Maruti Suzuki Engage will be sold exclusively through the Nexa premium outlets and will be offered with a hybrid powertrain
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) is planning to launch an all-new MPV within the next two months in the domestic market and it will become the brand’s flagship offering. The premium MPV will be positioned well above the XL6 and it will be sold exclusively through the Nexa premium outlets. It will be the rebadged version of the Toyota Innova Hycross.
The MPV could be christened the Engage as the name has been trademarked and it will become the first cross-badged Toyota supplied to Maruti Suzuki. It is expected to be available in seven- and eight-seater configurations, just like its donor the Innova Hycross. The Suzuki-Toyota partnership has already given rise to Glanza, Urban Cruiser (discontinued), Grand Vitara and Urban Cruiser Hyryder in India.
It won’t be sold in as high a volume as the Innova Hycross though as it will be a niche product. The Maruti Suzuki Engage is expected to get minor exterior updates to differentiate itself from the Hycross. However, the differences may not be too much. Here we have featured a digital rendering of the upcoming MPV with minor changes to the front end.
The upright nose section gets a redesigned grille with more stylish black inserts, a thick chrome bar connecting the sleek LED headlamps, and the Suzuki badge is mounted in the centre of the horizontal bar. The front bumper, alloy wheels, side profile and other visual bits remain identical to the popular hybridised MPV.
In a similar fashion to the Hycross, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga will be underpinned by the TNGA-C platform. We do not expect any dimensional changes on the front-wheel drive MPV as well. The interior and the features list are also believed to be identical as a large touchscreen infotainment system with connectivity options will be available.
Interestingly, it could become the first Maruti Suzuki model to get ADAS as the technology is offered in the Hycross. As for the performance, the 2.0L NA petrol and the 2.0L strong hybrid petrol engines will be used with the latter capable of a claimed mileage of over 21 kmpl.