The new Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is the company’s first mid-size hybrid SUV developed under their global partnership with Toyota. What makes it so unique is that on paper, Maruti Suzuki is offering segment-best mileage, new-age features, off-roading capabilities and much more, making it one of the most awaited launches of 2022. Is. But how good is the car really? We recently made a change to drive the new SUV in the picturesque location of Udaipur and here is our first drive review of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara.
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New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Design
The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is based on the Toyota urban cruiser Haider and will share its design and features with the same. So, we will focus only on the Grand Vitara, not compare it with the Hyder and honestly, it is a much more premium looking SUV from the automaker. It has a proper SUV credentials when it comes to size and many stand out features including sleek and wide headlights, a large grille upfront and body cladding for a beefy up look.
New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Cabin
Sitting inside the cabin of the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, you feel how far the brand has come. This layout is no less than a European, Japanese or Korean product. You get a big sunroof, a good infotainment and good use of high quality materials that enhance the overall experience. Maruti Suzuki will retail the SUV through Nexa dealerships and this is understandable considering the amount of premium you get inside the cabin.
Nothing looks out of place, and you get key features including a 9-inch connected infotainment system, HUD, ventilated seats, wireless charger, among others. In terms of safety, it gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, hill hold control and other features.
In terms of practicality, I found space on par with rivals, with ample legroom, headroom, and shoulder room to accommodate up to 3 adults. There are ample cubby holes and space to throw your stuff around, while the boot is fine for the sturdier hybrid variant due to the battery space. Other mild-hybrid forms tend to be deeper and wider to hold larger items.
New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Performance
Maruti Suzuki will offer the Grand Vitara in two options, a regular 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine with 100 bhp output and a 1.5-litre strong hybrid motor with 114 bhp output. The self-charging system will top up the battery range so you can use EV mode with ease. There will be manual, automatic and ECVT gearbox options on offer.
One thing I love about all Maruti Suzuki cars, no matter how affordable they are, is their ergonomics. Maruti Suzuki has pioneered the art of making driver-friendly cars for Indian buyers and the Grand Vitara carries on the legacy, albeit from a different manufacturer. I really liked the overall steering feedback, which is balanced for both city and highway driving, the suspension setup, which was tuned to eat most of the cracks and the NVH levels refined as well.
Strong Hybrid’s technology works in the background so there is no need to think much about changing modes. The engine is powerful for a car of this size and the gearbox complements it well. We also did a bit of off-roading on the Grand Vitara and with the AWD option, it showed some promising results. Who will use AWD is a different question.
New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara : Mileage
It is important to talk about the fuel efficiency of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara as it is one of the selling points of the SUV. With a mileage of 28 kmpl, Maruti kills 2 birds in one go! One, they have justified the replacement of polluting diesel engines with green hybrid engines, while offering similar mileage. Second, he lured back the mileage for buyers who left after Maruti stopped selling diesel cars in India.
Decision
After driving the new Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, I can bend my neck to say, we have a potential segment winner on our hands. You get a good looking proportionate SUV with all the bells and whistles, off-roading capabilities, good cabin space, incredible mileage and above all, peace of mind that is the brand name of Maruti Suzuki. Overall, Grand Vitara excites you as an overall package and deserves your attention.