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After much anticipation, Maruti Suzuki has finally taken the covers off from its new mid-size SUV–Grand Vitara. Based on the same platform as the recently introduced Toyota Urban Cruiser HyRyder, Grand Vitara will rival other C-segment compact SUVs, including Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, and MG Astor.

Bookings for the SUV commenced from July 11 at a token amount of Rs 11,000, and it will be exclusively retailed through Maruti’s premium NEXA dealerships. Grand Vitara, like HyRyder, has been jointly developed by Maruti Suzuki and Toyota and both SUVs will be manufactured at the latter’s Bidadi-based plant in Karnataka.

Maruti’s latest SUV will eventually replace S-Cross in its India lineup and thus become the brand’s latest flagship offering in the country. Deliveries of the new compact SUV are expected around September this year while prices are likely to be announced around the same time. Grand Vitara will be offered in six trims– Sigma, Delta, Zeta, Alpha, Zeta+, and Alpha+.

Exterior design

Unlike the outgoing S-Cross, which was a typical crossover, the new Grand Vitara has a more rugged appearance of an SUV, thanks to its boxy silhouette and squarish wheel arches that are shod with thick plastic claddings. Further, amplifying its SUV stance is a muscular front bumper that houses projector LED headlights and a faux silver-coloured skid plate.

The most attractive highlight of Grand Vitara’s front fascia is a large hexagonal grille with gloss black inserts, bordered by thick chrome trims. The chrome strip running across the width of the front face is flanked by a tri-LED DRL setup on both sides which is a result of the latest design philosophy from NEXA– ‘Crafted Futurism’. 

The rear profile of the SUV is equally muscular, thanks to a flat tailgate that features a two-piece LED light bar connecting wraparound LED taillights on either side. Bold lettering of GRAND VITARA takes centre-stage on the boot lid. The rear bumper also hosts a chunky bash plate, thus accentuating its rugged appeal. Maruti will be offering as many as six mono-tone and three dual-tone colour options with its latest offering.

Other visual highlights include 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, a shark fin antenna, a roof-mounted spoiler, and roof rails. In terms of dimensions, the new Grand Vitara measures 4345 mm in length, 1645 mm in height, 1795 mm in width. Between the two axles, the SUV measures 2,600 mm.

Interiors & features

A large chunk of Grand Vitara’s cabin has been inspired by its sister SUV from Toyota, including an identical dashboard and centre console layout. Soft touch materials and faux wooden trim on the dashboard and door panels spruce up interiors of the cabin. The feature list is long and identical to HyRyder. For example, a 9-inch floating Smart Play Pro Plus touchscreen information system.

Other prominent creature comforts include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, connected car tech, ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger, head-up display, a fully-digital instrument cluster, ambient lighting, auto climate control and Arkamys audio system to name a few. Maruti is also offering an extensive safety kit which comprises up to six airbags, a 360-degree camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system, electronic stability programme and hill-descent control.

Powertrain specs

Like HyRyder, Grand Vitara will be offered in two powertrain options–Smart Hybrid and Strong Hybrid. The former will be available in Sigma, Delta, Zeta, and Alpha trims, while the latter will be limited to only two trims–Zeta+ and Alpha+. The Smart Hybrid variants of the SUV will be powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder, K15C naturally aspirated petrol engine which will be paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission.

This unit is good enough to churn out 102 bhp and 137 Nm of peak torque and is also available with Suzuki’s AllGrip all-wheel drive as an option exclusively with the manual gearbox. The AllGrip system also offers four traction modes including Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock. 

The Strong Hybrid variants of Grand Vitara will be powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol mill which works in tandem with an electric motor. While the IC engine is capable of pushing out 92 bhp and 122 Nm of torque by itself, in combination with the electric motor, this hybrid powertrain returns a peak output of 114 bhp and 141 Nm. The strong hybrid powertrain is exclusively mated to an eCVT and is only available in a front-wheel drive configuration.