MPVs are designed for family purposes and therefore referred to as multi-purpose vehicles. MPVs have been a very unpredictable segment in the Indian automobile industry. Some have done well while others crashed. However, over the last couple of years, this segment has matured and come in tune with what people want. Two MPVs that have locked their heads in this war are Maruti and Honda. Here is an exhaustive comparison of Honda Mobilio and Maruti Ertiga as per different criteria such as appearance, interiors, mileage, engine, safety features, and variants.
Variants
Maruti Ertiga is available in petrol as well as diesel engine. The various variants of petrol Ertiga are LXi, VXi, Vxi ABS, ZXi and the diesel Ertiga include LDi, VDi, ZDi. You can even check out the CNG variants VXi and LXi.
Honda Mobilio is also available in both petrol and diesel engines. The different variants of petrol engine include 1.5 E i-VTEC, 1.5 S i-VTEC, 1.5 V i-VTEC, 1.5 V(O) i-VTEC and the diesel variants are 1.5 E i-DTEC, 1.5 S i-DTEC, 1.5 V i-DTEC, 1.5 V(O) i-DTEC, 1.5 RS i-DTEC, and 1.5 RS (O) i-DTEC.
Exterior Look
The Mobilio is quite remarkable when it comes to the looks. The front grille of this MPV comes with a sturdy chrome strip and the headlamps are intentionally made in a tear drop shape giving it a modish look. The stylish bumper along with the unique fog lamps make it simply attractive. It looks quite remarkable at the rear with split tail lamps, a rear spoiler, a rear windshield wiper and a bigger wheel size of 15-inches. The lower height of the car adds to its aesthetic beauty.
Maruti Ertiga has an impressive first look and looks different from other MUVs available in the market. The curvy lines on its front body are adorned with a blacked-out front grille and the colored bumpers add to the car’s beauty. Maruti has given a simple look at the rear to Ertiga by ensuring there are no out of the place curves. A noticeable feature is the blacked out windshield borders.
Ground Clearance
The ground clearance of both Honda Mobilio and Maruti Ertiga is same i.e. 185mm. Such a high ground clearance ensures that no obstacle – breaker or potholes, mars the fun of driving these MPVs even if you are going fully loaded.
What’s Inside
Mobilio is Honda’s first 7-seater MPV that comes with a dual tone interior. The longer wheelbase increases the leg space. The first row is spacious and the second row is adjustable to improve leg room. You can even recline the seats for a more comfortable journey. Also, it has giant windows and many cup/bottle holders. You can create ample boot space in the car by folding the third row of seats to fit in enough luggage for 5 people. The modish analog unit speedometer looks beautiful. Additionally, you will find it easy to use to the gear of Mobilio as the gear level is easy to use and offers better grip.
Maruti Ertiga’s first impression is that it has quite spacious interiors. The design is somewhat similar to Swift but it does have the feel of a MPV. The seats are adjustable and bring in more leg and head room. The boot space is ample when the third seat is folded. Considering the whole size of the car, even the third row of seats is comfortable for small journeys but seating 7 passengers for a long drive might be a bit of a squeeze. It does not have a good boot space but you can do away with the problem by folding the third row. The cup holders add to the comfort and even the gear level is easily accessible. The vibrant colors of the speedometer add spark to its interiors. It is visually a delight to the eyes.
Engine
Honda Mobilio’s 1.5-litre petrol engine offers a stunning performance. It has an 119PS motor that makes it delightful to drive fast. It is faster as compared to many sedans in the same league. The acceleration is linear, which makes it good for city drive as well as for highways. The diesel engine, on the other hand, is a bit noisy but gives good performance. Both, the petrol and diesel variant comes with a 5 speed manual transmission. The in-gear acceleration is quite impressive and the top speed is 150 kmph.
The petrol variant of Maruti Ertiga gives a good performance in city drive but when driving faster, the car feels drained. The K-series engine makes 95 PS at 6000 rpm and the diesel engine makes 90 PS at 4000 rpm. However, there is a turbo lag in the diesel variant and one has to rev hard to get it out of the engine. On the positive side, the 5-speed gearbox is an additional advantage as its shifts are easy and accurate. It has a top speed of 163 kmph.
Mileage
Running cost is an important aspect when buying a car and thus mileage becomes an important criterion. The Ertiga does have a splendid mileage as the petrol variant offers 16 kmpl and the diesel one gives 20 kmpl.
Honda Mobilio, on the contrary, is highly economical. The petrol engine offers a mileage of 17.3 kmpl and the diesel engine gives 24.2 kmpl.
Safety Attributes
Honda Mobilio comes with special safety features such as ABS and EBD, seat belts, child lock, brake assist, airbags, and driver seat belt reminder. Thanks to its potent disc brakes, its braking performance is good enough giving the driver full control. However, traction control is something that this MPV lags.
All the 6 seats of Maruti Ertiga have 3-point safety seat belts along with a ione center 2-point lap belt. It also comes with the driver seat belt reminder. Anti-lock brakes and electric brake distribution system are further added in the top versions of the car for extra safety. ABS and EBD are included in Ertiga but it too lacks traction control.
Buying a car is a dream for many but it could become a nightmare if one does not consider the various features of any car. It is best to look into details and then decide for yourself!