Maruti Suzuki YTB is reported to make its global debut in just three months’ time at the 2023 Auto Expo before reaching Nexa dealerships
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has been on a roll since the end of last year as new launches have come in thick and fast. It all started with the debut of the second generation Celerio as the largest car producer in the country introduced new models in quick succession and they have indeed helped in increasing its volumes sales.
The heavily updated Baleno arrived in early 2023 and it was followed by the mid-life updates for the Ertiga and XL6, the new generation Brezza compact SUV, the all-new Alto K10 and more recently the Grand Vitara flagship midsize SUV. The SUV range will further be expanded in the due course of the next calendar year as two big heavyweights are waiting in the pipeline.
The Indo-Japanese manufacturer has already been spotted testing both of them on public roads as the India-spec five-door Jimny off-road lifestyle SUV and the Baleno Cross are eagerly anticipated. Internally codenamed YTB, the Baleno Cross is based on the existing Baleno premium hatchback as both are said to share the same Heartect architecture.
However, the Baleno Cross will be different from its sibling in a way that its design will be predominantly inspired by the Grand Vitara and it will have a distinctive appeal courtesy of the coupe-like roofline. It will sit in the sub-four-metre space and will more likely be retailed through the Nexa chain of premium dealerships present across India.
The Maruti Suzuki Baleno Cross or YTB is believed to derive power from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder BoosterJet petrol engine previous seen on the Baleno RS. It could produce around 100 PS maximum power and 150 Nm of peak torque judging by the Baleno RS’ performance numbers but no official technical details have been divulged yet.
Both manual and automatic transmissions will be offered. It will have plenty in common with the Baleno on the inside too as a floating nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a heads-up display, a 360-degree camera system, automatic climate control, cruise control, etc are likely.