Suzuki Philippines wants to reinforce its presence in the tightly contested seven-seater MPV by bringing in the Ertiga Hybrid.
The car brand released a teaser image with a caption that reads: “A game changer is about to come your way.” It also shows that the mystery model will be revealed on January 16, 2023.
Suzuki Philippines did not provide as to what is the exact upcoming model to be launched. But, looking at the teaser image, the mystery model’s silhouette or outline closely resembles the Ertiga MPV.
Suzuki PH further plays with one’s curiosity suggesting that the model could be more likely the Ertiga Hybrid due to the outline from a cut-out portion of a leaf. Well, the leaf symbolizes green energy, giving the impression that the vehicle is environmentally friendly – a fitting clue to announce the Ertiga Hybrid’s arrival in the local market.
The Ertiga Hybrid was first previewed in the country last September 2021 at the Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS). Suzuki PH clarified that the Ertiga Hybrid shown at the auto show was just a preview model. The Japanese car brand said that the main goal last PIMS was to showcase Suzuki’s hybrid tech.
Suzuki PH shared with Philkotse last PIMS that the “Ertiga can be a good candidate but we cannot confirm yet as to what exact model [equipped with a hybrid tech] we will be offering for the PH market.” However, the teaser image released by the car brand hints that the Ertiga Hybrid is about to be launched in the Philippines.
The Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid first made its debut in India last April 2022. Two months after, it arrived in Indonesia, marking its official ASEAN debut. It is equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine paired with an integrated starter generator (ISG), and a lithium-ion battery. It generates a power output of 103 hp and 137 Nm of torque.
The Indo-spec Ertiga Hybrid comes with two transmission options: a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic gearbox. Suzuki claims that the Ertiga Hybrid with an automatic transmission can yield a fuel economy of 20.3 km/l while the one with a manual gearbox can deliver 20.51 km/l.
The Ertiga Hybrid’s arrival in the country can help Suzuki in squaring up with its segment rivals, which are filled with new contenders such as the Nissan Livina, Hyundai Stargazer, and Honda BR-V, among others.
To get more updated about the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid, keep it here on Philkotse.