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2022 Maruti Grand Vitara Review

Maruti Grand Vitara Pros

• A competent hybrid car for the mass market
• 20+ km/l FE in city driving conditions makes the Grand Vitara cheaper to run than a diesel!
• Lower emissions will appeal to environmentally-conscious buyers. And those who aren’t ready for an EV yet
• Toyota’s reliability & expertise in hybrid systems is very reassuring in the Maruti
• Seamless Hybrid system that makes driving a breeze. A car you will enjoy driving in traffic
• Maruti's AWD system provides impressive soft-roading capabilities. Can get you out of tricky situations when touring
• Compliant ride quality coupled with balanced driving dynamics
• Well-equipped with features such as driving modes, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, wireless smartphone charging, connected car features, wireless Android Auto + Apple CarPlay and more
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences
• Does most things well, but doesn’t excel in any particular area (other than fuel economy)

Maruti Grand Vitara Cons

• Practicality is compromised due to reduced boot space in the full-hybrid variant
• Interior quality and fit & finish are underwhelming at this price point
• AllGrip AWD is only available in a single MT trim. Missed opportunity to market a USP
• Interior is narrow and doesn't feel as roomy as some competitors. Rear seat is best for 2 adults
• Lacks the outright performance of the competition. Runs out of steam above 110 km/h
• Not as engaging to drive as the German competitors, or the Creta / Seltos turbo-petrols
• NVH levels from the drivetrain are surprisingly poor for a hybrid. Sounds from the 3-cylinder engine, electric motor and brake vacuum pump filter into the cabin
• The Honda City’s Hybrid system is smoother, more sophisticated & more refined
• Missing features such as rain-sensing wipers, premium audio + subwoofer, electric seats, electric parking brake, LED interior lighting, etc.
• Does most things well, but doesn’t excel in any particular area (other than fuel economy)

This review has been jointly compiled with libranof1987. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

The future is electric. So say the purveyors of instant torque, delivered not with an almighty roar that'd raise the dead, but rather a muted whine that'd make the quintessential petrolhead wish he was. 'Shocking' humour aside, the inevitable march to the undeniable future of motoring is gathering pace. In a market where not very many years ago 'electric' personal mobility was synonymous with cute little Reva 2-seaters darting in & out of traffic and sneaking up on unsuspecting jaywalkers, we now have choices right from the entry-level Tiago EV announced recently, through a range of budget & premium offerings from multiple manufacturers, right up to the Mercedes-AMG EQS that friendly mod Ajmat recently got his hands on for a review.

All is fine and dandy until the ever-expanding portfolio of electric offerings is tempered by today's real-world limitations; high input costs, battery capacity, charging infrastructure, and power grids are still significantly driven by non-renewables, just to name a few obvious ones. While these are expected to be mitigated in due course by technological advancements and economies of scale, the interim provides an opportunity for a transitional solution, straddling the present & the future. Enter, the hybrids.

Maruti has historically never been a significant player beyond the budget segments. Except for a rare dalliance with the 1-litre BoosterJet turbo-petrol in the Baleno RS, Maruti has stuck to tried & tested simple but robust powertrain options. Their previous attempts at Hybrid had more to do with playing fast and loose with the meaning of the term with their mild 'Smart Hybrid' solution until the powers-that-be saw through it and withdrew FAME subsidies for mild hybrid implementations.

In response and driven by technical necessities, Maruti teamed up with Toyota to take a proper swing at it. While the first few products of the partnership were barely skin-deep badge jobs, sometimes with hilarious results like this, Toyota's pedigree with Hybrid powertrains is finally shining through. Just as well, because neither Maruti nor Toyota have serious EV credentials to speak of where Koreans, Europeans and more recently the Chinese have stolen a march on them. Closer home, Honda grabbed the first-mover advantage with the City e:HEV (Hybrid) for the mass market, but as a certain fruity company would tell you, being first to market isn't necessarily the surest way to success.

Maruti decided to double down and also revive their rare 'premium' moniker with brand recall and off-roading credentials in India, the Grand Vitara, and give it their famed AllGrip AWD treatment. Toyota's hybrid powertrain credentials, Suzuki's AllGrip prowess, and the famed Vitara moniker. A lot of potential in the mix, and a lot to live up to. A hit, or a swing and a miss? Let's find out.

Maruti invited us to experience the 2022 Grand Vitara, including the Intelligent Electric Hybrid variant, and the AllGrip-equipped variant at a custom-built off-road track at the venue. Following are our initial impressions.

Maruti Grand Vitara Price & Brochure

Maruti has gone for a mix of variants, trims and powertrain options. The 1,462 cc, 4-cylinder, K15C NA motor with Smart Hybrid is available in Sigma, Delta, Zeta & Alpha trims with 5MT & 6AT transmission options (6AT not available on Sigma). The AllGrip variant is only available with a 5MT transmission in Alpha trim.

The 1,490 cc, 3-cylinder petrol motor with the Intelligent Electric Hybrid powertrain is available in Zeta+ and Alpha+ trims. The system is coupled with an e-CVT transmission.

Prices are expected to be announced in September 2022. You can download the 2022 Maruti Grand Vitara brochure here: 2022 Maruti Grand Vitara Brochure.pdf

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Exterior

Design & Styling

Maruti has gone with clean & relatively understated styling for the Grand Vitara, with limited chrome appliques. The design may not wow anyone, but has a certain simple elegance to it. And if I had to choose between the Grand Vitara and the Toyota Hyryder, I'd go for the Maruti just because the design looks cleaner and there's not a lot of unnecessary badging. The Toyota has better-looking alloys though.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Build quality is decent with consistent shut lines and panel gaps, but make no mistake, this is no over-engineered Euro or a precision-built Toyota. To be fair, recent Euro launches based on the MQB-A0-IN platform aren't exactly doing justice to their built-to-last heritage, so it's horses for courses across the board.

The front doors seem well-damped and need a firm shove to close, but the rear ones feel tinnier and shut with a clunk. The paint quality is consistent, and the Chestnut Brown shade looks rather appealing. The Grand Vitara is available in 6 single-tone shades (Nexa Blue, Arctic White, Splendid Silver, Grandeur Grey, Chestnut Brown and Opulent Red), with the White, Silver and Red also available with a black roof dual-tone option. Some shades and tone combinations are limited to certain trims (refer to the brochure for details).

Wheels & Tyres

Maruti has equipped the Grand Vitara with decently sized 17" wheels. The 215/60 section tyres provide good ride quality and very good grip.

Ground Clearance

Maruti has not revealed the ground clearance of the Grand Vitara. While we did not scrape the underbody anywhere during the test drive, we will leave the final verdict to the owners.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The exact standard warranty and extended warranty details haven't been revealed yet. Maruti cars in general come with a standard warranty of 2 years / 40,000 km, which can be extended up to 5 years / 1,00,000 km. In comparison, the standard warranty for the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is 3 years or 1 lakh km, which can be extendable up to 5 years or 2.2 lakh km. The warranty for the Hybrid battery is valid for 8 years.

We can expect Maruti to offer the same 8-year warranty on the Hybrid battery. We always recommend purchasing the maximum possible extended warranty available for added peace of mind.

Safety

While official NCAP tests are the best way to benchmark safety, the combination of a proven global platform and a host of safety features like 6 airbags, 360 view camera, TPMS, ESP, Hill Hold Assist & Descent Control, 3-point seatbelts for all passengers and ISOFIX child seat mounts should ensure decent safety performance. For reference, the Maruti Brezza, which is built on the same platform, scored a 4-star rating at the Global NCAP.

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

Step inside, and the cabin feels distinctly Maruti. Anyone who's been in the recent Brezza & XL6 facelifts will find things familiar. A consistent design language also helps Maruti share parts & materials across the board, though exclusivity is at a, ahem, premium. Maruti's unhealthy attachment to the driver doorpad console continues unabated. Imagine getting the same switchgear in a 20L+ rupee car as a budget hatch costing less than 1/3rd the price. Not cool, Maruti, not been for a while.

Maruti has gone with an all-black interior colour palette with champagne gold accents for the Hybrid variant, while the other variants get a still dark but dual-tone Black + Bordeaux (dark reddish brown) combination with silver accents. Both options look nice and should be easy to maintain compared to beige trim.

Hard plastics abound in the cabin and take the premium feel down a notch. There are some soft-touch faux leather inserts on the dash and doorpads, but much more could've been done. One bit in particular that stands out, as mod Vid6639 highlighted in the Hyryder review as well, is the plastic trim near the driver's left knee on the centre console. It's especially annoying on the MT variants, with one's left leg frequently in action.

Space & Comfort

There is a good amount of space at the front with the seats having a pretty decent travel range. Being a typical crossover design, ingress & egress is super easy and you simply walk in and out of the Grand Vitara. The front seats are comfortable, but not perfect. They are of medium width and larger users will find them a tad narrow.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

Not only are the front seats missing electric adjustment, but the seat base also has no proper cladding to hide the rails, and has the ubiquitous el-cheapo 'danda' for fore-aft adjustment. The driver seat gets height adjustment and has a good travel range too. What's good is the steering has tilt and telescopic adjustment. This means finding a comfortable driving position is easier.

There is a lack of headroom which accentuates a potential ergonomic flaw in the front row. The flat hood is a tad too high which means that the inside edge of the scooped center portion near the wipers is a wee bit higher than the top of the flat portion of the dash. This restricts frontal visibility, especially the front left corner in tight situations is made worse for shorter drivers by the tall ICE display. The natural way to solve it would be to crank up the driver seat height, but that is restricted by the limited headroom. We'd advise potential customers to check this out carefully during their test drives, and use the 360 view camera generously to say, parallel park or cross a narrow lane, as a matter of course.

Cabin Storage

The Grand Vitara gets multiple storage spaces and buyers won't have much to complain about. The glovebox is of medium size, but it doesn't get a cooling vent. The centre console has a wireless charging pad ahead of the gear lever. Behind the gear lever, there are 2 fairly large cupholders and a sliding centre armrest with a small storage box below. All 4 doors can hold a 1-litre bottle, with space left over for knick-knacks.

Air-Conditioning

The Grand Vitara's automatic climate control system worked well during our test drive. The strong hybrid gets a different A/C compressor than the mild hybrid since it's not belt driven and is an electrically operated compressor like the inverter A/C at home.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

Maruti has equipped the Grand Vitara with a long list of features. For starters, it gets a proper panoramic sunroof (Maruti's first). You also have a 360-degree camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system, a head-up display, ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, wireless charging and Android Auto & Apple CarPlay connectivity. You also get auto LED headlamps and an auto-dimming IRVM. You do miss out on electric adjustment for the driver seat, rain-sensing wipers, electric parking brake with auto hold (City Hybrid and Creta have this) and rear sunblinds.

Audio System & Sound Quality

Maruti offers a 9-inch touchscreen with its SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system. It's very different from the older SmartPlay studio systems and is extremely smooth and seamless in operation. The user interface is simple and easy to get used to and the display is crisp and clear. Music is played through 4 speakers & 2 tweeters and is tuned by Arkamys. The audio quality is decent but nowhere close to the likes of the JBL and Sony systems in competitor SUVs. While the bass is good, the system lacks clarity and the vocals, especially, are muffled. It gets loud with minimal distortion, but doesn't have a deep thump or clarity. This system gets a 6/10 and with no subwoofer, falls behind the competition.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

Just like the Hyryder, getting in and out of the rear seat of the Grand Vitara is easy. However, the space between the B-pillar and rear seat isn't very big, which means you don't just walk in and out very easily. Once you are seated at the back it's fairly comfortable with supportive seats.

The rear seats, however, aren't what you would call spacious. The width of the rear bench makes the Grand Vitara comfortable for 2 people. The 3rd passenger will find it a squeeze. The rear backrest does recline by a single notch, but even in the reclined position, it's not a very relaxed position. In terms of legroom, a 6-footer can sit behind another 6-footer, but just about. Usually, SUVs are very good when it comes to headroom, but here, the rear headroom is just acceptable. For a 6-footer it's just about enough of it with ~2 inches to spare if you don't sit upright. If you sit upright, then it's tight.

Boot Space

The elephant in the room - boot space. Boot space is decent in the regular Smart Hybrid variants, and can carry a fair amount of luggage. It's another story altogether in the Intelligent Hybrid, with the battery taking up a significant chunk of the boot, compromising vertical space. Challenge to pack lighter or deal-breaker for a family that loves to take the house with it? Take your pick!

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Driving the Grand Vitara 1.5L Intelligent Hybrid

This powertrain (and future iterations & applications) is a major aspect of the Maruti-Toyota partnership, with both parties hoping to benefit from shared efficiencies in terms of product placement and meeting increasingly stringent emissions and associated requirements.

The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1,490cc, M15A, 3-cylinder Toyota petrol engine built on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, putting out 91 BHP @ 5,500 rpm and 122 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. This petrol engine is coupled with an AC synchronous motor that puts out 79 BHP and 141 Nm. Total combined output at wheels is an indicated 114 BHP. With a kerb weight of 1,295 kg, the Grand Vitara has a power-to-weight ratio of just 88 BHP/ton, which is rather unimpressive compared to what's available elsewhere in the segment. However, Maruti is focused firmly on efficiency, not outright performance. A 177.6 V, 0.76kWh Li-ion battery in the boot powers the electric motor that is responsible for powering the driven wheels in EV & Hybrid mode on electric power. The battery specification means pure EV mode can only really be used for short bursts at a time before the petrol motor needs to kick in to assist the drive and charge the battery.

The Grand Vitara uses a more conventional hybrid system using a power split device as well as an e-CVT that combines the power from the petrol and electric motors. There is no clever drive lock system like in the City here. As a result, the Grand Vitara feels like a regular CVT to drive with some correlation between speed and engine rpm.

Press the brake and hit the blue power button, and all you get is a 'Ready' notification on the MID indicating the car is ON in EV mode. The petrol engine does not engage at idle. So you'll never really hear the engine except on the move when the engine comes on seamlessly to charge the battery (when driving sedately) or power the car directly (when driving aggressively). The combination of the electric motor, the petrol engine on-demand and the efficient e-CVT makes for a smooth urban drive. Closing gaps is a breeze, and driving around is fuss-free overall, even in heavy traffic. Drive with a heavy foot and you will hear more of the petrol engine as it is used not just to charge the battery, but to also send combined power to the wheels. Within the city, the combination of electric motor and e-CVT results in one of the smoothest drive experiences you can imagine. It feels at home pottering around town and you never get tired even when stuck in traffic.

Out on the highway, the lack of outright grunt becomes apparent quickly. Overtakes are not point & squirt, and need to be planned carefully. Performance is brisk cruising up to 90-100 km/h but tapers off from there. The petrol motor gets really vocal, and it's a typical case of all grunt no poke, or something similar fellow mod libranof1987 opined in fruitier language when attempting a pass on a large truck.

Drive sedately and cruise at high-double digit speeds, and you'll have a smooth driving experience with fantastic fuel efficiency. Enthusiastic drivers, look elsewhere.

The Grand Vitara gets drive modes that basically alter the throttle response as well as the behaviour of the internal combustion engine. There is a dedicated EV mode button that will let you drive the Grand Vitara as an EV for the max distance possible. However, if you are heavy on the throttle or the car crosses ~40 km/h or the battery's state of charge is too low, the system will go back from EV mode to hybrid mode. It's basically useful if you want to take the car to drop the kids off at their school bus pick-up point near your house.

Apart from the EV mode, the Intelligent Hybrid gets THREE drive modes: Eco, Normal & Power. These modes provide different throttle responses.

Normal Mode: This is the default mode which is right in the middle of Eco and Power modes. It works best in town and offers the ideal compromise between efficiency and performance. In fact, you really don't need to change it unless you're driving uphill or on undivided highways.

Eco Mode: In this mode, the internal combustion engine doesn't come on as easily unless you press the throttle a lot more. The response is lazier and it tries to keep it in hybrid mode with the internal combustion engine only charging the battery and not sending power to the wheels unless the accelerator is pressed very firmly.

Power Mode: In this mode, it's the opposite. Even with a light dab of the throttle, the internal combustion motor comes alive and assists the power delivery. On undivided highways, this is the mode to use to pull off safe overtakes. Throttle response is much sharper and you rarely see the internal combustion engine turning off. Of course, this mode impacts fuel efficiency the most.

There's also a B mode available via the gear shifter itself, which provides maximum regenerative braking. Very useful going downhill or in other scenarios that need engine braking, and is also efficient at charging the battery quickly.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

An unpleasant surprise, and a potential fly in the ointment. While cabin insulation is decent, the powertrain is quite unlike a typical hybrid like say the Camry or the more recent City e:HEV. The 3-pot M15A petrol motor is unrefined compared to Maruti's own K15C, and gets really vocal at high throttle, with the thrum apparent inside the cabin at higher revs. There's an assortment of whines from electric components, and the car can get fairly audible in silent environments. It's definitely not the 'sneak up on you before you notice' variety. The aural experience is better in the 2nd row, but there's enough to occasionally annoy both the front row occupants. What's good, is that road noise and suspension noise are well contained and overall NVH levels aren't too bad.

Mileage and Fuel Economy

Fuel economy and range are understandably going to be the biggest USPs for the Intelligent Hybrid. The claimed fuel efficiency is a whopping 27.97 km/l. However, driven sedately, it's capable of delivering high double-digit FE as a matter of course, and 20+ km/l is easily doable with a little attention to the powertrain's characteristics. The trump card is efficiency in heavy traffic, where most internal combustion motors deliver their worst fuel efficiency but hybrids shine. All said and done, it's capable of delivering a tank range that'd make the most efficient diesel motors turn green (with envy, not less polluting).

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Grand Vitara Intelligent Hybrid gets ubiquitous Macpherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear. It's well-tuned, with a good balance between slow-speed firmness and higher-speed compliance. An errant pothole here or a missed sharp undulation there isn't going to unsettle this car. The ride is pliant overall, but not exactly plush. On the highway, the car is stable and compliant over undulations (unlike its sibling XL6 which gets vertically wallowy in similar circumstances) and can handle broken patches without breaking a sweat. The firmness at slow speeds translates to a stable ride at higher speeds.

Handling & Dynamics

For a crossover, the driving dynamics are surprisingly car-like. High-speed stability is good, and the car doesn't break stride with quick changes of direction. On fast curves, we could hold a line at decent speeds without understeering or needing mid-corner steering corrections. The chassis seems capable of handling a lot more than the powertrain is capable of delivering, which is great or unfortunate, depending on whether one's a glass half empty or half full kind of driver.

Steering

The steering is well-calibrated, and not feather-light like a typical Maruti. It weighs up nicely with speed and isn't vague like some of the Korean specimens. There's a fair amount of play at dead center and a lack of overall feedback, but nothing to catch a driver by surprise.

Braking

With discs front & back, braking is efficient and fuss-free. We were able to bring the car to a stop from 80 km/h in a straight line without drama. What does take a little getting used to, is the non-linear braking response, which could possibly be down to a combination of regenerative braking and the vacuum booster being electric rather than driven off the ICE motor.

Driving the 1.5L MT with AllGrip Select AWD

The other interesting offering on the Grand Vitara is the AllGrip variant equipped with Suzuki's famed AllGrip Select AWD system. Note that the AllGrip variant is offered only on the 1.5-L, 4-cyl petrol engine (Without the Intelligent Hybrid) with a 5-speed MT. Maruti had set up a customized off-road track at the venue with a variety of ramps, inclines, articulation pits, see-saws, a mud-slush pit and an icy incline to demonstrate the AWD's traction management, suspension articulation and terrain handling capabilities.

The AllGrip Select module comes with four dynamically selectable modes: Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock.

Auto: Predominantly 2WD mode on normal terrain, focused on fuel economy. It intelligently detects slippage on driven front wheels and redirects power proportionally to rear wheels to stabilize grip. Once the front wheels are detected to have regained sufficient grip, the powertrain shifts back to 2WD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNkI7JW6Row

Sport: Meant for sporty driving, mainly focused on generating higher torque from lower throttle input, to improve acceleration response. The system dynamically detects throttle, steering inputs and other parameters to allocate optimal power to rear wheels, improving traction and cornering stability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9c5Q4JhdJY

Snow: Predominantly 4WD mode on slippery surfaces. It helps counter wheelspin in conjunction with ESP and maintains directional stability by dynamically allocating power to relevant wheels to adjust traction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_nGc3yj13s

Lock: Focused on extricating the vehicle from situations with limited traction. It uses feedforward control to allocate power to the rear wheels prior to throttle application and stands by, then dynamically adjusts torque 50:50 to the front and rear wheels as the throttle is applied. When one or more wheels are slipping, ESP steps in to apply braking on the slipping wheels while maintaining torque and distributing to gripping wheels to enhance extrication ability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNTkud148fI

While there's understandable scepticism of the track being customized for the vehicle and demo runs being done under the guidance of trained instructors in a controlled environment, one needs to see it in the context of the target demographic. The vehicle is NOT meant for hardcore off-roading by seasoned professionals. It's meant for laymen customers finding themselves in a sticky situation out on the road and equipping them to extract themselves safely.

It also takes nothing away from the fact that some of the obstacles were indeed challenging. And that the vehicle itself and the AllGrip system acquitted themselves admirably, leaving many impressed with its ability to handle the simulated terrain. Overnight rains rendered most surfaces more slippery than the organizer had intended, the slush pit was nearly a foot deep in several places, and the cars were shod with rather average road-going tires. More than one participant opined they'd love to see what the car can do with some proper shoes and on tougher terrain, and we're inclined to concur.

The Grand Vitara, equipped with AllGrip Select is a capable soft-roader and could provide significant product differentiation in a crowded crossover segment. We hope Maruti price it sensibly, and offer it on more trim levels in the future.

Driving the 1.5L Petrol AT

We got a chance to take a very short spin in the regular Smart Hybrid equipped with a 6-speed torque converter AT, the same powertrain as the 2022 XL6 and the Brezza. We wanted to check if Maruti has tweaked the powertrain in any way to make it a little peppier on this larger CSUV. However, we are disappointed to report the drive experience is nearly identical, with the variant powered by a 1,462 cc, naturally aspirated K15C DualJet petrol engine that puts out 102 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 137 Nm @ 4,400 rpm performing just as lethargically as its siblings. (Click here to read the drive report)

This variant may find buyers amongst the price-conscious and those that don't need the AWD, but either of those is a better option performance-wise compared to the refined but dull K15C.

[Chetan_Rao]

Maruti Grand Vitara Exterior Images

The front fascia is dominated by the large grille with a thick chrome border, with a big Suzuki logo on the upper edge. Thankfully, that's pretty much the entirety of thick chrome usage on this car. We appreciate it:


Grand Vitara branding is located centrally on the boot, flanked by a 'Hybrid', 'Smart Hybrid' or 'AllGrip' badge on the right, based on the variant. These plus the Suzuki logos front & back are the only badges on the entire car. We appreciate the minimalist badging approach, in contrast to the Hyryder which had a few too many slapped on:


Clean side profile, with a thin chrome strip along the window line. There's another chrome applique starting at the rear quarter glass and merging onto the C-pillar. Glossy dark silver skid plates on the hybrid, while other variants get a lighter silver shade. We prefer the former:


The design language is clean and understated:


The Grand Vitara measures 4,345 mm in length, 1,795 mm in width, 1,645 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,600 mm. In comparison with the Toyota Hyryder, the Grand Vitara is 20 mm short in length:


The grille is flanked by 3-element LED DRLs that double up as turn indicators. The projector headlamps sit lower on the bumper. This is a noticeable design choice across brands these days, a bit risky in unruly urban traffic where any damage to the sealed units is bound to cost a pretty penny to replace. Headlamps have a piano black border on the hybrid, while other variants have matte black instead. What you see here is a chrome garnish that is available as an accessory:


Front camera is well-integrated just below the Suzuki logo:


ORVMs are body-coloured, with 360-degree cameras mounted on the undersides:


Wheels are precision-cut 17-inch alloys shod with 215/60 R17 Apollo Apterra tyres. The alloys have a simpler design than the Toyota sibling:


Disc brakes have been provided at the rear as well:


Both front and rear wheel wells get full cladding, which helps in reducing NVH levels:


No stickers anywhere mentioning the fuel type on the fuel lid. Be sure to inform the attendant at the fuel station about the Grand Vitara's diet:


Slim silver roof rails accentuate the crossover styling. Grand Vitara is the first Maruti car to get a panoramic sunroof:


Shark fin antenna mounted at the rear edge of the roof:


Squarish rear-end has LED tail lamps joined by a strip above, and reverse & indicator lamps in a separate cluster on the bumper further down. We like the smoked cluster look Maruti has been implementing on recent launches. It transformed the looks of the XL6's rear, and looks classy on this one too. The spoiler above the rear windscreen houses the high-mount stop lamp:


Big 'Grand Vitara' branding below the logo. The 'Vitara' moniker does have a loyal fanbase:

[Chetan_Rao]

Maruti Grand Vitara Interior Images

The steering wheel, curiously, is NOT the flat-bottomed specimen found on the 2022 XL6 and doesn't have thumb contours at 10 & 2 positions either. Why, Maruti? It could've been meatier, and a size smaller too. The horn pad is difficult to reach, and the horn's tone is rather meh:


Engine start-stop button is blue in colour indicating it's a hybrid and is labelled "Power". Controls for the head-up display (HUD) adjustment are also seen here. Also, check out the champagne gold stitching on the dashboard:


Head-up display (HUD) pops up when you start the car, and the display options and placement are adjustable with controls near the driver's right knee. If you'd prefer not to have the HUD up, long-press the HUD button and it folds back into the dash. You can toggle through quite a bit of information on the head-up display like the battery info, navigation, power delivery (or regeneration) and even A/C functions:


The MID is similar to the one in the Hyryder and has a sharp display. There are a few customisation options and you can toggle through a lot of options like navigation, energy flow, G-meter and tyre pressure monitoring system:


Front seats are decently sized and well-bolstered, but maybe a tad narrow for those of heftier construction. They are ventilated which is a boon in Indian conditions. The sad part is that ventilated seats are offered only on the Alpha+ variant with the Intelligent Hybrid system:


Combined with the tilt & telescopic adjustable steering, a comfortable driving position should be easy to find for most people:


Rear windscreen is unusually small and combined with the large adjustable 2nd-row headrests, restricts rearward visibility in the IRVM. Also, note that you get the auto-dimming feature here:


The 9-inch touchscreen is equipped with SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system and gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity:


The system has a crisp display and plenty of settings options. You can also toggle through a plethora of car info including efficiency and energy flow. The 360-degree camera gives you a good view of the surroundings and we would suggest you use it generously in tight parking spots:


A/C controls are tactile and nice to use, but don't feel premium, and the vents are especially poor quality. The center ones are flimsy, and the one on our test car had the direction louvre already broken at its fragile clip:


Wireless charging pad is limited to the Intelligent Hybrid variant. Spread out the party tricks a little, eh Maruti?


A look at the center console. See the wood finish? It's available as an accessory. The gear shifter is typical Maruti except for the "B" mode, which is exclusive to the hybrid for the regen mode. The car has three drive modes - Eco, Normal and Sport, which you can engage via the switch next to the handbrake. There is also an EV mode button, which will try to keep the car in EV mode provided conditions are met such as accelerator input and the battery's state of charge. The front seats are cooled at three levels:


The regular glove compartment is deep, but not very wide. Strangely, it doesn't get a cooling vent - something the cheaper Brezza gets:


Sunroof controls are easily accessible. Interior lights are all regular bulbs, not LEDs. The Bluetooth mic is housed in the same assembly, along with a flimsy sunglass holder:


Both sunvisors get vanity mirrors with illumination:


The panoramic sunroof adds light and airiness to the cabin, but the flimsy sliding sunshade is of poor quality and serves no practical purpose. It is like a very thin cloth material and doesn't do much to block out the sun. Minor and avoidable gaffes like this ruin the overall in-cabin experience:


While the sunroof is panoramic, it's not the largest one around. However, it opens up a lot more. You can see even the rear glass panel slides inside almost fully:


Lateral space is well-managed, though the long but narrow cabin makes this car a four-seater rather than five:


With the driver's seat set to my driving position (I'm 5'7"), there's plenty of leg space in the second row:


Even with the driver's seat pushed fully back, I could sit in the second row without my knees touching the driver's seat back. Vertical space is a different story though. Headroom is barely sufficient for average height folks like yours truly, while those better vertically endowed like fellow mods Vid6639 and libranof1987 will have their coiffures get an unintended brushing unless they sit low down:


All rear seat passengers get adjustable headrests and more importantly, three-point seatbelts. A big thumbs up to Maruti for not skimping on the 3rd passenger's safety:


The vent next to the rear seat is to cool the hybrid battery pack by taking in the cold air from the cabin and blowing it around the battery enclosure:


Rear A/C vents will be appreciated by a lot of customers. You also get 2 USB charging ports below:


The biggest deal breaker in this car - the hybrid battery eats up a lot of space behind the rear seat making it insufficient for a full family's weekend luggage. For reference, those are a regular laptop backpack and a 40L Decathlon backpack:


You get marginally more space by removing the tray on the floor of the boot, but it results in a step. For max carrying capacity, you will have to leave the floor tray as well as parcel tray at home:


Folding the rear seatbacks gives you a lot more cargo space. The seatback does not fold completely flat though:


Disclaimer: Maruti Suzuki invited Team-BHP for the Grand Vitara test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event. Also, credit for some of the images goes to Maruti Suzuki & their team of photographers!

[Rehaan]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[dr_TJ]

Only USP of Grand Vitara is Fuel efficiency and nothing else. I hate Maruti (Toyota as well) for their step-motherly treatment to the Mild Hybrid Alpha variant.

Yes, thats all for making people consider the Strong Hybrid over the Mild Hybrid

[searacer932]

The Grand Vitara is nothing but the next gen S-Cross that was launched in UK this year.

It is atrocious that Maruti Suzuki are calling this Grand Vitara and this is deceitful. There is nothing "Grand" about this

Source : https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/suzuki/s-cross

Just check out the picture of next Gen S-Scross and do a comparison yourself :-)

[libranof1987]

There's quite a lot going for this car, and at the same time, it isn't exactly spectacular in any respect.

What Maruti Suzuki might be able to do with the new Grand Vitara though, is capture a wide range of target audience who'd be fairly willing to look past the shortcomings.

The Grand Vitara gets a very capable AWD package that will satisfy 90-95% of those looking at off-roading as a casual hobby. What options do such people have? There's the Thar which cannot be the primary vehicle for most, and then the XUV700, which you can't be sure when you'll get hands on. The Grand Vitara can be a perfect family car, a daily driver, and still let you go mild off-roading. There's no Duster anymore, remember.

Next, it makes for a decent upgrade for those coming from the likes of WagonR or Baleno.

Then, there's Suzuki's Hybrid engine option. This will quench the need of those wanting to jump on the Hybrid / EV bandwagon.

While the Grand Vitara suffers from poor engine options, could have been more spacious, looks smaller in comparison to eventual competitors, it still makes for a very decent package, that will, without doubt, find a generous number of buyers.

Tata: are you still in the delusion that there isn't a market for AWD?!

[ajayc123]

Finally the awaited review is out, and I must say that the Team BHP has kept the bar high and provided an objective review amidst so much fluff and marketing floating around.

Also, thank you Toyota / Maruti for considering India worthy of this launch in India 25 years after the technology was brought to this world. Thank you for reminding our place in the pecking order after you had found more than 140 countries to be more worthy before bringing it here. Nevermind.

Anyway, now that this new creature is here, we will also gradually understand it better once it is launched and tested by early adopters.

I must use this opportunity to put some of my impressions so far, as inputs towards a purchase decision:

25 km pure EV range for strong hybrid that was widely publicized by all media at the time of launch. I am still curious about Toyota/ Maruti's response on this, but they have been maintaining a calculated silence on this. Some youtubers claimed about 1.4km, but I am still curious about the reality.

Mileage: Real world data awaited, against the claim of 28 kmpl.
A fine distinction that I am curious about is whether the mileage gain is limited to congested city driving. Or will it really give substantial advantage during highway cruising too ? Should we be careful in our breakeven calculations if the highway mileage gains are not substantial?

NVH: Thanks TBHP reviewers for frankly calling out the concerns related to this due to the choice of a 3 cylinder engine for strong hybrid. Something that's important to many.

Battery replacement cost: 8 year battery warranty is appreciated, but if there is a need to change battery say after 9-10 years, what would it cost? Aftermarket options in the US for similar battery for Toyota hybrid are priced at around US$ 1500 for the battery alone (labour charges to replace not included).

I would love to get some conclusive answers to these points, as inputs towards decision making for a strong hybrid purchase.

[07CR]

Fantastic review as always.

I am curious to know how does the strong hybrid performance compare with the sub 4 meter CSUVs? Say the Sonet 1.0 IMT/Nexon 1.5 D/Ecosport 1.5D?

[BoneCollector]

Thank you for a lovely review.

Grand Vitara would satisfy many people and will find buyers. There are people who drive pedal to metal or sustain 3 digit speeds for a long time and this car is not for them. But there would be scores of people who will pick it up for different reasons.

The sunroof would need a dark tint to be applied. I hope that it is possible to do.

To me, this looks like a hit product from Maruti. I hope they reveal the prices soon.

[buntee90]

I was afraid that Grand Vitara Mild Hybrid will have the same engine gearbox state of tune like Brezza. Tbhp review affirms that!

I just want to congratulate Tbhp mods again for adhering to such High standards of car review. Every other media publication is all praise about Grand Vitara but Tbhp mods didn’t go that way! Accurate, critical and to the point.

[rr06]

Great review! What car should be chosen between Grand Vitara & UC Hyryder. Differences are minuscule & its just the looks that makes the difference?

[TejasV]

It feels like the Indian version of the American family SUV has finally arrived (surely we can't have XL sized gas guzzlers anyways, but just saying in terms of the idea/usage). It is like a level-up in terms of space, size, class for the urban Indian 30-50 YO buyer but still retains the familiarity of a Maruti.


1. Looks elegant, wouldn't hurt anyone, in age-group in the family.

2. Maruti - low running costs & extensive service network

3. Great resale (I'm sure of it somehow)

4. AWD for the "family man" enthusiast, hybrid for the EMI-burdened one.

This is sure to be a hit, not a Maruti fan but there is a lot of appeal in old-school understated SUV designs.