[dadu]

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

All said and done, I think Siddarth has a pertinent query: Why the XL6?? The Ertiga makes more sense with it's elegant looks, practicality of having a bench in the middle row and being a little more affordable as compared to the XL 6 which looks hideous, overdone, captain seats in the middle row and disproportionate due to the small wheel size.

Well its all individual choices which Siddarth cannot impose,

As the saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

For eg. I prefer captain seats to bench, as I feel more comfortable in it and also provides ample space to the third row.

Then there are electric folding ORVM's and Cruise control which I prefer to have as a feature.

Puny Wheel size is the only area which Maruti has knowingly overlooked.

[rohin4110]

Background to switch:

I owned a Baleno Alpha AT and it is a great car to have! It was my choice car for serious mountain driving, while there is an Ecosport parked at home! The softer suspension of the Baleno was always too tempting against the stiff ride of the Ecosport, thus for long rides like Delhi to Kaza and back, I preferred Baleno over the Eco anyday! Yet the space for a family of four was a tad on the lesser side, thus prompting me for an upgrade, when the right one would come along...

I had been hearing for a long time that MSIL (Maruti Suzuki India Ltd) is going to introduce a premium version of the Ertiga in the Indian market and was quite patiently waiting for the same. While through the wait, the spy pics of the “XL6” and the teasers started flooding the internet. In the camouflage and spy pics only along with some "inside information" from MSIL and the internet, I was somewhat confident that MSIL had a winner on their hands, to further strengthen the lead in the MPV space that they have, with the Ertiga as the best-selling MPV in the country.

Having owned an Ertiga VDI in the family a few years ago, I was quite happy with the vehicle and anyways the 2018 facelift was an even more refined offering. Since MSIL did not put a foot wrong with the 2018 Ertiga and XL6 being based on the former was assuring enough. Went ahead and took a test drive of the Ertiga AT and was quite satisfied with the familiar sense of space, refined engine, supple ride quality. Post quite a reassuring ride on the Ertiga, I went ahead and booked the XL6 on 14th Aug 2019, without having seen the vehicle or having driven it. The indent was raised at the dealership (NEXA, Sohna Road, Gurgaon), for XL-6 Alpha AT, with a colour preference of Silver.

By 18th August, I had closed the deal for the Baleno, and banked the cash for it and by 20th August, the dealer had got a payment of 10 lacs on the 20th August and the balance was due to be given on the 21st August (the launch day), once the on road price would have got revealed and thereafter take the delivery.

Goodbye to the one year old Baleno… You served well!!!


The Day:

21st August arrived and as was agreed with the dealer the deal was to be the first customer in all of India to take the delivery of the new XL-6. They chased Maruti, gave it their best and eventually sent their driver to get the car from the close-by Manesar plant for MSIL, where the car was parked.

The media launch for the vehicle was scheduled across all dealerships in India at 1400 hrs on the 21st August and soon thereafter the system started accepting sales and the invoices started getting generated. Now for the BIG one… At approximately 1515 hrs, when the invoice was generated, just within just over an hour of the launch, it is safe to assume that mine was the first XL6 sold in all of India, as confirmed unofficially by Maruti too. In the mean-time, the car arrived from the Manesar plant and I got a frantic call at 1630 hrs from the dealership to come fast, as people in anticipation to get the first glimpse of the car had started flocking mine, that was due to be delivered to me by the end of the day! The reason for the same, on the launch date, most of the dealers did not have the display vehicles!

But obvious, upon rushing to the showroom, I realised that indeed the car was grabbing eyeballs and would be wise to move it away from the showroom and thus decided to park it behind the showroom in their staff parking, while the documentation was being completed.
Upon the completion of the documentation, the car was all set to be delivered.

The side profile with the puny 185/65/15 Bridgestone Ecopia rubbers…


People checking out the car at the dealership, just minutes after it was officially launched…


Parked at B.K. Tyres, Lajpat Nagar – Delhi (a favourite tyre destination for Team BHPians in Delhi) for change of tyres and alloy rims...



… and the choice was Michelin Primacy-4 (205/55/16) mounted on Momo REDS Series drone shaped alloys. I did not like the black multi-spoke wheels that came as the OEM on the car, so decided to change to something more funky and easy to maintain and clean! Thanks to Atul at B.K. tyres to have pushed me for this design, while I had my doubts, they eventually turned out to be quite cool on the car…


The firm footed and planted look on the new broad section Michelin tyres. The bolder stance with the upsized tyres, which give the XL6 a better ride quality, keep the understeer in check at high speeds and a firm footed feel while engaging in speeds in excess of 90 kmph…


Some other shots…

Since I was just looking around before XL6 and came across the concept of wireless charging for phones, here is my own version of it – Viotek fastcharge (ordered from Amazon for Rs.1000), plugged into the multiple charging socket next to it. Notice the cup holders with air vents, to keep your drink cool…


Mobile phone stand mounted on top of the windscreen for convenience to see Google map navigation. Notice the charging cable behind the sun visor neatly tucked in and to be used just in case the phone is out of battery…


The much talked about “Captain seats” on the XL6. Comfortable indeed and add that premium feel to the interiors. Notice the prayer flags at the back! While this one hasn’t been LEHéd yet, however, they were taken off the Baleno...


The side-on angle looks more butch now with the wheel arch cladding and the broad spec tyres that fill up the wheel well significantly...

Yeah! The “Smart hybrid” emblem on the fender is not a standard, but bought as an MGP and put on both fenders to add some character...


Sony 4 Channel XM-GS4 Amplifer planted under the seat to drive the JBL Stadium series components in the doors. Note the Grey 3M nomad foot-mats, cut to size to cover the carpet...


The tweeters of the JBL Stadium series component speakers, cut-out through the rear door trim…


Standard OE bulbs dumped to make way for an all-white cabin with Osram LEDs...


The Quad LED Low beam at play. Note, the outside two LEDs light up on Low beam. Fog Lamps are LED too, adding to an amazing all white illumination at night…


… and all 4 LEDs in the headlight light up on the high beam mode. At night, the throw of the high beam is simply superb upto 150 meters, while the low beam gets a decent cut-off line at around 30 to 40 meters…


The guide lights on the rear look amazing at night. Well they look similar to one of the premium segment Swedish brands! No prize for guessing that one right!


The Osram Interior ambient lighting at night! They change colours too and the intensity can be reduced or switched off completely...


Out goes the OEM air filter box to make way for the K&N Universal filter, adding the addictive engine roar and a better engine response in the low range! The filter for now is "on trial" and performing well on the car. It will be fixed behind the front grille soon for cold air intake…


My rides are always incomplete without the signature “Love Cars. live Cars.” Team-BHP branding on the rear windshield and "Live to Drive" on the front…


Another look at the clean side profile of the XL6, with nice crease lines along the body...


Things I liked:

• Well rounded package offered by MSIL giving you the bang for the buck spent. The Alpha AT at 12.8 lacs on road (Gurgaon), the XL6 is complete value for money.
• Captain seats are very comfortable and add to the premium feel on the XL6.
• The built quality seems more sturdy than the usual MSIL tin sheet and even on the interior, the quality of plastics feels marginally improved.
• The Quad-LED headlamps and LED fog lamps surely give the XL6 a fantastic road presence.
• The large glass area helps in making the cabin feel very airy and ample amount of sunlight coming through. Inspite of the all black interior, the cabin doesn’t feel claustrophobic.
• Decent boot space with the third row up. Remove the partitions provided and you release a practical deep storage area.
• Guide lights at the rear give the XL6 a Volvo look, which is quite cool.
• The engine is “adequate” for a people mover and quite honestly, I am not the revving kinds, so the 1.5 ltr motor looks like good to serve well in the long term at decent speeds, with decent low end performance, which flattens out post 120 kmph.
• The age-old torque convertor transmission is butter smooth, but doesn’t like being pushed much.
• The speed alarm at 80 kmph is very subtle and though it can not be disabled, it is loud enough to be heard and not too loud to be an irritant too. I personally like the feature.

Things I did not like:

• No auto dimming IRVM in a 1.3 million car, is a disappointment, that too when a Baleno gets it.
• No UV cut glass is a bigger disappointment, that too when a Baleno gets it and it is such a relief in scorching Indian summers. Morover, the XL6 with its glass area would have really benefited with the UV cut glass and improved the performance and cooling of the air conditioner.
• Positioning the XL6 as a premium offering, MSIL could have moved the rear AC vents on the B pillars (much like the XUV500) and given a sunroof instead, even if it came at a certain premium.
• It is high time that Maruti thinks through on the tyre size they offer, which at times really looks ridiculous. For a size of the XL6, the OEM fitment of 185/65/15 just doesn’t feel good and makes the vehicle look weird and disproportionate.

Conclusion and my two cents:

Though early days, and remember I bought the XL6 without looking at the car or taking a test drive, however, for now, I would say that the decision has been a good one and the upgrade has been worth it. Given the peace of mind with Maruti’s service standards and network, and the overall refinement levels of the product, the XL6 is surely in my view going to undercut the Honda BRV, Mahindra Marazzo, and the sibling Ertiga too. If people are looking for a people mover, with loads of space, premium touch and are content with an adequate" performance, at a price point like this, then they should surely consider the XL6 as an option.

[vinayak648o]

Sir,
Congratulations on your purchase, I wanted to know where did you get the interior lighting mods done on your vehicle as I would like get the same things done for my ciaz.

[gagan.84]

Originally Posted by rohin4110

Background to switch:

• Well rounded package offered by MSIL giving you the bang for the buck spent. The Alpha AT at 12.8 lacs on road (Gurgaon), the XL6 is complete value for money.

Many congratulations on your purchase , and hope the car serves you well. Please share your experience on the AT gearbox and overall ride and handling of the car.

I am trying to evaluate XL6 AT vs Nexon AT vs Duster CVT which are in the similar price bracket.

[rohin4110]

Originally Posted by dadu

Well its all individual choices which Siddarth cannot impose,

As the saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

For eg. I prefer captain seats to bench, as I feel more comfortable in it and also provides ample space to the third row.

Then there are electric folding ORVM's and Cruise control which I prefer to have as a feature.

Puny Wheel size is the only area which Maruti has knowingly overlooked.

Absolutely agree that it is an individual choice. Having owned an Ertiga in the past, wanted to switch to something funkier and upmarket (no offences to the Ertiga), as I still feel that the 2018 version of the Ertiga is a far more improved version of its predecessor.

That said, XL6 isnt that overdone too (again, maybe a matter of individual choice). Certain premium features like the Harman headunit (not offered in Ertiga AT), electric ORVMs, Captain seats (I love them as they are certainly more comfortable than the bench, if you don't need a sitting for seven), Cruise control, Quad LED headlamps (make you literally see daylight at night), black interiors (always an advantage over beige in India as it is earier to maintain), functional rear guide lights surely look cool than the 4 LEDs on the Ertiga rear.

As for the tyres, it is the same ridiculous size 185/65/15 as Ertiga! Horribly under-tyred for a large vehicle like it.

All said, the premium of 70k that you pay over the Ertiga is in my view well worth it.

Originally Posted by vinayak648o

Sir,
Congratulations on your purchase, I wanted to know where did you get the interior lighting mods done on your vehicle as I would like get the same things done for my ciaz.

Thanks buddy... You can look u for the mood lights on Amazon (LEDINT 201 LED Ambient Tuning lights base kit - 12V) and they are DIY plug n play. No expertise required for the fitting. Cheers...

[ani_meher]

Originally Posted by gagan.84

I am trying to evaluate XL6 AT vs Nexon AT vs Duster CVT which are in the similar price bracket.

Nexon AMT does not belong in the list with other two cars, IMHO. It fits better with Brezza AMT/ Ecosport AT/ XUV300 (except the ridiculous pricetag). Other two vehicles are clearly a segment above.

[Nav-i-gator]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

Nexon AMT does not belong in the list with other two cars, IMHO. It fits better with Brezza AMT/ Ecosport AT/ XUV300 (except the ridiculous pricetag). Other two vehicles are clearly a segment above.

Actually they do. Sure, we can leave XL6 from the list as it has one extra seat and bigger dimensions. But Duster CVT and Nexon AMT can surely be taken as similar vehicles - interior space, build quality, performance (CVT in duster is petrol only, Diesel is AMT), even ride quality is more or less near about. Only Duster AWD can be treated as a segment above.

[rohin4110]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

Nexon AMT does not belong in the list with other two cars, IMHO. It fits better with Brezza AMT/ Ecosport AT/ XUV300 (except the ridiculous pricetag). Other two vehicles are clearly a segment above.

Agree, XL6 is a different segment (Multi Utility Vehicle - MUV) and the ones mentioned here are compact SUVs. The comparison isn't apple to apple. XL6 would ideally complete with the Ertiga, Mahindra Marrazo, Honda BRV, Renault Triber (though at a much cheaper price point) and to some extent the base versions of the Innova Crysta.

That said, if practicality is what you are looking at, with the Brezza, Ecosport and Nexon being in the same price bracket, you can consider the XL6 too, which will give you loads of space but will be a bit of a compromise on the pep and performance.

Hope that helps

[The Rationalist]

Does the XL6 3rd row seats come with ISOFIX Seat mounts?

[rohin4110]

Originally Posted by The Rationalist

Does the XL6 3rd row seats come with ISOFIX Seat mounts?

Hi. Not the third row bench, but the captain seats in the middle have ISOFIX mounts.

[nishp]

Congratulations on your purchase. This looks better than Ertiga. Although I like the stock alloys, but tyre up-size was a must. Grey color suits the car too. All in all a very nice car!

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by rohin4110

Now for the BIG one… At approximately 1515 hrs, when the invoice was generated, just within just over an hour of the launch, it is safe to assume that mine was the first XL6 sold in all of India, as confirmed unofficially by Maruti too. In the mean-time, the car arrived from the Manesar plant and I got a frantic call at 1630 hrs from the dealership to come fast, as people in anticipation to get the first glimpse of the car had started flocking mine

Hey congratulations on the FIRST XL6 owned in India! Now thats something that can never be taken away eh? Super. Wish your family infinite safe & happy miles with the wagon! And please send picture of your upgraded alloy wheels & tyres to MSIL top honchos. Attach a "smirk" smiley with that email. Those wheels are HOT & literally are transforming the car by ages! Good choice I must say. They are single handedly converting the car into a much more premium one! And you got the car in shade pretty much identical to your Baleno. Nice choice there!

Originally Posted by rohin4110

The speed alarm at 80 kmph is very subtle and though it can not be disabled, it is loud enough to be heard and not too loud to be an irritant too. I personally like the feature.

Agree with you. It can't be disabled since its a government regulation & mandate to be installed in all new cars now. As long as the tone is correctly tuned - its a good feature for our roads where nutcases also hold driving licenses. That much little tiny reminder about staying alive!

Originally Posted by rohin4110

No UV cut glass is a bigger disappointment, that too when a Baleno gets it and it is such a relief in scorching Indian summers. Morover, the XL6 with its glass area would have really benefited with the UV cut glass and improved the performance and cooling of the air conditioner.

Absolutely agreed. Omission of UV cut glass should at least have been covered by giving retractable sun-shades in doors for the middle row. It was necessary for such a huge cabin and green-house like this car. I mean how much money does it take! Come on Maruti!

Originally Posted by rohin4110

Positioning the XL6 as a premium offering, MSIL could have moved the rear AC vents on the B pillars (much like the XUV500) and given a sunroof instead, even if it came at a certain premium.

I think the Ertiga/XL6 are built with a roof mounted blower unit, that sucks cool air from front part of cabin & blow it faster to the rear for quick cooling. Sort of "convection". They aren't actual AC units with cooling coils in them. Moving them to the B pillars would mean actually plumbing the AC coils around the bodyshell. You are asking for too much from MSIL there. Look at the missing sun-shades, USB ports & 15" wheels! On the other hand though - the stock AC is a chiller & even just the blower cools the cabin sufficiently & fast. So its okay I guess.

Best wishes & keep the updates coming!

[abhishek46]

Does the XL6 have any underbody protection, under the engine?

Given the semi-SUV type marketing, the underbody sump guard should be provided.

[rohin4110]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Does the XL6 have any underbody protection, under the engine?

Given the semi-SUV type marketing, the underbody sump guard should be provided.

… asking for too much from Maruti it is good enough to deflect some splinters that may hit the underbody, however, nothing really sturdy to safeguard in situations which would need one!

[ranjish]

Originally Posted by rohin4110

Background to switch:

… and the choice was Michelin Primacy-4 (205/55/16) mounted on Momo REDS Series drone shaped alloys. I did not like the black multi-spoke wheels that came as the OEM on the car, so decided to change to something more funky and easy to maintain and clean! Thanks to Atul at B.K. tyres to have pushed me for this design, while I had my doubts, they eventually turned out to be quite cool on the car…

Congratulations on your purchase. Car looks very nice. Great choice of upgrades and accessories too.

How much the new tyres and alloy cost? I also have booked a new XL6 and looking for a similar upgrade for tyres.