The SUV segment is one of the most hotly contested in the Indian auto market and at the moment, Hyundai is the leader with its best-selling Creta. Of course, there is the Tata Nexon, but its 3,993 mm length puts it squarely in the compact SUV segment.
There are, of course, a number of challenges in this space including the likes of sister company Kia with the Seltos, MG with the Astor, Nissan with the Kicks, the Volkswagen Taigun, and Skoda Kushaq and the latest in the line-up, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. But there is now one more contestant in the ring. Maruti Suzuki has just introduced the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara.
After the launch of the Brezza, the Grand Vitara comes in to sit on top of the Indian carmaker’s SUV roster as its new flagship. And based on the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, the Grand Vitara also gets the same kind of hybrid engine options. So how does it stack up with the rest of the cars on this list?
Dimensions
Starting with dimensions, the Nissan Kicks is the biggest SUV here, but not by much. Measuring 4,384 mm, 1,813 mm and 1,669 mm in length, width and height, it is certainly bigger than the Grand Vitara, which measures 4,345 mm, 1,795 mm and 1,645 mm, respectively.
Even the wheelbase is longer at 2,673 mm for the Kicks versus the 2,600 mm for the Vitara. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, on which the Vitara is based, tops the latter by 20 mm each in length and height. Width and wheelbase, on the other hand, are identical between the two cars. The Volkswagen Taigun is the smallest when it comes to overall length at 4,221 mm.
This is also just 4 mm short of its sibling, the Skoda Kushaq’s 4,225 mm length. Both cars, however, share the same 1,760 mm and 1,612 mm width and height, measurements that are also the smallest among the SUVs. As for the shortest wheelbase, that title is shared between the MG Astor and the Skoda Kushaq at 2,585 mm.
Powertrains
Right off the bat, what you need to know is that of all the SUVs on this list, the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos are the only two with diesel engine options. Both of them are powered by a 1.5-litre diesel that produces 114 hp of maximum power at 4,000 rpm and 250 Nm of torque between 1,500 and 2,750 rpm.
Moving on to the petrol engines, all of the SUVs here have two variants, most of which are a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit and 1.4-litre turbo petrol.
The Grand Vitara and Hyryder, however, boast of two 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol hearts, one of which is a mild hybrid variant and the other a strong hybrid. Vitara’s mild hybrid engine is capable of producing 103 hp of maximum power and 137 Nm of peak torque.
The strong hybrid variant, on the other, hand churns out slightly lower numbers at 92 hp and 122 Nm. These figures are about the same for the Hyryder as well. However, according to Maruti Suzuki, thanks to the strong hybrid system, the car is capable of a fuel efficiency rating of 27.97 km/l, making it the most fuel-efficient SUV in India.
The Nissan Kicks’ 1.4-litre turbo petrol, however, is the most powerful here, churning out 156 hp of maximum power and 250 Nm of peak torque.
The Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq are next in line and these are the other two oddballs here. Both get a small 1-litre turbo petrol and a larger 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. These make 115 hp and 150 hp of power, respectively, and 178 Nm and 250 Nm of torque. Despite the smaller size of their base petrol engine, the Skoda and Volkswagen still make better numbers than the Grand Vitara and Hyryder.
Further, the Creta and the Seltos sport a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine and a 1.4-litre turbo. These produce 115 hp and 140 hp of maximum power and 144 Nm and 242 Nm of torque, respectively. Fairly average numbers when compared to the rest of the SUVs here. The MG Astor gets the same engine options with 110 hp and 140 power numbers and 144 Nm and 220 Nm torque figures.
Transmission options are a mix of manuals and automatics. The Maruti Suzuki and Toyota SUVs get a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed torque convertor option for the mild hybrid, while the strong hybrid gets a new e-drive transmission as standard.
The MG Astor also gets a 5-speed manual transmission along with a 6-speed torque converter automatic and a CVT automatic option. All the other cars on this list get a 6-speed manual gearbox. The Nissan Kicks gets a CVT option as do the other cars, but the Hyundai and Creta as well as the Volkswagen and Skoda add in a 7-speed DCT option.
Features
The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara has been launched as the most technologically loaded Maruti with features such as the 9-inch Smart Play Pro+ infotainment system, wireless charging pad, a full-digital instrument cluster, 360-degree camera, ambient lighting, ventilated seats and connected car tech in the form of Suzuki Connect. Features are mostly on a par with the rest of the SUVs here. But taking the prize in this category has to be the MG Astor.
The UK-based manufacturer has given Astor all the bells and whistles but has added in something that the other manufacturers have decided to leave out. The MG Astor’s Level II Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) allows for a number of activities as well as passive safety features such as lane keep assist, speed assist system, collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and rear-drive assist and emergency braking.
Price
And finally, pricing. Neither Maruti Suzuki nor Toyota have announced prices for their SUVs. However, we are expecting a sticker starting between Rs 9.30 and Rs 9.50 lakh. Bookings for the Grand Vitara have begun for a token amount of Rs 11,000.
Maruti Suzuki has also become the first auto manufacturer that allows its cars to be booked on the metaverse. Currently the cheapest SUV in the line-up, the Nissan Kicks has a starting price of Rs 9.50 lakh going up to Rs 14.90 lakh. The most expensive on this list is the Volkswagen Taigun, starting at Rs 11.40 lakh. The Skoda Kushaq, on the other hand, has the costliest top-spec variant priced at Rs 19.40 lakh.
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