Maruti Eeco which is used as a cargo van or as a people mover/taxi has received a safety update. In this latest update, the Maruti Eeco has gained dual airbags. This has resulted in a price hike of Rs 8,000 across variants of the non-cargo version of the people’s mover. The non-cargo lineup of Eeco is now priced between Rs 4.38 lakhs and Rs 5.68 lakhs (ex-showroom). This is a second update for the van since 2019 when Maruti added driver side airbag, ABS, and rear parking sensor. The van was also upgraded to meet frontal offset crash regulations.
Compliance
The introduction of dual airbags means Eeco will comply with stringent safety norms which are introduced by the Indian government. The new rule states that it is mandatory for cars to have dual airbags from next January. This rule had become applicable for all new cars being sold from April.
Apart from the additional safety aids, no other changes have been done to the van. The Eeco comes with a 1,196 cc, BS-VI compliant engine. Customers have an option to fuel this engine either with petrol or with CNG for those who want a lower running cost. When running on petrol, the car generates 73.42 PS and 6,000 rpm and 101 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm. When fed with CNG, the engine develops 62.54 PS at 6,000 rpm and 83 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm. Both these engines are paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. The Eeco also delivers a great mileage figure, thanks to its sophisticated Engine Management System. The petrol motor returns as much as 15.37 kmpl while the CNG equipped 21.94 km for every kg of the gas.
Maruti Suzuki offers a range of cars in the Indian market, through two channels. The Maruti Suzuki Arena dealerships take care of their mass products, including the likes of the Eeco, the Swift, the Brezza, and some more vehicles. The other channel, Nexa deals with their premium offerings, like the Baleno, the Ciaz, the Ignis, and some more.
Also read: Maruti Working On A Swift-Based Crossover?
This new rule from the Indian government is a good step for safety purposes so that budget cars can also provide the owners with basic safety features. This rule will also save the lives of many people who die in road accidents and will provide a sense of safety for owners.