Maruti Ertiga to face its biggest rival next year?
Citroen is still finding firm ground in the Indian market. With the C5 Aircross, Citroen showcased its finesse to Indian consumers. Now, Citroen is bringing its first mass-market product, the C3. With the C3, Citroen will directly be targeting the premium hatchback buyers but will indirectly target SUVs like Tata Punch, Nissan Magnite & Renault Kiger as well. So what is Citroen’s plan after C3? Citroen’s next ambition is to take on the MPV segment. Now, when we talk about MPV, the first thing that comes to our mind is the Maruti Ertiga. The Ertiga has ruled the MPV market ever-since its launch. Of late, the Ertiga has been facing stiff competition from the Kia Carens and Citroen also plans to join this party. So, what will the new Citroen MPV offer? In today’s article, let’s talk about this upcoming Maruti Ertiga rival.
Citroen’s plan
Citroen wants to target the Asia Pacific region, with India being its core target. It plans to do so by doubling the product portfolio in the next two to three years. Citroen has confirmed that it is looking to launch an electric car and an MPV next year. This EV could be the electric version of the C3, while the MPV could be the Berlingo, which the French carmaker sells outside India.
Maruti Ertiga rival – What will it get?
The Berlingo doesn’t look like any regular MPV in India. It looks more like a van than an MPV. It does bear some resemblance to the Renault Lodgy and Nissan Evalia. From the front, it gets that quirky Citroen look. What about the engine specifications? Earlier, Berlingo was spotted testing with the 1.5-litre petrol unit, which could be the perfect option for India. However, only time will tell which engine makes its way here. For reference, Citroen also offers this MPV with a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, the same unit which powers the C3. Moreover, global markets also get diesel options. Could Citroen extend these to the India-specific car? Only time will tell, but if the brand actually wishes to hurt the Ertiga, they should keep diesel engines ready in its arsenal.
How will it take on the Ertiga?
The Ertiga as a product is known for its affordable pricing. hassle-free ownership experience and reliability, thanks to Maruti’s service network. Citroen, on the other hand, has really been focusing on bringing powerful yet comfortable cars (quite evident from the C5 Aircross’ Flying Carpet suspension as well as C3’s comfortable ride quality). We expect this to be the same case with the planned MPV as well. Citroen is expected to make ride quality a strong point for this MPV. With that being said, could Citroen cut some costs in terms of quality to price it more competitively against the Ertiga, similar to what we saw on the C3? We will have to wait for that. However, we expect this MPV to definitely be a strong competitor to the Ertiga as well as the Kia Carens, once it launches here. Do let us know your take on this Maruti Ertiga rival.
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