The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara strikes the right chord from the moment you see it. The SUV looks bigger than it actually is and this is something that Indian buyers will appreciate. Despite the similar dimensions, the Grand Vitara looks bigger than the Toyota Haider and I personally found it to be better looking too. The chrome has been brilliantly done and gives a premium character to the SUV. The upright stance of the Grand Vitara helps it portray a muscular and dynamic design, which would be expected from an SUV that would cost close to Rs 20 lakhs in its top trim. Sleek LED DRLs and tail lamps give an upscale feel to the car while the vertically placed tail lamps really stand out from the rivals. Overall, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara comes across as a modern and muscular SUV that looks premium and that is exactly what most buyers in this segment want.
The cabin layout of the Grand Vitara matches the expectations set by its name as well as the exterior design. The dual-tone finish on the dashboard coupled with the impressive quality of materials gives the cabin a luxurious feel. The front seats are comfortable, offer good space and are also ventilated as in the sturdier hybrid version. The instrument cluster in the robust hybrid version is completely digital and looks different. The AWD and mild hybrids work with a slightly redesigned version of the Digi-Analog cluster seen in the XL6 and Baleno. We didn’t get time to test the back seat, but the front seaters will certainly find themselves comfortable. The feature list of the Grand Vitara is quite extensive and includes a panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, climate control, touchscreen infotainment system, ventilated seats and more. The touchscreen is similar to the Baleno but the display is slightly different in the case of the stronger hybrid variant. One thing that stood out as an area of improvement for me is the sunroof curtain, which was light-colored, quite thin and allowed a lot of light to filter inside the cabin. I would not like to have a car with such a light in a country like India, where the sun is very bright all around. Furthermore, the cabin is well appointed with orderly ergonomics, impressive build quality and a good combination of form and function.
Now on to the most important part, how does the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara drive? We started with talking about the robust hybrid version of all the three variants. This variant uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine that runs on the Atkinson cycle and is paired with Toyota’s hybrid system consisting of a battery pack and electric motor. No plug-in charging is available, but the self-charging hybrid system can run the vehicle on electric power alone under low load conditions and assist the engine at other times, improving fuel efficiency. If driving at a slower speed or at speeds up to 50 kmph, the vehicle can be driven in EV mode using just a single button, but the engine is turned on whenever more power is needed. Really impressive is the smoothness with which the engine adds power or stops completely. , The entire operation of switching between engine and motor or a combination of the two is impressively seamless and can only be detected by the sound of the engine. Total power output for the entire system is rated at 115 PS, all of which is routed to the front wheels using a CVT gearbox. Because of the CVT, the Grand Vitara strong hybrid is smooth but not attractive to drive. While urban speeds are easily managed, the progression of highway speeds with urgency will demonstrate the transmission’s rubber-band effect. In such a situation, the engine makes a lot of noise but there is a lag between the velocity achieved and the sound created. Drive it slowly though and the hybrid powertrain shines through.
Its biggest USP is fuel efficiency and Maruti claims that the vehicle can cover a distance of 1,000 km on a full tank! While I didn’t get time to test the fuel-efficiency on the track, I only did manage to see the system indicated numbers of around 30 km/l without trying to drive purely because of efficiency. This proves that the Grand Vitara must be one hell of a vehicle in the ‘how much it gives’ department. Its biggest trump card will be the fact that it is expected to be priced lower than the diesel versions of its rivals, but will offer significantly higher fuel-efficiency.
Next, we ran the version with AWD, called All Grip by the company. The system provides power to all four wheels, giving it better traction and the ability to pass through surfaces with less traction. On the test track, there was no off-roading opportunity, but this system from Suzuki is a proven one and should work well to handle a fair amount of off-roading. As far as I am aware, this variant will only be available with a five-speed manual gearbox. In terms of driving, this version was the most fun-to-drive and felt very confident even when going through some wide turns at 100 kmph. Steering also felt a bit more weighted and precise than the sturdier hybrid version. Clearly, if you are looking for a capable SUV that is attractive to drive then this variant is the right fit for you.
The third variant we drove was a mild hybrid with the same petrol engine as the AWD but mated to a six-speed torque converter gearbox. This is the same unit that made its debut in the new Brezza. This version was refined and hassle free to drive and felt more inclined towards comfort and efficiency. Acceleration was linear and three-digit speed was easily achieved. We managed a top speed of 135 kmph with this variant and it felt pretty comfortable at this point.
Dilemma:
Obviously, the Grand Vitara checks all the right boxes when it comes to performance and driving. What was confusing to me was the way the packaging is done for the powertrain. It reminded me of my school days when I had to persuade my parents to buy me my favorite toy if I scored well in my exam but I could only ask for one thing and no more. The situation is quite similar with the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara as well as you can either go for a stronger hybrid, but then you will not have the option of AWD, which I completely understand. The complexity and cost of merging these two systems would be too high to understand, but for a customer zeroing in on AWD and not having the option of going for AT, it’s beyond my comprehension. I am sure Maruti will have a lot of market research data to back up its decision, but anyone buying the AWD variant is taking a decision with more than one heart. For such a buyer, cost is not the most important factor and hence some buyers would be willing to pay more for the AWD capabilities along with the option of not having to torture their left limbs in city traffic. The third version we ran makes good sense since not everyone needs a strong hybrid or AWD, but an automatic transmission and also comes with paddle-shifters.
conclusion:
In short, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara proved to be extremely impressive in terms of design, cabin comfort, features, engine performance and handling. Considering Maruti Suzuki’s track record, the Grand Vitara will be priced very competitively, making it a problem for the competition. Add to this the fact that the Grand Vitara along with the Haider will be the only proper SUV in the segment where all other rivals are either jack-up hatchbacks or just pretend to be SUVs. The only issue as I explained is that the variant which would be a proper SUV will not be high on driving convenience. The other two variants are on sale for the AWD versions and already almost half the bookings received for the Grand Vitara are for the stronger hybrid variant. So another blockbuster from Maruti Suzuki? This already appears to be a definite and will help the company regain lost ground in the SUV space. That said, I feel that the Grand Vitara will achieve much more than just initial success and could very soon become the king of its segment despite not having any diesel option!