Maruti Suzuki is known to be readying a slew of new products for the upcoming year. The carmaker is expected to come up with atleast three new SUV offerings next year- the Fronx facelift, Grand Vitara 7-seater and eVitara electric SUV. As the calender year 2024 nears its close, a new Maruti Suzuki test mule has been spied on the roads. It is however, unclear what’s underneath the camouflage. Dimensions suggest it to be the facelifted Grand Vitara or the 7-seater form of it. Let us walk you through the various possibilities.
This Could Be The Grand Vitara Facelift
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The Grand Vitara is Maruti Suzuki India’s best bet against the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Curvv, Honda Elevate, Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun and the Citroen Aircross SUV. The segment it falls into is highly competitive and the Grand Vitara needs to even battle its Toyota cousin- Urban Cruiser Hyryder in sales.
The 5-seater SUV was launched for the first time in 2022. It is thus time for a mid-life update to this decent seller. Maruti seems to be doing just that with the facelift. By the time these prototypes reach production, the current Grand Vitara would have completed at least three years in business.
In the facelift, the manufacturer is expected to introduce more features, better trims and finishes and enhanced creature comforts, compared to the previous model.
This Could Be The 7-Seater Grand Vitara ( Most Probable Case)
It is more likely that this prototype is of the 7-seater Grand Vitara than the facelift, and we have our set of reasons to say so. First, a few high-authority sources have already hinted at this being the three-row Grand Vitara. Second, the size and proportions make it look more like a seven seater than a mere facelift of the 5-seater SUV. Codenamed the Y17, this 7-seater project has long been ongoing at Maruti Suzuki.
Third and most important are the suggestive design cues that are evident even with the camo on. The window line, mirror position, and fender design are all reminiscent of the Grand Vitara. A closer look also shows a loger rear overhang which hints at added length and space for the third row. The wheelbase could have also gone up.
Interestingly, even while the overall shape remains comparable, the intricate details of this design (atleast those which are visible on the mule) mark notable departures from those seen on the 5-seater SUV. There could be strong design resemblances to the upcoming Maruti eVitara electric SUV. The headlamps and front bumper could stand close to those seen on the EV, in their designs.
The test mule had an eVitara-inspired LED DRL setup. The main headlamps seem to sit on the bumper and the carmaker’s signature 3-dot motif also seems to have been retained. The 7-seater could come with full width wraparound LED tail-lamps at the rear.
The cabin details can’t be seen clearly in the video. However, quick glimpses of a large free-standing touchscreen infotainment unit and a new dashboard design are visible.
The Y17 SUV will be based on the same (Global C) platform as the standard Vitara. It could also retain the familiar powertrains- 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol mild hybrid and 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol-strong hybrid. The strong hybrid engine would come mated to an e-CVT transmission, while both manual and automatic boxes could be offered on the other. Maruti Suzuki will likely manufacture the 7-seater Grand Vitara at its new plant in Kharkhoda, Haryana. This facility is hoped to be operational by mid 2025, and the Y17 will be the first to roll out from here.
Unlikely To Be The eVitara
The vehicle in these spy images is unlikely to be the eVitara and here are two reasons that make us say so. One, it lacks the charging point on the front left quarter panel. It has a cap at the rear left panel, where the fuel filler usually sits on the regular SUV. Two, the rear view shows an exhaust pipe!
