The Ertiga is ₹15 a kilometre and the Innova Crysta ₹18 on our rate card, so on the 300 km per day minimum a day out is ₹4,500 against ₹5,400, a difference of ₹900 a day. Both are listed as six-to-seven seaters, but our comparison page is blunt about the difference: the Innova seats six or seven adults with legroom and swallows four or more large bags, while the Ertiga is comfortable for five with two bags and cramped in the third row. Book the Ertiga for four or five people on the plains, and the Innova Crysta for six, for luggage, or for any hill road. Both are on the SUV hire page; the Innova has its own Innova on rent page.
What is the price difference between an Ertiga and an Innova Crysta?
Three rupees a kilometre. The rate card, which every page on this site uses, has the sedan at ₹11/km, the Ertiga and other SUVs at ₹15, the Innova Crysta at ₹18 and the 12-seater Tempo Traveller at ₹23, all on a 300 km per day minimum with tolls and parking at actuals. On the minimum that is ₹4,500 for the Ertiga and ₹5,400 for the Innova; on a two-day weekend within 300 km each way, ₹9,000 against ₹10,800. On the local package the gap is the same shape: the 4 hour / 40 km package is ₹2,500 for the Ertiga and ₹2,800 for the Innova, against ₹2,200 for a sedan, with kilometres beyond 40 at the per-km rate.
On a long corridor the gap grows with the distance. Delhi to Manali is 530 km, so ₹7,950 in the Ertiga and ₹9,540 in the Innova one-way; Delhi to Amritsar is 450 km, ₹6,750 against ₹8,100. Shared by six people, the Innova's extra is a few hundred rupees a head on a day out and worth it on most of the trips below; shared by two, it is the difference between the sedan and either of them that matters more.
Ertiga vs Innova Crysta side by side
| Question | Maruti Ertiga | Toyota Innova Crysta |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | ₹15/km | ₹18/km |
| One day, 300 km minimum | ₹4,500 | ₹5,400 |
| Two-day weekend within 300 km | ₹9,000 | ₹10,800 |
| Local 4 hr / 40 km package | ₹2,500 | ₹2,800 |
| Seats on paper | 6 to 7 | 6 to 7 |
| Seats in practice, on our comparison page | Five adults; the third row is cramped on a long trip | Six or seven adults, all three rows with legroom |
| Boot | Medium, about 209 litres; two large bags | Large, over 300 litres; four or more large bags |
| Engine | Petrol or CNG; frugal, less pull on steep hills | Diesel; the torque tells on inclines |
| Cabin | Manual AC, nimble in the city, easy to park | Dual-zone AC, wider seats, better suspension on rough roads |
When the Ertiga is the right car
- Four or five people on the plains. Delhi to Agra, Delhi to Jaipur, Delhi to Mathura and Vrindavan, Chandigarh: flat highways where the Ertiga's smaller engine is never stretched and its price is the point.
- City transfers and local sightseeing. It is easier to park and quicker through traffic, and the 4 hour / 40 km package at ₹2,500 is the cheapest way to move five people around a city for a morning.
- Light luggage. Two large bags in the boot, or more if the third row is folded for a party of four.
- Short weekends. One night away within 300 km, where the ₹900 a day adds up to less than the Innova earns.
When the Innova Crysta is the right car
- Six adults, or five with luggage for a week. Every row is an adult row and the boot takes the bags; our comparison page recommends the Innova for six or seven adults without qualification.
- Any hill road. Manali, Shimla, Nainital, Mussoorie, the Char Dham corridors: the diesel torque on the climbs and the suspension on the broken stretches are why our hill pages recommend an SUV or Innova, and why the drivers prefer it above Rishikesh.
- Long days. Delhi to Amritsar or Delhi to Manali in one go is a seven-to-thirteen-hour day; the wider seats and the quieter cabin are what the extra ₹3 a kilometre buys.
- Elders and children. The step-in height, the legroom and the AC in every row make the difference on a pilgrimage or a family holiday.
The worked example: Delhi to Manali for six
Delhi to Manali is 530 km and twelve to thirteen hours on NH-44 and NH-21 through Chandigarh, Bilaspur and Mandi, with four toll plazas totalling ₹455 for a car. One-way the Ertiga is ₹7,950 and the Innova Crysta ₹9,540, a difference of ₹1,590 or ₹265 a head for six. On the hill road after Mandi the Ertiga with six adults and their winter luggage is at the limit of what it does well; the Innova is not. Our comparison page's verdict is the one we give at booking: Innova for Manali, Shimla and any trip over about 500 km or into the hills, Ertiga for four or five people on the plains within a day's drive.
The one case where neither is right is a group of eight or more, where a 12-seater Tempo Traveller at ₹23/km is cheaper per head than two SUVs and keeps everyone together. And for two people with light luggage on a plains road, the sedan at ₹11/km is the honest answer, whichever of these two you were choosing between.
How to book the one you want
Ask for it by name. The SUV rate of ₹15/km covers the Ertiga and similar cars; the Innova Crysta is its own line on the rate card at ₹18/km and is booked as such, and the Innova Crysta rent per km page sets out the arithmetic for common corridors. Tell us the head count, the luggage and the road, and if the answer is different from what you asked for we will say so before the booking, not on the morning.
Two more worked examples: Jaipur for the weekend and a city day
Delhi to Jaipur is 280 km on our toll page, with three plazas at Kherki Daula, Manesar and Shahjahanpur taking ₹400 from a car. One-way it bills the 300 km minimum in either car, ₹4,500 in the Ertiga and ₹5,400 in the Innova Crysta, and a two-day weekend with the car staying is two days at the minimum, ₹9,000 against ₹10,800, because the round trip of 560 km is under the 600 km that two days allow. On a flat highway with four or five people and weekend bags, that ₹1,800 is the Ertiga's argument, and it is a good one; with six adults it is the Innova's, because the third row of the Ertiga is not a place to spend four hours.
A city day is the other end of the scale. The 4 hour / 40 km package is ₹2,500 for the Ertiga and ₹2,800 for the Innova Crysta, with kilometres beyond the forty at ₹15 and ₹18 respectively, so a morning of temples or offices in the same city costs ₹300 more in the Innova and a long day with extra distance costs a little more again. For a group of five doing a wedding round or a business day in the city, the Ertiga is the sensible car; for the same group with elders, or in the summer heat, the Innova's dual-zone AC and wider seats earn the difference.
What the drivers add
The drivers who run both cars say the same three things. The Ertiga is the car they reach for on the plains because it is easy to park, easy in traffic and light on fuel, and none of that costs the passengers anything. The Innova is the car they reach for above Rishikesh or beyond Mandi, because a full load on a steep bend is where the diesel torque and the suspension stop being a luxury and start being the reason the day goes to plan. And on a very long day, Delhi to Amritsar or Delhi to Manali in one go, it is the Innova's quieter cabin and wider seats that the passengers remember, not the ₹3 a kilometre. Our comparison page scores the two the same way: the Ertiga ahead on price, mileage and city driving, the Innova ahead on comfort, boot space and hill performance, and the verdict following the road rather than the badge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much more does an Innova Crysta cost than an Ertiga?
₹3 a kilometre, ₹18 against ₹15. On the 300 km per day minimum that is ₹5,400 against ₹4,500, and ₹10,800 against ₹9,000 for a two-day weekend.
Can an Ertiga carry seven people on an outstation trip?
It seats seven, but our comparison page recommends a maximum of five for outstation travel because the third row is cramped for adults. For six or seven, book the Innova Crysta.
Which is better for a hill station?
The Innova Crysta. The diesel torque handles the climbs and the suspension the broken stretches; our hill pages recommend an SUV or Innova for Manali, Shimla and the Uttarakhand corridors.
