Suzuki’s 4-speed auto gearbox is the winning formula for 2019 Ertiga

MANILA: Change is good, but unnecessary changes are not. Automakers strive hard for years to get the combination right, perfecting the imperfect. Hence, when the combination seems just right, messing up with the winning formula appears to be a folly.

This is what Suzuki Philippines has taken care of. We have just seen the 2019 Ertiga MPV unveiled in the country with a new appearance. It is slightly more powerful and bolder than the ongoing model and is well on course to be one of the top-rated 7-seater cars in the country, giving the competitors a hard run for their money.

However, there is still one thing that the company has considered not to change at all, lest it ends up messing up the winning combination. The MPV continues to feature a 4-speed automatic gearbox. And on being asked about the reason behind the persistence with the same gearbox,

the Senior Product Supervisor for Automobiles at Suzuki Philippines, Kennedy Adia said that the 4-speed automatic has served the company’s purpose pretty well over the years in carrying heavy loads. Besides over the manual, the 4-speed automatic gearbox is very reliable.

Since the 2019 Suzuki Ertiga is built on the new Heartect platform, it could have used the CVT from the Swift instead. But according to the Kennedy Adia, the CVT was specifically developed for the Swift to meet the efficiency requirements.

However, if buyers still prefer a better automatic gearbox, the company is looking for scopes to add the 6-speed auto box from the new Vitara to the Ertiga in the future. According to the Adia, it is just a matter of development and fitting the 6-speed automatic into the Heartect platform is left to be done.

The 2019 Suzuki Ertiga has been given the new 1.5-litre K15B engine instead of the old 1.4-litre unit. This new engine is capable of churning out a maximum power of 103 PS at 6,000 rpm along with a peak torque of 138 Nm at 4,400 rpm. The transmission duties are handled by either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox.

The new Suzuki Ertiga will be available in three trims - GA, GL and GLX, out of which the base variant has the manual gearbox only, while the mid-spec gets both the options. The range-topping model has automatic transmission. 2019 Ertiga prices start from Php 728,000 and extend up to Php 978,000.

Also Read:- Suzuki Swift Sport Extreme concept unveiled at the Thai Motor Show