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The Maruti-Suzuki XL6 is on sale in India at a price of between Rs. 9.80 - 11.46 lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• A 6-seater MPV at the price of C segment sedans & some compact SUVs
• Maintains value proposition of the Ertiga, with a fair premium for the added features
• Comfortable captain seats & spacious cabin. Fantastic car for the chauffeur-driven
• A competent BS6 petrol; convenient automatic available as an option
• Car-like to drive and city-friendly size
• Features such as that sweet head-unit, LED auto-headlamps, cruise control & more
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experience

What you won't:

• That lovely 1.5L diesel isn’t offered on the XL6 (available in the Ertiga)
• Captain seat layout means just 2 people on the middle row
• Build, quality & refinement are ordinary for a million-rupee car. Not a “premium” Ertiga
• 4-speed Automatic gearbox feels old & outdated
• 3rd-row isn't for everyone as the 2nd-row doesn't tumble forward, making ingress / egress tricky
• Some missing features such as side airbags, auto-dimming IRVM, auto wipers etc.

The 2022 Facelift

• Link to review

This review has been jointly compiled with Moralfibre. Thanks to him for the expert observations and photography!

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Since the Maruti Ertiga has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the XL6. To read the official review of the Ertiga, click here.

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Exterior

In India, MPV = Toyota Innova and Maruti Ertiga. The recently launched Mahindra Marazzo got off to a good start but needs to establish itself over time, like the other two. Interestingly though, all these 3 MPVs (Ertiga, Marazzo and Innova) are of different sizes & compete in different price segments. This is exactly where the XL6 slots in - Maruti Suzuki realized that there is a good price gap above the Ertiga to slot in a slightly premium version of the car!

To put things straight, the XL6 isn’t anything but the Ertiga in slightly different packaging, loaded with a couple of extra features. It is a product aimed at customers who would have otherwise bought an MPV like the Ertiga for its practicality, if not for the image issues some private buyers have regarding the MPV segment & how common the Ertiga is. Slotting above the S-Cross in terms of pricing, the XL6 is currently the flagship vehicle in the NEXA range. It is also the first time that a product is being directly shared between the Arena & NEXA divisions of Maruti Suzuki. However, Maruti is still offering a lot of car for the money. The XL6 Alpha petrol manual is cheaper than the top-end manual petrol variants of a few sub-4m, <1.2L petrol-engined compact SUVs. The Zeta variant costs just Rs. 19,000 more than the Ertiga ZXi+, whereas the Alpha costs Rs. 76,000 more, which helps it retain the value proposition that the Ertiga offers.



There are minor changes in dimensions compared to the Ertiga due to the additional sheet metal changes and plastics all around to visually differentiate the two products, but mechanically, both are identical underneath. The XL6 has lighter sheet metal build than other UVs. Don't even expect the solid "thud" here. Some panel gaps are inconsistent too, especially around the bonnet and headlamps. Paint quality is decent, but the build is average at best for a car costing more than a million bucks.

Maruti has used the naturally-aspirated, BS6 compliant, 1.5L K15B petrol engine from the Ertiga & skipped the diesel option altogether for the XL6!! While Maruti has stated the upcoming BS6 regulations as the primary reason for this decision, I am personally not very sure on that. The reason is that their newly developed and competent 1.5L diesel option is available on the Ertiga. While the engine has not been made BS6 compliant yet, it is more likely that this move has been made from a marketing perspective. Multiple reasons I can think of include - 1. Maruti is testing the waters (if they can drop diesel from their portfolio) with a low-risk product. 2. Differentiating the Ertiga and XL6, while also keeping Arena happy as the diesel Ertiga customer base is intact. 3. Minimal price overlap and comparisons with the diesel-only Marazzo, which is positioned only a little above, etc.

Equipped with the company's mild-hybrid system with an idling start / stop function, the petrol gets an additional lithium-ion battery under the front passenger's seat for improved fuel economy. Both power the front wheels via a 5-speed MT gearbox and an ancient 4-speed AT gearbox.

The XL6 comes with dual front airbags, front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, ISOFIX child seat anchors, ABS + EBD with brake assist, front seatbelt reminder with buzzer, rear parking sensors and high-speed warning as standard. The automatic variants further get hill hold assist and ESP. Maruti could have used this opportunity to make safety a differentiating factor, or at least optional, with the addition of side and curtain airbags, but only a rear camera is added to the top-end variant.

The front end is the primary differentiator for the XL6 compared to the neutral, inoffensive MPV styling adopted by the Ertiga. XL6 has a much bolder, upright stance:


The side profile tells you the reality - the car is only an Ertiga with some enhancements:


Speaking of laziness, the rear end is almost unchanged. In fact, the Ertiga already had a busy rear section as compared to the rest of the car, and Maruti has added some more prominent design elements to the XL6 to make things worse:


One of the best angles to view the car. It could carry the SUV attitude in this angle, with the length not apparent. The car measures 4,445 mm in length, 1,775 mm in width, and 1,700 mm in height - an increase of 50 mm, 40 mm and 10 mm respectively over its sibling:


The rear leaves little doubt regarding its Ertiga origins. Not only does it look overdone from this angle, but the small wheels + tyres are rather apparent as well:


A closer look at the new quad-LED reflector headlamps:


Two LEDs each for the low and high beams. DRLs are present as well, quite neatly integrated into the design:


Foglamps are LED units as well and held within a thick black cladding to make it look more butch:


Clean grille with very less chrome as compared to the Ertiga. The chrome bar extends into the headlamps, where it is neatly finished off as the DRLs:


No underbody protection. The crossover add-ons are only in terms of looks:


The faux skid plate is finished in matte silver. Aesthetic value only, no purpose served. Couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of a skid plate on an MPV:


Prominent bonnet creases on either side instead of subtle ones like on the Ertiga:


Same basic wiper and washer setup. Nozzles are well-hidden and shoot out triple jets of water:


The flat bonnet becomes evident near the A-pillar. Panel gap is ugly:


While the bonnet generally has larger gaps, they are worse around the headlamps:


Side claddings are rather tastefully done:


Can't say the same about the plastic-clad wheel arches. Yuck! 15" alloy wheels are the same as on the Ertiga, just finished in black. All poor decisions in our opinion as the small 15" wheels look smaller due to the oversized claddings around them. Thin 185 section tyres further add to the issue, made worse by the black finish on the wheel. Maruti could have made this one mechanical change and used thick spoke 16" alloys with appropriately sized tyres:


Wheel arch claddings near the rear door area are also poorly done. The underlying paint is clearly visible through the unusually large tolerances, and this could look worse on brighter colors such as red:


Same ORVMs, now finished in black:


Ribbed roof for additional rigidity. Roof rails add 10 mm to the height, and also help differentiate the XL6 from the Ertiga:


Tail lamps look the same at first glance, but have been borrowed from the Indonesian-spec Ertiga:


While the unit on the boot lid still isn't functional, the main unit gets LED light guides as parking lamps:


What doesn't help distinguish the XL6 from the Ertiga is this black finish for the center portion. A very lazy attempt from MSIL here :


Proudly wears the NEXA badge at the rear. The XL6 will be offered only via NEXA outlets, whereas the Ertiga will continue to be sold via Arena:


The rear bumper has a faux skid plate as well. No rear foglamps. 4 parking sensors are present. The outer two are mounted higher than the inner two. Vertically mounted reflectors on the bumper as compared to the horizontal units on the Ertiga:


Spare wheel is not an alloy here either:


With the main rival (other than the Ertiga, of course). With the XL6, Maruti is trying to position the Ertiga higher, but still at a safe distance from the Marazzo:


The XL6 is available only with a petrol engine, whereas the Marazzo is only diesel:

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Interior - Front

On the inside, you will find the familiar Ertiga interior, but with a big change - black here instead of the sea of beige you get in the Ertiga. Looks better and premium in black, but that said, the quality of plastics is at the same level as the Ertiga.

The XL6 retains it's MPV origins with its long doors, excellent ingress / egress, comfortable seat height, same ground clearance as the Ertiga, etc. Even the elderly should find the first two rows very comfortable, compared to taller body-on-frame MPVs like the Innova and the Marazzo. Once inside, there is ample legroom, headroom and shoulder room, especially in the second row now that it is only for two people.

Thanks to the super large windows, the cabin feels airy and welcoming, even with all the black plastics around. The second-row window is one of the largest and even the 3rd-row seats get a large fixed glass window. You are unlikely to feel claustrophobic in this cabin. Thankfully, no beige carpets here, unlike the dirt magnets found inside the Ertiga. Keeping the car clean will be a much simpler affair.

The dashboard, now fully finished in black, gets a dark grey faux wood trim with a thick brushed aluminium finish for the border. While the materials used are of average quality (typical Maruti quality), visually, the dashboard looks good. Cabin ambience feels better than the Ertiga.

Overall interior quality is acceptable, but just that for a million+ rupee car. The car is full of hard & scratchy plastics that feel budget-grade. There is also part sharing with others in the Maruti stable, including the window and ORVM controls. Maruti could have used this opportunity to offer a more premium experience in the cabin.

The feature list is long and decent. There are 12V sockets available for all 3 rows, the boot gets a removable tray that can free up room for larger bags (full-size check-in bags), captain seats for the middle row and the 3rd-row seats recline. Fore-aft movement of the front seats has been restricted to liberate more leg space for the middle row. While we found it sufficient, super tall dudes with a laid-back position will complain.

The ergonomics are spot on. You feel right at home even in the first instance of driving this car. While tilt steering has been provided, telescopic adjustment is missing:


Visibility is fantastic. The seating position, although similar to the Ertiga, is higher than in sedans and the bonnet is visible, which gives you the feel of an SUV. This might win over a lot of buyers as compared to its sibling:


Flat bottom steering looks & feels awesome in black. It gets a leather wrap and thumb contours. The horn pad in the center is a bit of a stretch. Gets a much better dual-tone horn now:


One big feature addition - cruise control is available on the XL6! But still, there are dummy buttons on the wheel:


Pull-type buttons for the phone are placed ergonomically. The steering wheel gets a brushed aluminium finish instead of the faux wood found on the Dzire + Ertiga:


Dials are shared with the Ertiga. Well-sized fonts offer good readability. The MID screen welcomes you with a Suzuki logo on start-up. Needles rest at the 6 o'clock position - like in sports cars! We find the blue color with silver outlines to be neutral.

Notice the blue line at the top of the instrument cluster? This Eco-drive illumination is a feature added on the XL6. It indicates how economically the car is being driven (it turns green if driven with a light foot and light blue to dark blue depending on the throttle input):


Door open indicator gets the XL6 graphic. Maruti has done more to differentiate the XL6 than lazy Toyota did with the Glanza!


Switches for the idling start / stop and headlight leveler are located below the engine start / stop button. Automatic variant gets ESP button as well:


The front door pads are finished in black with a dark grey faux wood insert to break the monotony:


Slightly wider sills as compared to the Ertiga - thanks to the claddings, but it should not be a cause for concern. No scuff plates present:


Big & comfortable seats with black leatherette upholstery. They offer sufficient bolstering & back support. Large headrest offers sufficient whiplash protection:


Footwell has adequate width. There is no dead pedal in the MT, but you can rest your foot on the left side. Automatic gets a rubber pad in this area:


No auto-dimming IRVM on the flagship NEXA product!!!


7" capacitive touchscreen head-unit dubbed 'SmartPlay Studio', which is shared with other newer cars from the Maruti Suzuki stable (such as the new WagonR & the Baleno facelift). The touchscreen console & the SmartPlay Studio app have been described in detail here. While the touchscreen itself is nice, the sound quality is strictly average and Maruti should have done better at this price point. Also, do note that a reverse parking camera is only available on the top-end Alpha version, whereas the Zeta variant makes do with just rear parking sensors:


A closer look at the faux wooden trim. Looks decent, but it isn't hard to understand that it is plastic:


Cabin lamp for the front row is different from the Ertiga. Gets a sunglass holder as well:


Sunvisors are much better on the Alpha version and belong in a car of this price. Both sunvisors get an illuminated vanity mirror. Zeta, however, gets the plain ones as in the Ertiga. Refer to this post from BHPian Leoshashi for pics of the Zeta variant:


Roofliner is different compared to the Ertiga. Grey in color and the material feels premium in comparison:

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Interior - 2nd Row

The rear doors are HUGE and open wide. The high roof, comfortable floor height, and well-placed seats make ingress & egress very easy:


Door sills are slightly wider than in the Ertiga due to the cladding. But its not too wide and does not cause any discomfort. No scuff plates here either:


Door pads in black. No faux wood treatment here. Despite its sheer size, the door doesn't require a lot of effort to open or close due to the light sheet metal:


The main interior differentiator for the XL6 compared to the Ertiga - captain seats for the second row:


Good middle row for the chauffeur-driven. Comfortable for 2 occupants, with enough legroom, shoulder room and a large window for airiness. Thin armrest doesn't look premium though. Underthigh support is average and the middle row occupants do not get cupholders:


What's more, the seats can also be reclined for comfort:


ISOFIX is standard for the middle row seats:


Legroom for a near 6 footer with the front seat set to my liking + second row seats set for max legroom. Maximum and minimum adjustment is similar to the Ertiga, and can be referred here:


Legroom with the 3rd row set to have enough space for my height as well:

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Interior - 3rd Row

Single lever adjustment retained even with captain seats. Pull this handle to tilt and recline the middle row seats in one go. While the idea is nice, we have doubts over the longevity of this piece of plastic. Reason = people will apply force on the plastic rather than the seatback to move it:


The seat doesn't tumble away, it just folds. This is the space through which one has to climb into the 3rd row:


Getting inside is a "one leg after the other" affair. Of course, don’t expect the elderly or even most adults to use the last row. The extra sill width (due to the cladding) makes things slightly worse here as compared to the Ertiga:


Space once seated is similar to the Ertiga. Of course, you need to have friendly relations with the folks in the middle row as they control the 3rd row's legroom. Thigh support, as is the case with most 3rd rows, is mediocre. Adjustable headrests have been provided and the seats are also recline adjustable:


Maruti claims ease of ingress through the middle row aisle. However, this is best left for kids. Adults are not only cramped for room...


...but also for height. Or else walk forward, fold the armrest back, sit on the second row and then get out - which again isn't an elegant procedure:


Unlike the Ertiga, the second row doesn't fold flat. Hence there is a big difference in luggage capacity only in this configuration - 692L with both second and third rows folded in the XL6, whereas the sibling can be used to move houses with its 803L capacity:


No seatback pockets for the third row. However, they get bottle holders, a side armrest and 12V sockets as in the Ertiga:


Boot capacities are the same as the Ertiga, except with the second row folded (as detailed above). 209L (all 3 rows up), 550L (3rd row folded) & 692L (2nd row + 3rd row folded). Removable floor for taller luggage items and a good strong base to keep heavier items on the top level as well:

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Driving the 1.5L Petrol MT

The XL6 is powered by the same 1,462cc, 4-cylinder K15 engine that puts out 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm, as in the Ertiga. The motor is equipped with a mild-hybrid system with start-stop functionality and is now BS6 compliant as well. Drives exactly the same as in the Ertiga and our review on the same can be read here. At least an engine cover should have been provided on the XL6 though.

Driving the 1.5L Petrol AT

Maruti is offering a 4-speed AT as an option on both variants. The automatic variants command a premium of Rs. 1.1 lakh over the respective manual variants. This old & outdated 4-speed torque converter is just 'adequate'. The only talking point of this AT is the convenience it provides, and not much else. Full review of this engine and transmission combination can be read here.

Ride & Handling

No surprises here! There is no mechanical difference compared to the Ertiga, and due to negligible axle weight differences, the suspension tuning is identical as well. Drives exactly the same as the Ertiga and our review on the same can be read here.

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Other Points

• The naming convention might appear strange at first. In fact, we are not sure if its X(c)L(usive)6 or XL (as in big) 6 as both were heard from different sources. Point to note however, is that Suzuki has used this naming convention in the past as well. Remember the Suzuki XL-7, known more popularly here as the Grand Vitara XL7?

• Maruti Suzuki has claimed to have invested Rs. 100 crores into the development of the XL6.

• In addition to the XL6 made available through NEXA, an Ertiga derivative will also go on sale via Toyota channels as per the MOU signed between the two parties.

• No base variants. No diesel option either. Clearly keeping the taxi & commercial segments away from the XL6.

• Ertiga had a 50:50 sales ratio between petrol and diesel variants as per this recent report. Maruti is leaving a lot of business on the table!

• Press the unlock button once (remote or request sensor) to unlock just the driver's door. Press it twice to unlock all the doors.

• Maruti recommends using the Exide ISS N55 battery for the XL6.

• Thanks to BHPian Leoshashi for sharing the price of the lithium-ion battery. It costs a whopping Rs. 53,685 to replace. Further, one must never let this battery discharge completely as it will not recharge again. Maruti recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of engine running time per week to prevent this from happening.

• Thanks to this post from BHPian JS Kwt, we see that the original Ertiga petrol was once priced between Rs. 6.23 and 7.67 lakh. Now with the XL6 added, the range stretches from Rs. 7.44 lakh (Ertiga base petrol) to 11.46 lakh (XL6 top-end automatic).

• Fuel tank capacity is 45 litres. There is a minor drop in FE compared to the Ertiga. The ARAI ratings are 19.01 km/l for the petrol manual and 17.99 km/l for the petrol automatic.

• The XL6 comes with a 2-year / 40,000 km warranty as standard. Maruti offers a 5-year / 1,00,000 km extended warranty. Highly recommended (related link). The dual-battery setup of the petrol isn't proven yet.

• Apart from the Nexa Blue colour of our test car, the XL6 is available in 5 more shades - Brave Khaki, Auburn Red (similar to the Ertiga review car seen here), Magma Grey, Arctic White and Premium Silver.

• Thanks to BHPian Leoshashi for sharing an image of the Zeta variant's seat fabric here.

• The K15B petrol needs engine oil of a very weird grade - 0W-16. Thanks to BHPian Leoshashi for pointing it out in this post.

• Ever wondered if 3 adults could fit in the last row, but didn’t know who to ask? BHPian JS Kwt has the answer in this post for the Ertiga. The XL6 should be identical as well.

• The Maruti XL6 e-brochure can be viewed here - NEXA XL6 Brochure Mobile.pdf.

Disclaimer : Maruti invited Team-BHP for the XL6 test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

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The Smaller yet Significant Things

Doesn't get any labeling for the fuel type. Don't be careless - ensure that the petrol pump attendant fills the right fuel. Such vehicles are usually associated with diesel engines:


LED headlamps with low beam on:


All chambers are lit up when the high beams are turned on:


LED headlamps do a good job of lighting up the road ahead:


With high beams on. For the short amount of night driving we could manage during the event, lighting was satisfactory:


Fog lamps are LED units as well:


Exposed Bosch ECU in the engine compartment. Take care during high-pressure wash so as not to spray directly on the unit:

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Official Reviews. Thanks for sharing!

[Sreesh1009]

I have honestly lost hope in Maruti. It's always a cliché with them. Either put on some cheap plastics and call it premium or offer some more accessories. Never care to make cars with better build quality or long lasting. Done with all their gimmicks.

[locusjag]

One thing which stood out earlier was a bit of info shared by crazy_driver on a different thread - the % of high tensile steel used in the XL6's body stood at a paltry 30%, as compared to the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios which had it at around 60-70%. That was it for me; I've stopped looking at the XL6 entirely.

[MDED]

As always rating the thread as 5 star. No wonder, the quality of Team BHP keeps increasing with each passing day and the quality of MSIL keeps dropping by the day. Their product mix is so crammed and the research team of MSIL wants to fill all the gaps in the product line, except for the "gaps" in the panel of XL6.

The thin metal sheets used in this car will be a bummer for anyone looking to upgrade from their premium hatch to this MPV.

Wish MSIl takes the Indian market more seriously with STRONG products, rather than resorting to haphazard mix and match.

[VJ05]

Excellent review with regards to changes made vis-a-vis Ertiga. XL6 is a clear case of old wine in a new bottle. I checked out the car in a Nexa showroom, while it looks good from angles and interiors also feels bit premium however I do feel it's a half-hearted effort from India's largest carmaker. They should have a) Give it a SUV look b) Plonk 1.5 Diesel in it with MT and AMT gearboxes. It would have been a really good proposition then. In India, mass-market UVs still need Diesel to be successful. Team-Bhp September car sales data proves this - While Ertiga sold 8391 and 6284 in Aug & Sep respectively, XL6 sold only 2356 & 3840 units in comparison. Even if I consider, XL6 was launched late in Aug, sold via so-called premium 'Nexa' outlets and market slowdown, these numbers are not so great.

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Originally Posted by locusjag

One thing which stood out earlier was a bit of info shared by crazy_driver on a different thread - the % of high tensile steel used in the XL6's body stood at a paltry 30%, as compared to the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios which had it at around 60-70%. That was it for me; I've stopped looking at the XL6 entirely.

Believe you are referring to this post from RavenAvi.

39% of high tensile steel is used on the XL6, and the exact same percent was mentioned for the launch of the Ertiga as well.

Though we cannot judge safety entirely with that aspect - may be worthwhile to note that competition like the Mahindra Marazzo not only uses 52% high tensile steel, but is also tested 4-star compliant by the Global NCAP.