Maruti Suzuki to unveil C segment SUV Vitara on July 20

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India (Left); Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Director, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India

Close on the heels of rolling out the B segment SUV, Vitara Brezza, for Rs 7.14 lakh, Maruti Suzuki will now be premiering its C segment SUV on July 20. 

Shashank Srivastava, executive director, sales and marketing, confirmed this to Moneycontrol. But he didn't reveal the name and price points of the upcoming model.

Based on the recently launched Toyota Hyryder, the mid-size SUV is likely to be named Vitara and will be taking on Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun, and Skoda Kushaq, etc.   

While the bookings for this model will open on the same day, it will be retailed via Maruti's Nexa dealerships. The pricing is estimated to start at Rs 11.5 lakh and go all the way up to Rs 18.5 lakh. 

To be available in the mild hybrid and strong hybrid versions, the car is developed by Suzuki Motor Corporation and is being built at Toyota Motor Corporation's Bengaluru facility in Karnataka. 

Incidentally, the badge-engineered version of this model -- Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder -- was unveiled by Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM) on July 1. Just like the Vitara, Toyota’s SUV will be available in the mild hybrid (neo drive) and self-charging strong hybrid electric powertrain options. 

Not a replacement of S-Cross 

Srivastava said the upcoming C segment SUV will be offered with two powertrains -- mild hybrid and strong hybrid. He said it will be larger in terms of space and size like its peers, but refused to share the price points and the name of this model. 

When asked if this midsize will replace the S-Cross, Srivastava said: “The S-Cross will be phased out and this (new SUV) is not a replacement. It is entirely a new vehicle.” 

Just like the Urban Cruiser Hyryder, the new Maruti Suzuki SUV will be powered by e-drive transmission with 2WD, being a self-charging strong hybrid electric vehicle. Both the hybrid versions will be having a 1.5-litre K-series engine (developed by Maruti Suzuki), with Neo Drive (ISG) having 5 speed manual transmission and 6 speed automatic transmission with 2WD and 4WD options. 

Incidentally, this is the first midsize SUV that Toyota has developed jointly with Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), specifically for the Indian market. To be built solely by Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM) at its Bidadi facility in Karnataka from next month, the product will be more than 90 percent localised. TKM has spent nearly Rs 5,000 crore for the development of this model. 

Vikram Kirloskar, vice chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, while unveiling the Hyryder, had stated: “One of our key focus points is to shift towards low-carbon energy sources and provide practical and sustainable mobility solutions, in support of various ambitious national goals.”  

When asked about the sales target and overall output earmarked for this model, Kirloskar said: “It is too early to predict the volumes. Production will start next month and we have to see how our customers respond to the product and the technology that powers it.”