By Sachit Bhat
1982 Views
The Grand Vitara offers manual, automatic, and even all-wheel drive options, as well as moderate and robust hybrid drivetrains. This marks the Maruti's opening move in the fiercely competitive compact SUV sector
The Grand Vitara offers manual, automatic, and even all-wheel drive options, as well as moderate and robust hybrid drivetrains. This marks the Maruti's opening move in the fiercely competitive compact SUV sector.
The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, the newest SUV in town (yeah, that is a mouthful, isn't it? ), is perfectly adapted to the natural beauty and variety of roads in India. With the introduction of the Grand Vitara nameplate once again in India, Maruti Suzuki is practically making its debut in the larger SUV market. While the second and third generations of the Grand Vitara were sold in India, that model line has since been terminated, while the fourth generation is continuing in production worldwide (now simply called Vitara). The Grand Vitara and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder are the results of a cooperative effort between Toyota and an Indian company.
The two models are therefore essentially twins. The same variant options will therefore be available for both models. There are two types of mild/smart hybrid vehicles: an automatic or manual 2WD and a manual AWD (all-wheel-drive). Then there is the powerful hybrid CVT that only has 2WD.
The 1.5 K15C engine in the Smart Hybrid models has 101 horsepower and 137 pound-feet of torque. Either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission is available. The vehicle's AWD version only has a manual transmission. A tiny 12-volt, 6-Ah lithium-ion battery is used by the mild hybrid to boost output and efficiency. When the regeneration process begins to recharge the battery, a little battery symbol appears on the instrument cluster. It increases fuel efficiency by 6–7% while occasionally giving you a slight power boost. It is the same mechanism that long-running vehicles like the Ciaz have had.
The small screen you have in the centre of the instruments is really well made. In addition to the trip computer and power or torque display that have been present since the preceding Baleno, it has some additional features. A perspective of the energy flow from the engine to the motor or battery has been included. It's good that you get to see all of that. The toggle control should be a small button on the steering wheel, but instead it's still a lengthy push stalk inside the instrument cluster, which frustrates me.
All of the mild and strong hybrid gasoline models of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara are available with the previously listed gearbox options. And there will be 6 trim levels for these. Only the fully loaded Zeta+ and Alphas+ trims are available on the powerful hybrid, however there are four trims available on the smart hybrid: Sigma, Delta, Zeta, and Alpha. The Grand Vitara Alpha (smart hybrid) and Alpha+ (strong hybrid), which are the top-of-the-line trims, are the vehicles I use for testing. By the way, the lower two trims, Sigma and Delta, only come with 17" steel wheels as standard; the other trims all come with the same size alloy wheels.
Red, silver, white, grey, blue, and brown are the 6 colors. These three (red, white, and silver) will all have the option of a two-tone black roof. The revised (and quite attractive) Nexa Blue is offered on all models, however the solid red is only offered on the less expensive models. The two-tone is only available on the Zeta+, Alpha, and Alpha+ trims, and the brown is not available at the entry end.
| Model | Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara ||-----------|----------------------------|| Length | 4345 mm || Width | 1795 mm || Height | 1645 mm || Wheelbase | 2600 mm |
The new design language at Suzuki is known as "crafted futurism," and it can be found on many different models all across the world. With the Baleno, it made its debut in India; now, the Grand Vitara is the first SUV to receive it. The design is characterized by this attractive forceful face. Additionally, it effectively distinguishes itself from the styling of the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The Grand Vitara is very butch and has a muscular look up front, whereas the latter has a more urban-chic appearance.
The headlight is located lower down in a square housing, and the face has a split or stacked appearance with the new look daytime running lights or DRLs up top. Even the grille is stacked and has metal and glossy piano black components. I have to admit that it is quite modern and sophisticated. The two drivetrain types now differ from one another. The smart hybrid is covered in matte black plastic around the wheel arches and headlamp housing, a light matte silver skid plate, black roof rails, and standard bright chrome on the grille.
On the powerful hybrid, the roof rails have a satin steel surface, the skid plate has a somewhat metallic plastic grey finish, the headlight housing has a glossy piano black touch, and the side cladding has a darker smoked chrome finish. The automobile appears even more sleek and contemporary from the back. The taillights and the car's name optically increase the breadth. Unusual is the protruding vertical stack on the lower corners. However, that is where the reverse and indication lights are located. Visually, the Grand Vitara appears larger than rivals like the Hyryder!
| Model | Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara ||--------------|----------------------------|| Displacement | 1462 cc || Power Output | 101 bhp at 6000 rpm || Peak Torque | 136.8 Nm at 4400 rpm || Transmission | 6MT / 6 AT |
| Model | Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara ||--------------|----------------------------|| Displacement | 1490 cc || Power Output | 114 bhp at 5500 rpm || Peak Torque | 122 Nm at 4400 - 4800 rpm || Transmission | e-CVT |
In terms of features and a sense of space, the inside of the automobile is very similar to that of the Hyryder. Rear seat thigh support is good, and there is a small amount of built-in reclining. A three-point seatbelt for every passenger and a drop-down armrest with cupholders are always a smart idea. It's also useful to have two USB ports back here—one USB A and one USB C port. As you move down the trims, everything on the smart hybrid side become more simple.
The front seats are also very comfortable, and you get a wide range of features that consumers will expect. Over 40 connected car functions are included, as well as a sizable touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The instrument cluster on the powerful hybrid is entirely digital and has a great graphic user interface. Some of the extras you can only have at the upper end include front seat ventilation, a pano sunroof, and quilted leatherette seats.
| NeoDrive (Mild Hybrid) | e-Drive (Strong) Hybrid | | ||-------------------------|-------------------------|----------------|-------------------------|| S MT/AT | TBA | | || G MT/AT | TBA | | || V MT | | TBA | || V MT AWD | TBA | | || V AT | | Rs. 17.09 lakh | S e-Drive Rs 15.11 lakh || G e-Drive Rs 17.49 lakh | | | || V e-Drive Rs 18.99 lakh | | | || ex-showroom Delhi | | | |
| Smart (Mild) Hybrid | Intelligent Electric (Strong) Hybrid | | ||------------------------------|--------------------------------------|----------------|-------------------------|| Sigma | TBA | | || Delta | TBA | | || Zeta Rs | | TBA | || Alpha | Rs 11-16.90 lakh | Zeta+ | || Alpha+ | Rs 17-18.5 lakh | Rs. 17.09 lakh | S e-Drive Rs 15.11 lakh || expected prices, ex-showroom | | | || V e-Drive Rs 18.99 lakh | | | || ex-showroom Delhi | | | |