Could the Grand Vitara be Maruti Suzuki’s Katana in the fight against the Korean diesel SUV? – times of India

maruti suzuki ready to bring grand vitara Back as an all-new SUV that will make its debut on July 20. Despite being the market leader, Maruti currently has only Brezza in the fast growing SUV segment. It should come as no surprise that India’s leading carmaker ranked only fifth in SUV sales in the country last year. In contrast, Hyundai was the leading SUV company in 2020 and 2021, with the Creta being its best-selling SUV. This makes the Grand Vitara an important product for Maruti Suzuki and surprisingly the company is betting heavily on the new vehicle. In addition to this, the Grand Vitara SUV will feature several technologies that will be needed first and more importantly to counter the ongoing Korean and European onslaught in the segment. Naturally, with a model being so important, there are bound to be many questions and doubts about it. Hence, we spoke to Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Director, Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) to understand things better.

Why bring back the Grand Vitara?
When asked about the reason behind bringing back the Grand Vitara moniker, Srivastava said that the name is globally known as one of the finest SUVs Suzuki has made. Since it already enjoys a rich heritage and the features attached to the name are in sync with the new SUV, the match was pretty clear.
The first for the Maruti Grand Vitara will be the company’s foray into the compact SUV segment, which is currently dominated by the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. Srivastava told us that the SUV segment accounts for around 40% of the total market share. Of this, 22% comes from entry-level SUVs (for example, Brezza), 18% from mid-SUVs (Creta) and 1% from premium SUVs (Fortuner).
“I am sure we will go up the rankings but how far and how quickly this happens depends on the performance of the Grand Vitara. That is why we are eager to see how our product fares so that we can move up and compete with the top brands in the segment”, he added.
Finally a Hybrid Maruti!
Now before you juggle me for calling the Grand Vitara Maruti’s first hybrid, allow me to clarify that my reference is to a robust hybrid system. Maruti Suzuki has had mild hybrid technology for quite some time now, but the Grand Vitara will be the first to come with an optional robust hybrid system. This means that apart from the engine, the battery and electric motor will be used in the vehicle. This will not only significantly increase fuel efficiency but also reduce emissions. However, it should be noted that diesel remains a popular fuel in this segment, with some models splitting around 60%. With a diesel and only petrol SUV, it wouldn’t be entirely wrong to doubt the Grand Vitara’s ability to launch a full-scale attack on Korean rivals.

Responding to the same, Srivastava said that “in the overall market, diesel has come down dramatically to 17% from the earlier 58%. Also, since the prices are so close between petrol and diesel, it is now possible to have diesel.” engine. That said, some people in the SUV segment prefer diesel engines not because of economic logic, but because of the high torque. The reason why there is a large percentage of diesel in the mid SUV segment is because There is no stronger petrol variant available. Offers the required combination of power with high fuel efficiency. The Grand Vitara Hybrid will eventually change this scenario in the mid-SUV segment.”
Speaking further about the efficiency of the system, Srivastava said: “The real attraction of this system is that it operates in EV mode for a large percentage of the time. It will run on battery power while driving in the city, which in translation translates to That would translate to higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Second, this EV mode does not require a large charging infrastructure as it is self-charging. Additionally, when you start a battery-powered SUV, it will generate flat torque. Starts and drives smoothly and quietly provide powerful drive.”
Responding to our query regarding the price-position of Grand Vitara vis-a-vis diesel SUV, he said that the price will be disclosed later, Maruti Suzuki will ensure that the buyer gets the best value. He said that a key factor working against diesel right now is the new emission norms which will make it difficult to upgrade diesel vehicles and hence there is a big question mark on the future of diesel engines.

At the end of the conversation, it was clear that Maruti Suzuki is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the Grand Vitara a huge success. While the customer will be the final judge, we can tell you one thing for sure – with the introduction of the mid-sized SUV segment, a big change is going to happen. Maruti Suzuki Grand VitaraEspecially because of the choice of lighter and stronger hybrid systems. Maruti Suzuki has been at the fifth position in the SUV segment, but with the Grand Vitara that could change very soon (of course, if at the right price point). The fight in this segment will certainly be tough for Maruti Suzuki, but the company will be hoping that the Grand Vitara will be their katana sword, as unless that happens, it will be difficult to regain territory that is currently Korean. dominated by siblings. ,
The launch date of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is yet to be decided, but the production is set to begin in August, so it will not take much time for the price to be announced. Stay tuned to TOI Auto for timely updates.
Tags: Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV, 2022 Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara