CarToq’s Render – 2016 Maruti Suzuki YBA/XA Alpha Compact SUV

Maruti Suzuki’s first sub-4 meter SUV offering for the Indian car market, discounting the Gypsy off roader, will be the YBA/XA-Alpha, both monikers being code-names of course. The YBA is scheduled to make its Indian debut in 2016, and test mules have already begun testing runs on roads around the country. The new compact SUV will sit under the S-Cross in terms of price and positioning, competing with the likes of the Ford EcoSport and the upcoming U301 Bolero from Mahindra. CarToq’s rendering artist has put together a speculative render on how the final production version of the Maruti Suzuki YBA will look like. Here it is.

In design terms, the YBA will derive inspiration from the XA Alpha concept that Maruti Suzuki first showcased at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo. The production version of the SUV is likely to make its debut at the 2016 Auto Expo, as Maruti Suzuki’s big bang launch of that year. Butch looking and priced well under 10 lakh rupees, the YBA is likely to pack in petrol and diesel power. A 1.2 liter petrol motor is likely given the SUV’s sub-4 meter length while a new, 1.5 liter turbo diesel motor derived from the Fiat 1.6 liter-4 cylinder Multijet unit will make it to the engine bay of the vehicle.

CNG and LPG options could be weighed by Maruti Suzuki considering the automaker’s plans of offering a multitude of fuel options on its new vehicles. In terms of torque transmission, manual gearboxes for the petrol and diesel motor could rule the roost. An automatic gearbox option on the petrol powered variants of the YBA would be a nifty addition, as buying preferences in India are rapidly changing, with the bias now on convenience rather than just fuel efficiency. Ample ground clearance and a high seating position are other givens on the new SUV.

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Most compact SUVs sold in India are more about the image and looks rather than real off roading cred. The YBA is expected to be no different, with the front wheel drive layout as standard fare on most variants. While rumours suggest that Suzuki’s AllGrip all wheel drive layout could be offered on the vehicle’s top end variants, this line of thought firmly remains a point of conjecture for now. As far as off road enthusiasts are concerned, an SUV with Maruti Suzuki’s top notch reliability and a diesel motor with an all wheel drive layout would be godsend. Will India’s largest automaker oblige? Time will tell!