If there’s one automotive segment other than SUVs in which the temperature is being turned up, it’s the people-mover one, broadly categorised as MPVs. There has been a spate of recent launches in this section of the market, and the updated Maruti Suzuki XL6 is one of them. When the XL6 was first launched, it was a slicker version of the Ertiga, in essence – sharper looks and a more premium cabin were the principal differences. In typical Maruti fashion, the XL6 didn’t really stand out in any way – but it ticked many boxes, and was a perfectly pleasant, reliable and comfortable car.
It’s been nearly three years since then (most of which have been a pandemic-induced blur), and before I drove the new XL6, I couldn’t remember too much about the older car; this was a good thing, because a clean slate is always useful while reviewing any car or bike. As with most new models, the raft of new features in this car are ways to deal with feedback from customers and media about the older car’s shortcomings. In terms of design, it gets a new front end, with a chunky grille flanked by LED head lamps and DRLs. The pillars have gotten the blacked out treatment, so the roof has a ‘floating’ effect. At the back, the tail lights are smoky in colour, which is quite neat, and the wheel arches look better filled out with the new 16-inch wheels. This means it’s 55mm taller than the previous model – but it’s the same length and width. Also, the new manual and automatic versions are roughly 20 and 35 kg heavier.
How does that affect its driving characteristics? Let’s find out.
The new XL6 has the same petrol engine as the older car – a 1,462cc inline four-cylinder – but it comes with some tweaks. The Smart Hybrid engine makes 1.6 bhp and 1.27 Nm less than previously, but this is not something that you will be able to discern. The engine puts out just over 100 bhp, and while the 5-speed manual is the same, the new automatic gearbox receives two more cogs, which is a huge step forward. The engine is as you would expect – smooth, quiet and refined, with claimed fuel economy figures of 20.97 kmpl and 20.27 kmpl for the manual and auto, respectively. In the real world, it would be sensible to expect figures between 13 to 18 kmpl, depending on the conditions in which you’re driving.
The manual gearbox is smooth-shifting, but you need to row through the gears enthusiastically if you want to make rapid progress. The new automatic, however, is definitely the one to get. It comes with paddle shifters, which are always a fun addition and happen to be very useful too. Using the paddles lets you shift through the auto ‘box smoothly and quickly, and there’s a manual mode which holds gears much longer, in case you’re really looking to rev the daylights out of the engine. Slightly weirdly, though, this mode is right at the bottom of the shifter, past the regular D, or drive, mode. What this means is that if you’re used to driving automatics, you’ll pull the lever all the way down because of muscle memory, and then find that the gearbox isn’t shifting up. Thus the manual mode should have been slotted to the left of the bottom of the slots, as is usually done.
The tweaks to the suspension and the bigger wheels have led to a far better quality of ride, significantly. The XL6 is more comfortable to sit in while on the move, and it feels better planted as well. It feels totally confident on highways, changing lanes accurately at speed without fuss; on less smooth roads, the suspension soaked up all but the biggest bumps (the last-row passengers will be the ones feeling most of those). The steering wheel also feels heavier in the hands now, in a good way, but is also light enough for all those 3-point turn manoeuvres. Braking is handled in a sure manner, and even hard braking in panic situations doesn’t throw the XL6 off.
As far the cabin goes, there’s an all-black thing happening here, which can become a little dull over time. The interior doesn’t look quite as fresh as the exterior, which is a pity, because there was scope to crank up the snazzy factor inside as well. The switches and dials are the same, and although there’s an excellent second row of captain seats (and ventilated seats in the first row) plus other features like a tyre pressure monitoring system and a 360-degree camera, the cabin isn’t as much up to scratch as it could (and should) have been; the touchscreen should have been bigger, too.
Still, what you have is a fresh-looking MPV with a great automatic gearbox, a refined and frugal engine, plenty of room and comfort, lots of practicality and just enough features to keep everyone inside happy. It does cost more (the base model comes in at Rs 11.29 lakh, ex-showroom, with the top end one costing Rs 14.55 lakh) but that is (just about) justified due to the improvements that have been made to it. The new XL6 is one of those can’t-really-go-wrong-with-it cars, and if you’re looking for peace of mind, it’s a no-brainer.
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