Maruti Suzuki to launch new mid-size SUV on 20th July 2022

Maruti Suzuki is all set to launch a brand new mid-size SUV in India. Tipped to called the Vitara, the all-new SUV will share its platform and mechanicals with the recently unveiled Toyota Hyryder. Shashank Srivastava, a senior executive director at Maruti Suzuki, has revealed that the all new Maruti Suzuki Vitara will be unveiled on the 20th of July.

Essentially, Maruti Suzuki is bringing its own version of the Toyota Hyryder in less than 3 weeks after the latter was unveiled.  The Maruti Suzuki Vitara will have distinct styling that’ll differentiate it from the Hyryder. The feature-set is likely to be quite similar though. In terms of pricing too, expect the Maruti Vitara to be in the same price bracket as the Toyota Hyryder.

As was the case with the Toyota Hyryder, the 20th July 2022 event from Maruti Suzuki will be more of an unveiling than a full launch with price announcement. Bookings for the Maruti Suzuki Vitara are expected to commence on the 20th of July. Production of the mid-sized SUV will commence from August 2022. The official launch and price announcement is likely be held sometime during the festive season, in late August or early September.

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Mr. Srivastava also revealed that the Vitara will feature two powertrains: a 1.5 liter mild hybrid borrowed from the likes of the just-launched Maruti Brezza and the facelifted XL6, and a 1.5 liter strong hybrid (TNGA) borrowed from Toyota. The strong hybrid, with an anticipated mileage of 24-25 Kmpl is Maruti Suzuki’s alternative to a diesel engine.

While the mild hybrid petrol motor will make 103 Bhp-135 Nm, and get 5 speed manual and 6 speed automatic gearboxes, the strong hybrid will put out 91 Bhp-122 Nm from the petrol engine and 79 Bhp-141 Nm from the electric motor. The strong hybrid will be offered with a CVT automatic gearbox with 5 stepped shifts. Notably, ever since the Bharat Stage 6 emission norms kicked in a couple of years ago, Maruti Suzuki has steered clear of diesels, instead opting to focus on hybrid and CNG engines. The upcoming Vitara will be yet another move by Maruti Suzuki to reinforce its position.

In terms of features, the all-new Vitara is expected to borrow most bits from the Toyota Hyryder, which in itself is a fairly loaded SUV.  Dual-tone interiors with a panoramic sunroof and leather-clad dashboard, automatic climate control, a touchscreen infotainment system, 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof, wireless charger, head-up display, connected car tech, 6 airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system, ESP, hill-hold assist and hill descent control are some of the features that are likely to make it to Maruti’s newest, and most premium SUV.

Competition for the all-new Maruti Suzuki Vitara mid-size SUV will chiefly come from the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun. The new Maruti Suzuki SUV’s ex-showroom price range is expected to fall within the ballpark of 10-17 lakh. An all wheel drive option on the strong hybrid variant of the new Maruti SUV should get some enthusiasts excited as it’ll be the first all wheel driven SUV sold by Maruti Suzuki after the discontinuation of the likes of the Gypsy and Grand Vitara.

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