Maruti Suzuki is all set to launch a new Hyundai Creta-rivalling midsize SUV on September 3. This new SUV, internally codenamed Y17, is likely to be called the Victoris and not Escudo, as previously reported. Set to be retailed via Maruti’s expansive Arena showroom network, the SUV will have three engine options.
- New Maruti SUV, likely to be called Victoris, will have an AWD variant
- At the higher end of the new SUV’s line-up will be a 116hp petrol-electric hybrid
- Maruti has over 3,000 Arena showrooms, compared to about 600 Nexa outlets
New Maruti SUV powertrain options
Like the Grand Vitara, the new SUV will have a petrol-AT AWD version as well
This new Creta rival will come with the same set of powertrain options as the Maruti Grand Vitara and Toyota Hyryder. The Maruti Victoris will be powered by the 103hp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic. In petrol-automatic form, it will also be available with AWD. The rest of the range will have front-wheel drive. What’s more, there will be an 88hp CNG option, and at the higher end of the line-up will be a 116hp petrol-electric hybrid.
Why the new Maruti SUV will be sold through Arena showrooms
Maruti wants to position the new SUV below the Grand Vitara
The new Maruti SUV and Grand Vitara will have a relationship that is similar to the one between the Ertiga and XL6. The Ertiga, retailed from the Arena outlets, and the new Maruti SUV are lower-priced models, while the XL6 and Grand Vitara are more premium offerings, which is why they are sold via the Nexa showrooms.
The new mass-market SUV will cater to a much wider audience thanks to the over 3,000 Arena outlets through which it will be retailed. In comparison, the Grand Vitara is sold via around 600 Nexa dealerships, while Hyundai retails its popular Creta from about 1,400 showrooms across India.
This SUV will be the flagship offering for Maruti Arena dealers, who haven’t received a new high-end product since the launch of the Ertiga and Brezza. Sources tell us that this SUV, being an Arena offering, will have a better value-for-money quotient than its rivals, which will include the soon-to-arrive refreshed Volkswagen Taigun and the Skoda Kushaq facelift.
The Maruti Victoris, which may be called Escudo elsewhere, will also be exported to overseas markets. A Toyota derivative is coming, too, though it will arrive a little later.
With inputs from Ketan Thakkar
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