[JayPrashanth]

Mod Note: Team-BHP has unveiled the YRA at this link (Team-BHP Scoop Pics! Maruti YRA / Fronx Hatchback, uncamouflaged!). Please continue the discussion on the new thread. Thanks!

Maruti Suzuki's bread and butter, sub-4 meter compact car segment could see yet another addition in 2015-16. FinancialExpress reports that India's largest car maker is developing an all-new B+ segment hatchback codenamed YRA. The YRA hatchback's positioning could be above that of the Ritz and the Swift, rivaling that of the next-gen Hyundai i20 and the Honda Jazz hatchbacks.



Note: The Maruti Suzuki Swift image used in this report is illustrative in nature.

Currently, the Swift is the most expensive hatchback that Maruti Suzuki sells in India. The new hatchback will be a global car model and will be produced in both India as well as Suzuki's European hub, Hungary. However, details about the platform on which the new B+ hatchback will be based remain unknown.

Given the fact that the Ritz is likely to see an all new model in 2015, with the Swift to follow suit in 2017, the new B+ hatchback could use a new platform, in keeping with the overall changes to Maruti's B+ hatchback portfolio. Expect petrol and diesel engines to power the new hatchback.

Maruti Suzuki is developing a new range of turbo diesel engines with capacities ranging from 0.8 liters to 1.6 liters. The car maker is likely to outfit the new B+ segment hatchback with one of the homegrown range of turbo diesel motors. A petrol engine and automatic gearbox combination is another aspect that is likely to be made available as B+ segment hatchbacks usually feature such a combination.

As of now, compact sedans continue to find more takers than premium hatchbacks such as the Hyundai i20 and the Honda Jazz, given the greater snob value of sedans over hatchbacks in India. However, the demand for more expensive B+ hatchbacks is likely to intensify in the coming years, what with Indian car buyers maturing, being exposed to global trends on a higher scale and also having access to higher disposable incomes. From that perspective, Maruti Suzuki's YRA hatchback seems poised to cater to the growing demand for premium B+ segment hatchbacks.

[sourabhzen]

Does that mean that Maruti accepts the fact that Swift is not at par with i20? In that case this car will definitely be worth a watch.

[HammerHead]

Welcome move from Maruti Suzuki
IMO Honda Jazz is the right car to target in terms of Space/Practicality/Quality, though its 'looks' are not of my liking.

I hope its a sleek (no tall boy please) 4mts long hatchback with 100 BHP petrol and diesel engine

[vibbs]

Well it all in a way depends on how well maruti can design a diesel engine. The one that was being tried out on the swift as reported in the forum seemed crude and not a match for the mjd.

Not only this but even their sx4 replacement depends on that, because if not now, then atleast by 2015 they should outfit the car with an engine bigger than the MJD.

Comming to the hatch, maruti's interior quality levels have gone up of late. It shouldn't be too difficult for them to target i20 and jazz. But then what about price? The swift diesel itself retails close to 8.5 on road. The newer car if coming close to 10 should have a stronger engine or higher space than the swift.

Hope maruti succeeds in their home grown diesel effort. It is essential for them to crack the above 10 lakh rupees market.

[romeomidhun]

I think Maruti is very late in their attempts for their own Diesel engine, compact SUV, premium sedan (YL1) and this bigger hatch than Swift. They should have foreseen the demand much earlier.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

Does that mean that Maruti accepts the fact that Swift is not at par with i20? In that case this car will definitely be worth a watch.

Swift was never a direct competition to i20, with less power (diesel), less features and even a lesser price. However - we choose to compare the two since swift is a better car to drive!

With Grand i10 coming almost squarely against Swift, Maruti Suzuki must have realised that they have space to slot in another hatchback above Swift. Also - please note - DZire has come under serious competition lately. Hence they need another product in that price band to also keep the competition checked.

[pacman2881]

This could be the hatch version of the all new SX4 (YL1 sedan)
That should reduce their development costs and time to market.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

Does that mean that Maruti accepts the fact that Swift is not at par with i20? In that case this car will definitely be worth a watch.

We were comparing Swift with i20 just because i10/Ritz were on par and i20/Swift were the models above these two.

Hyundai has filled in the gap between i10 and i20 by launching Grand and ensured in the process that i20 is elevated as a premium hatch. I wouldn't still call a car with an 80PS petrol motor as a premium hatch; but for the diesel version, 90PS is good enough.

By making DZire a sub 4m compact sedan, Maruti effectively downgraded it by a segment. With the launch of Amaze as a direct competitor to Dzire, and a CS version of Grand i10 on the horizon, the new CS segment would be Dzire/Grand CS/Amaze and the corresponding hatchbacks would also enjoy similar status, which caused Swift to be downgraded too.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

With Grand i10 coming almost squarely against Swift, Maruti Suzuki must have realised that they have space to slot in another hatchback above Swift. Also - please note - DZire has come under serious competition lately. Hence they need another product in that price band to also keep the competition checked.

With SX4 replacement in the pipeline, a hatchback based on the same platform would be sensible from a parts sharing perspective, if they can slot it just under 4m like the i20.

[heysac]

Originally Posted by pacman2881

This is could be the hatch version of the all new SX4 (YL1 sedan)
That should reduce their development costs and time to market.

YL1 is actually based on the Swift platform. So the hatch version is Swift but they could always come up with a slightly bigger hatch on the same platform as well.

[GTO]

If Maruti can build a 7-seater UV on the Swift platform, they can very well build a bigger, more premium hatch on the same platform.

I have a feeling that this premium hatchback will be based on the Swift platform itself, whether current or the next-generation (expected in 3 years).

Remember, this is Suzuki. They can teach a miser how to save on pennies. The company is unbelievably cost conscious.

[veyron_head]

The diesel Automatic hatch segment is totally untapped. Maruti could do with a Diesel automatic hatch with this next car. And don't tell me the "there-is-no-demand-for-diesel-auto" stuff! There was no demand for premium hatch until Getz arrived, there was no demand for a hot-hatch until GT TSI came. Maruti with its muscle should do an apple, not a Microsoft

[zenren]

Originally Posted by veyron_head

Maruti could do with a Diesel automatic hatch with this next car.

Interesting thought. Let them first build a diesel engine. Then they can think about working on a new generation automatic transmission. Once these two are done, they can think of mating the engine and gearbox. By the time Maruti does all this, we might be flying around the town like in sci-fi movies instead of using the road. :P

[romeomidhun]

Originally Posted by GTO

Remember, this is Suzuki. They can teach a miser how to save on pennies.

I was laughing for a long time reading this! This describes why Maruti is popular among Indian common man. And if they can bring a more powerful hatch with good FE, it will be an ideal car for city and highway usage.

[Aditya]

A report on Financial Express claims that the YRA will get a 1.0-litre, turbocharged petrol power plant that puts out 90 bhp and can average 20 km/l. The car is expected to be launched in 2015 and is expected to compete with the Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo. The car is also likely to restart Maruti's exports to Europe.

Link to Team-BHP News Article

[Aditya]

Suzuki has started testing a premium hatchback. Is it the upcoming YRA?

Link to Team-BHP News Article