Maruti Grand Vitara XL is expected to launch in the coming years with a seven-seater configuration to appeal for family-based customers
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) hosted the global premiere of the Grand Vitara only a few days ago. The midsize SUV will take on Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Astor, VW Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Nissan Kicks and the likes and it will on sale in September. One of the major talking points of the Grand Vitara is its claimed mileage figure of close to 28 kmpl in the strong hybrid version.
The largest car producer in the country claims that the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara can do 1,200 km in a single tank of petrol. The Grand Vitara has several commonalities with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which will go on sale next month in India and it derives power from a 1.5-litre K15C DualJet mild hybrid petrol and a Toyota-sourced 1.5-litre strong hybrid petrol engine.
The Grand Vitara will become the most advanced Maruti Suzuki upon arrival and it will replace the S-Cross as the brand’s new flagship SUV. Besides high mileage characteristics and dedicated EV mode in the full-hybrid powertrain, the Grand Vitara is also packed with features and is expected to be priced between Rs. 9.35 lakh and Rs. 19.50 lakh (ex-showroom).
The SUV is in response to customers preferring compact and midsize SUVs at large in recent years. The segment also has the trend of five-seater midsize SUVs re-engineered to suit family-based customers with a three-row layout. The Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar and MG Hector Plus are the prime examples and to compete against them, Maruti Suzuki could bring in the Grand Vitara XL.
The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara XL’s rendered image has been included here and it shows a stretched-out five-seater Vitara to accommodate the third-row seating arrangement. It is expected to launch in the coming years and could help in expanding the SUV’s range further. We can also expect a similar features list to the five-seater version.
It could comprise a nine-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 360-degree camera system, HUD, six airbags, automatic climate control, a large panoramic sunroof and so on.