Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, to launch in India soon, debuts in South Africa too

Maruti Suzuki has introduced its new compact SUV Grand Vitara to overseas markets as well. India's largest carmaker has showcased the Grand Vitara SUV recently in South Africa ahead of its official launch. The Grand Vitara, which is going to replace the S-Cross SUV as Maruti Suzuki's flagship offering in the compact SUV segment, will take on rivals like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Harrier, MG Hector among others in India. The price of the Grand Vitara, which was unveiled for the Indian customers earlier this month, is likely to be announced in the next few weeks.

The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara showcased in the South African markets wears the Pearl White exterior colour. The variant that has made debut is the Grand Vitara's top-spec All-Grip model which offers all-wheel drive, a first in the segment. The Made in India Grand Vitara will be exported to other countries, which also includes South Africa, after its launch in India.

The Grand Vitara is a technical cousin of the upcoming Toyota Urban Cruiser HyRyder SUV. Both cars has been jointly developed and will be manufactured from Toyota's Bidadi plant in Karnataka. Under the hood, Maruti Suzuki will offer the Grand Vitara in two engine options. The 1.5-litre mild hybrid engine will be joined by a new 1.5-litre strong hybrid engine.

The mild hybrid engine produces 100 PS of maximum power and 135 Nm of peal torque. Mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic transmission, the mild-hybrid variant has a claimed fuel efficiency figure of 21.11 kmpl. The strong hybrid engine produces 115 PS of max power and will come mated to only an e-CVT automatic transmission. Maruti Suzuki claims a best-in-class fuel efficiency figure of 27.97 kmpl, similar to Toyota's HyRyder.

The Grand Vitara will be Maruti Suzuki's first vehicle to be offered with a panoramic sunroof. Among other features, the Grand Vitara will get Head-up Display (HuD), wireless charger, digital instrument cluster, 360-degree camera, ambient lighting, front ventilated seats, keyless entry, rear AC vents, USB ports and connected car technology among others. There is also a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

For safety, there are up to 6 airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill descent control, rear disc brakes, hill hold assist, electronic stability program among others.

Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India.