Maruti YTB could be based on the Yaris Cross judging by the spy image and is expected to go on sale in 2023 in India
While Toyota is planning to launch the Hyryder next month, Maruti Suzuki is currently working on hosting the global debut of the Grand Vitara midsize SUV in India tomorrow. It is expected to be followed by the new generation Alto, which was caught undisguised during an advertisement shoot recently.
The largest carmaker in the country is looking to strengthen its SUV portfolio big time, in a similar fashion to Toyota. The partnership between Toyota and Maruti Suzuki has been successful over the years and following the midsize SUV duo, new products are certainly in the pipeline including each other’s first pure electric vehicles bound for 2025.
Here we have the first ever spy pictures of a volume-based compact five-seater giving away some interesting details. The rear end of the heavily camouflaged Maruti YTB’s test mule has been caught on camera as the sculpted bootlid, shark fin antenna, integrated spoiler, windshield wiper and a prominent bumper can be seen.
The rear does remind us of the Yaris Cross Hybrid though further fuelling the cogitation that a Toyota version could also be under development or it could be completely based on Toyota Yaris Cross, which sits on the TNGA platform.
It is interesting to note that the Maruti Suzuki YTB will reportedly be underpinned by the lightweight Heartect platform but chances of it being based on Toyota’s low-cost DNGA do exist. The roofline of the prototype does indeed indicate a crossover stance and the pillars do not appear to be as tall as what is accustomed to the traditional SUVs.
It could spawn the first completely new Toyota SUV positioned above the Urban Cruiser and below the Hyryder. It might give rise to a Maruti Suzuki sibling amidst being heavily based on the Yaris Cross with some minor visual changes. It would likely become the most affordable strong hybrid car in India as it could cost under Rs. 16 lakh to rival diesel variants of Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV300 and Tata Nexon.
As for performance, it could be equipped with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder DualJet K15C mild-hybrid petrol engine producing 103 PS maximum power at 6,000 rpm and 136 Nm of peak torque at 4,400 rpm. The more powerful 1.5-litre TNGA Atkinson Cycle strong hybrid petrol could also be employed with a dedicated EV-only mode.
Upon arrival, it could have an appealing features list comprising a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a flat-bottom steering wheel with mounted controls, wireless charging facility, an electric sunroof, ESC with HHA, a semi-digital instrument cluster, cruise control, 360-degree camera, HUD, push button start/stop, etc.