Maruti Suzuki has added AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) technology in the strong hybrid variants of the Grand Vitara
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) introduced the Grand Vitara late last year and it has been well received by customers. The midsize SUV is currently one of the top-selling models in its segment and it has now received an update with the inclusion of a new safety technology that leads to a price increase of Rs. 4,000.
The largest car producer in the country has added AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) technology in the strong hybrid variants of the Grand Vitara. According to MSIL, a low-level alert sound is emitted from the car and it will be heard five feet away – helping it to alert pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles within the reach that the SUV is approaching.
It is in line with AIS (Automotive Industry Standard) 173 and is required for approval of QRTV (Quiet Road Transport Vehicles) in regards to their lower DB level. The battery electric vehicles or vehicles using single or more electric motors or electric motor generator are categorised under QRTV and the Grand Vitara becomes the first model to get this tech.
We can expect more zero-emission vehicles and hybrid vehicles to adopt this technology in the near future. With a price hike of Rs. 4,000, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara now costs between Rs. 18.29 lakh and Rs. 19.79 lakh (ex-showroom) for the strong hybrid variants. The five-seater has several commonalities with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
Both are manufactured at Toyota’s Bidadi plant in Karnataka. Thus, we can expect the AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) feature in the Hyryder next with a slight price revision. The midsize SUVs are underpinned by the Global C platform and they derive power from either a 1.5L K15C mild-hybrid petrol or a 1.5L three-cylinder strong hybrid petrol engine.
The former develops a maximum power output of 103 PS and 136 Nm of peak torque while the latter produces a combined power output of 116 PS and is linked with an e-CVT only. The mild-hybrid powertrain is mated to a five-speed manual transmission as standard or a six-speed torque converter AT as an option.