The Maruti Ertiga or the Renault Triber; which is the right choice for people going places?

• Prices for the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga begin at ₹7.69 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi and go up to ₹10.47 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi.
• Prices of the Renault Triber start at ₹5.12 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi and go up to ₹7.35 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi for the top of the range variant.
• The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is powered by a 1462 cc, four cylinder petrol engine that makes 103 bhp of power. The Renault Triber, on the other hand, runs a 999 cc, three cylinder engine that has an output of 71 bhp.

With a population of over 1.3 billion people, it is only natural for there to be a significant demand for people movers in India. Not everyone wants a bus and so the closest logical solution is the seven-seater format.

Maruti Suzuki’s contender in this segment is the Ertiga. Starting off at ₹7.69 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi and going up to ₹10.47 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi, the Ertiga gets its tractive force from a 1462 cc, 103 bhp petrol engine – coupled to a CNG tank in one model - which is bolted on to a five-speed manual gearbox on the base variants. The top two models, however, get an automatic transmission as an option which is a boon in traffic. Once out of the city, the petrol motor does well enough, but the diesel motor that was once available in the Ertiga was the true highway star and is missed sorely in the current version.

In true Maruti fashion, the interiors are well laid out. When it comes to the driving experience, the Ertiga is effortless to steer and easy to chuck around both in the city and on the highway. High speed stability is adequate and the ride quality is plush enough to keep long drives comfortable for all seven occupants. The third row, however, is best occupied by children and those with a short inseam.

The Ertiga has been around for a few years and has gone on to build a strong fan following within the personal and commercial transportation market. In fact, the Mumbai Police have been using the Ertiga as a patrol vehicle for some time now.

Renault has jumped on to MUV market by stretching its Kwid platform a fair bit, resulting in a seven seater that has been launched as the Triber. Prices of the Renault Triber start at ₹5.12 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi and go up to ₹7.35 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi for the top of the range variant with all the bells and whistles.

On the outside, the Triber is unmistakably European in its design. A strong upward line defines the side profile of the Triber while at the front, the Renault family genes are prominent. All in, the Triber, with the vibrant colours that one can choose from, definitely stands out in traffic.

Under the bonnet, the Triber gets a 999cc three cylinder petrol engine which is good for 71 bhp of power. Depending on the model, this engine gets the show on the road through either a five-speed manual or an AMT version of the same gearbox.

Once you get into the Triber, the interiors feel roomy. The flexible arrangement of the seats insures that there is tremendous space to be had (624 litres of it to be exact) if the rear row is removed. When it comes to functioning as a proper seven seater, however, the third row is comfortable for short journeys at best.

Although the triple makes the right kind of noises at low revs, the motor feels lethargic, especially when driven with all the seats occupied. Overtaking on the highway needs some planning, with a downshift almost always needed to keep the engine revving in the power band to provide enough grunt to go past the vehicle in front of you. In the city, however, the Triber’s 1 litre engine is adequate.

Ride and handling is remarkable and chucking the Triber around corners with aplomb won’t throw you any nasty surprises. It corners in a surefooted, predictable manner and appears that the monocoque can take much more than the engine can put it through. There’s word of a punchier turbo-petrol in the works, but till that happens, one has to make do with the current motor.

So which of these two is the one for you? Well, the Triber is definitely much cheaper than the Ertiga and would do well as a budget urban people mover for large families. But for those who intend to spend significant time on the highways, the Ertiga is the obvious choice.