Mahindra Marazzo to take on Maruti Ertiga

Mahindra & Mahindra had unveiled the all-new Marazzo, a 7-8 seater people carrier, which has been introduced as a direct rival to the ageing Maruti Ertiga in the MPV segment.
Mahindra Marazzo is built on a completely new platform and is first of the three launches of the year committed by the company. It has been designed and engineered using M&M’s three resources based in India, the US (Mahindra Automotive North America) and Italy (Pininfarina).
The Mahindra Marazzo is ready to take on its rivals including Maruti Suzuki Ertiga but does it have the goods when it comes to specifications?
Have a look at the comparison between Marazzo and Ertiga
Exterior and styling
The Marazzo is 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.
Considering Ertiga, The large wrap-around headlamps, chrome inserts on the grille, Swift-like bumpers and small tail lamps make the design to appear a little outdated. The design has remained the same since its introduction in 2012 except some very small changes three years back.
Interior and features
The cabin of the Marazzo car 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 appropriately laid out within reach. The middle row seats can be folded flat as per convenience. The third row also seems to be very spacious . The new feature is the longitudinally-roof-mounted rear AC.
The all-beige cabin of the Ertiga makes it look more spacious than it actually is. The dash is simple with everything designed to make it more practical and appealing. It has the new infotainment screen which is a big benefit. The instrument cluster and steering wheel are all functional with no confusion at all. It also gets a decent standard feature list as well.
Engine and performance
The Marazzo is introduced with a 1.5-litre diesel engine that produces 123 HP and 300Nm of torque. The transmission is only a six-speed manual at the moment, but a petrol variant and automatic versions will be available 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 Marazzo, on the other hand, starts at Rs 9.99 lakhs and go all the way up to Rs 13.90 lakhs.
Verdict
Mahindra Marazzo’s superior shark-inspired design is truly unique and is bound to emerge as a head-turner on the roads. Marazzo is competitively priced and has several of the advanced features that add comfort and luxury for users.