SUV appeal.

Both cars get the same interior layout. However, where the XL6 gets an all-black cabin, the Ertiga gets a black-and-beige theme on the inside. Without a doubt, the XL6’s cabin feels a bit more special thanks to the use of leatherette seats, which are now laid in a captain seat format. So, the XL6 comes across as a 6-seater while the Ertiga gets a bench in the middle and is a 7-seater. So, if ferrying extra passengers is something you’re looking at, just pick the Ertiga.

The XL6 also gets some extra equipment on top of the Ertiga’s already ample equipment list. It gets cruise control, leatherette seats, full-LED lamps at the front, LED taillamps, auto-folding ORVMs, automatic headlamps, and so on.

Both the cars are powered by the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that made its debut with the Ciaz facelift in 2018. It churns out 103bhp and 138Nm of torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission as standard. Buyers can also opt for a 4-speed torque converter automatic as an option.

Now that we’ve discussed what both these sibling MPVs bring to the table, here’s our conclusion. If you can stretch your budget a little bit, the XL6 comes across as a solid product. But if you want that extra seat or if the budget is a constraint, the Ertiga, too, is an easy recommendation. Also, read the latest car comparisons, only at autoX.