The new Suzuki Ertiga is visibly longer and wider than its predecessor, and designers have amplified these features with an imposing new front design and stylish rear lights.

Viewed directly from the front, you will immediately notice the large upright and cross-cut grille with imposing Suzuki S-emblem and large new headlights in clear housings and individually packaged driving and high-beam lights.

The lower air intake is also significantly larger than before, with a deep air intake to complete the bold front design.

The sheet metal is significantly more sculpted than before. The bonnet is raised and creates horizontal creases that flow to a wide shoulder on either side that runs to the large rear light clusters. Lower down, Suzuki designers have added deep convex lines that run almost the length of the vehicle.

At the rear of the Ertiga, the designers have mimicked the upright front grille with a slightly slanted upright section on the rear tailgate, directly above the number plate holder. The rear lights reach towards the roof and contain LED combination brake- and driving lights.

Lastly, the designers have added a darkened section to the C-pillar similar to that of the all-new Suzuki Swift, which creates the impression of a floating roof. They have also added an integrated high-level brake light in the luggage door.

To create a truly practical seven-seat MPV, Suzuki has stretched the Ertiga by 130 mm to 4 395 mm, while lifting the roof by 5 mm to give the vehicle a total height of 1 690 mm. The Ertiga is also 40 mm wider, which translates almost directly into more shoulder room for passengers in all three rows of seats.

Despite the extra length and width, Suzuki has kept the wheelbase unchanged at 2 740 mm, which means that the new Ertiga shares the nimble turning circle of 5.2 metres with its predecessor.

With the extra space available to them, Suzuki’s engineers set about creating a truly comfortable interior. The dark cloth seats are both more supportive – thanks to a new seat spring design – and roomier and the second (60/40) and third row (50/50) of seats can fold flat to create flat storage of up to 2.820 metres with the front passenger seat also folded flat.

With the seats up, the luggage compartment offers 199 litres of storage space, with a load floor that can adjust to two different heights. With the seats down, the load space is more hard wearing and sturdier than before, thanks to metal plates in all the folding seatbacks.

Ultimately, it is the driver and passengers who will benefit most from the extra space. The front occupants have 15 mm (passenger) and 25 mm (driver) more shoulder room, while the middle three passengers benefit from 10 mm extra space on each side. In the third row, the shoulder space increased by 15 mm on either side and there is ample additional leg room of 70 mm between the hip points of the second and third row of seats.

“We believe that a true seven-seater has to comfortably accommodate adult passengers in the third row. With the deep floor, more hip space and larger shoulder room, an adult passenger of up to 1.75 m will be seated comfortably, even on longer journeys,” says Venter.

The middle row has been redesigned to tilt and slide further forward to allow for easy ingress to and egress from the rearmost two seats and on the GL model there is a new roof-mounted second air conditioning unit for improved airflow to rear passengers.

Suzuki has also added the ability to lock the middle row in different configurations by as much as 140 mm from rear to front, for more rear leg room. The third row of seats can adjust their seatbacks by up to 15 degrees for more comfort.

According to Venter, the increased cabin space follows the insight that more and more young families find themselves sharing a home with parents as well. This increases the need for comfortable transport for children and adults alike, which is something the new Ertiga does with ease.

With the expectation of a full house of passengers, Suzuki has made sure that all the creature comforts are catered for.

In front, the driver has a new instrument cluster with chrome bezels and a multi-information trip display. The steering wheel on GL models also features chrome highlights and steering controls, while all models benefit from the D-shaped steering wheel with height adjustment that allows for ease of getting in and out.

The instrument cluster is housed in an upright dashboard with integrated radio, with USB and Bluetooth connectivity. There is also a unique money bin for notes and coins and a special mobile phone tray to store connected or charging phones.

In the lower section of the centre console, Suzuki has added two air-conditioned cup holders and a 12V charging socket, with a second charging socket located behind the front seats for the middle row of passengers.

As part of its focus on more creature comforts, Suzuki has invested significant engineering time into making the cabin of the Ertiga a more comfortable place than before. Some of the improvements over its predecessor include new double door seals, moulded noise-absorbing material in the roof and additional floor and door damping – all leading to one of the quietest cabins in its class.

The all-new Ertiga will be equipped with Suzuki’s new K15B 1.5 litre petrol engine, which offers direct fuel injection and variable valve timing for more efficient power delivery.

The engine delivers more power and torque than the K14B engine it replaces, while still offering exceptional fuel economy. In the Ertiga, the K15B engine delivers 77 kW at 6 000 rpm and 138 Nm at 4 400 rpm. The latter is available across a wider range of engine speed than before.

The new engine is mated to Suzuki’s well-known five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed automatic gearbox. Both shift options feature a more refined shifting pattern with new shift knobs that are both easier to grip and to operate.