Hot on the heels of the launch of the all-new Brezza, Maruti Suzuki will be unveiling its next big onslaught in the midsize SUV category. According to industry insiders, the new Maruti Suzuki midsize SUV, which will replace the ageing S-Cross in the carmaker’s lineup, will be revealed sometime in July. However, the official launch and price announcement of this SUV will only happen sometime before the commencement of the festive season as per ACI.
The new Maruti Suzuki midsize SUV shares much of its mechanical underpinnings with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which will make its global debut here in India on 1st July. Unlike the Baleno-Glanza association, these two new SUVs from Maruti Suzuki and Toyota will have more significant differentiation from each other in and out. Maruti Suzuki has already pulled the plug on the production of the S-Cross, and this new SUV will likely take its place as Maruti Suzuki’s new flagship offering. Like the S-Cross, this new SUV will be sold through the NEXA chain of premium outlets of Maruti Suzuki.
Given that Maruti Suzuki has dropped the ‘Vitara’ prefix from the name of the all-new Brezza, it is widely speculated that the name ‘Vitara’ is now reserved for this new upcoming SUV. It does make sense, as the globally-available Suzuki Vitara is nearing the end of its life cycle, and Suzuki might bring this new SUV as Vitara for overseas markets as well.
Also read: Skoda Kushaq Monte Carlo: New details surface
New platform
The two new upcoming midsize SUVs will be based on Maruti Suzuki’s Global-C platform for its bigger vehicles, which has underpinned vehicles like S-Cross and Ciaz in the past. Both these SUVs will also benefit from the new 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated K15C Dualjet petrol engine, which recently made its debut in the Ertiga, followed by XL6.
Like in the Ertiga and XL6, Maruti Suzuki will offer this engine with two transmission options – a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter. Naturally, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder will also share these powertrain combinations with Maruti Suzuki’s offering. It is also rumoured that the new SUV will also be offered with a full-hybrid powertrain in a range-topping variant, similar to what Honda has already done with its City. This full-hybrid variant will be bestowed with the expertise of Toyota in hybrid technology and the CVT gearbox.
While the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross was one of the most practical crossovers, it failed to take on the tough competition from Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. Even the newer players like Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq and MG Astor started eating up S-Cross’ monthly sales. With this new SUV, Maruti Suzuki is hoping to bounce back and lead the midsize SUV category, much like how it leads the hatchback segments.
Also read: 10 DC Design cars & how they look in the REAL world: Maruti Swift to Mahindra XUV500
