Tata Punch is enjoying unparalleled success even after the launch of Hyundai Exter and Citroen C3. Will the Maruti Suzuki Hustler give a tough fight if it launches?
Maruti Suzuki had already announced that they will be replacing the Ignis in the near future for which the timeline has not been announced but after spotting a unique test mule, we believe it could be a potential contender for the replacement. The Maruti Suzuki Hustler was spotted testing on Indian roads recently and this may be the product that takes the fight to the next level against Tata Punch.
The test mule of the Suzuki Hustler, as seen in the spy shots, doesn’t seem to be cloaked in any kind of camouflage. The Suzuki logo and Hustler nameplates were masked to conceal identity and even the wheel’s hub caps were removed too. It might be tricky to identify the model but without any camouflage, it is easy to spot the resemblance to Suzuki’s ‘Kei’ cars and the design elements associated with it.
The colour combination was rather interesting as it was finished in a lighter shade of white with a dual tone paint job with a dark grey roof that trickles down into the D Pillar, the rear quarter glass and a thick rear windscreen border. The doors seem to be rather wide, because of which it has large windows that let in more light making it feel spacious in spite of the restricted space.
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The overall design is boxy, which is normally a trademark for a ‘Kei’ car and the wheelbase is expected to be around 2,425mm and there are almost no overhangs at the front and rear as the wheels are pushed all the way to the edges on all sides. It does get roof rails and body cladding right around the body to give it a crossover look, while the bonnet is flat to provide better visibility.
Just like Maruti Suzuki’s other vehicles like the WagonR, the Hustler is also a tallboy vehicle. The Japan spec which was spotted testing is 3,395 mm in length and 1,475 mm in width, which is too small for an average Indian buyer. We think that if Suzuki wants to launch it in India, they will have to find a way to make the Hustler bigger in size.
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If we recall, this is exactly what Hyundai did when they introduced the Exter, which is based on the Korea-spec Casper. Maruti Suzuki Hustler with the few changes suggested will probably be a good rival to Tata Punch, thereby replacing Ignis in its company’s portfolio. The recently introduced Jimny has outsold Ignis in July 2024.
All said and done, there is a good chunk of probability that the Hustler might not be launching in India at all. Considering that Suzuki has tested some of their global vehicles in India without ever launching them here, it might be too soon to confirm any news about this model. Would you like to see such type of cars being introduced in India and if so, what are your expectations from such a car?