We rent neither of these to groups of ten. We rent one Ertiga at a time, so what follows costs us nothing to say honestly — and it will send some readers away.
The line, plainly
Up to six passengers: an Ertiga. That is its capacity and within it there is no argument.
Seven to eleven passengers: a Tempo Traveller, or two Ertigas — see below.
Twelve and above: a larger Traveller or a minibus, and this guide stops being useful.
The seat count is the easy part. The interesting question sits in the middle.
The comparison nobody makes: two cars versus one bus
For a group of eight to ten, the default assumption is one Tempo Traveller. It is worth doing the arithmetic on two Ertigas instead.
In favour of two cars:
- Everyone travels in a car rather than a bus — quieter, softer, air conditioning that works properly per vehicle
- On ghat roads, dramatically better. A Traveller on the Valparai or Kodaikanal climb is slow and hard work; two MPVs are neither
- More flexible: the group can split for part of the day
- Often comparable in total cost, and occasionally cheaper
Against:
- The group is split across two vehicles, which for a family trip or a pilgrimage can be the whole objection
- Two drivers, two sets of bata
- Luggage capacity is still meaningfully less than a Traveller’s
If the group is a set of colleagues, two cars is usually better. If it is one family who want to travel together, take the Traveller. That is genuinely the deciding factor, not the money.
Where the Traveller wins outright
Luggage. This is the real one. A Traveller has a proper luggage area. If your group of nine has a large case each, no combination of MPVs solves that, and the seat count is not what is deciding the booking.
Keeping the group together. For a pilgrimage group, a wedding party or an extended family, one vehicle has value that does not appear in the fare.
Standing height and getting in and out. For older travellers making many stops in a day, a Traveller’s door and aisle can be genuinely easier than climbing into a third row.
Where the Ertiga wins outright
Anything six or fewer. Cheaper, quieter, softer, faster on hills, easier to park at a temple.
Hill routes with any group size that fits. See how an Ertiga handles ghat roads — the difference on a switchback climb is not marginal.
Narrow old-town streets, of which South India has many, and temple car parks.
What we would tell you on the phone
If you tell us there are nine of you, we will say an Ertiga is not your vehicle, and then ask whether you are a group who need to be together. If you are, we will arrange a Traveller from the wider fleet. If you are not, we will price two Ertigas and let you compare.
That is the whole of the advice, and it is why the group-size question matters more than any spec sheet.