On July 20, 2022, Maruti Suzuki will unveil a brand new, mid-sized SUV for the Indian market. The new Maruti Suzuki mid-size SUV will replace the S-Cross in the Indian market. This also means that it will compete with Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, MG Astor, Volkswagen Taigun and Nissan Kicks. In terms of pricing, the new SUV is expected to overlap with the Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV700 and the upcoming Mahindra Scorpio. The new SUV may be called the Vitara – a nameplate that Suzuki uses for its mid-sized SUVs sold internationally.
The new mid-size SUV from Maruti Suzuki will be its flagship offering both in terms of price and condition. We expect the top-end trims to undercut Rs. 20 lakh on-road price mark. Notably, the new SUV will have a lot of parts with the just-unveiled Toyota Hider. In fact, the new Maruti SUV and Toyota Hider are badge engineered twins.
Apart from stylistic differences, and some differences in terms of features and possibly price-position, both the SUVs are expected to be very similar. The new Maruti SUV will share its production line with the hirer at Toyota’s Bidadi factory in Bangalore. This is a similar arrangement that Toyota has with Maruti, the latter producing both the Toyota Glanza and the Urban Cruiser, and has been shipped to Toyota.
Considering the fact that the new offering from Maruti will share a lot of parts with the Toyota Hyder, we can now comfortably guess what will happen under the hood. The entry-level variant is expected to be offered with a mild hybrid unit with the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder K15C petrol engine. This motor will generate around 102 Bhp-137 Nm, and will be mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
The higher trim will get the 1.5-litre TNGA strong hybrid engine, which makes 91 Bhp and 122 Nm from the petrol engine and 78 Bhp and 141 Nm from the electric motor. The robust hybrid powertrain will be mated to a CVT automatic gearbox with 5-step shift. Also, the stronger hybrid variant will offer an all wheel drive system – a best-in-class feature.
The feature-set is also likely to be borrowed from the Toyota Haider. Panoramic sunroof, leather seats with ventilation, 6 airbags, ABS, ESP, hill hold, hill descent control, connected car features, touchscreen infotainment, climate control, automatic wipers and headlamps, cruise control, rear AC vents, ambient lighting, head- Up display, Arkamys sound system, a 360-degree camera and driving modes are various features expected on the top-end trims of the Maruti Suzuki mid-size SUV.
While the bookings are likely to start on July 20 – the day of the unveiling of the new SUV – the actual delivery and price announcement could take place by September or October.
