The new Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is the company’s first mid-size hybrid SUV developed together with Toyota under their global partnership. What makes it so unique is the fact that on paper, Maruti Suzuki is offering the segment-best mileage, new-age features, off-roading capabilities and much more making it one of the most highly awaited launch of 2022. But how good is the car in reality? We recently got a chance to drive the new SUV in the picturesque location of Udaipur and here’s our Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara first drive review.


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New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Design


The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is based on the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder and will share its design and features with the same. So, we will focus only on Grand Vitara not comparing it to the Hyryder and in all honesty, this is by far the more premium looking SUV from the automaker. It has a proper SUV credentials when it comes to the size and several stand out features including the sleek and wide headlights, a large grille upfront and body cladding for beefed up look.


New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Cabin


Sitting inside the cabin of the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, you realize how far along the brand has come. This layout is no less than any European, Japanese, or Korean product. You get a big sunroof, a nice infotainment and good use of high-quality materials that elevate the overall experience. Maruti Suzuki will be retailing the SUV through the NEXA dealerships and it makes sense given the amount of premiumness you get inside the cabin.



Nothing looks out of the place, and you get segment leading features including a 9-inch connected infotainment system, HUD, Ventilated seats, wireless charger among others. Safety wise, it gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, Hill Hold control and other features.


Practicality wise, I found the space similar to what the rivals are offering, with enough legroom, headroom and shoulder room to seat 3 adults abreast. There are enough cubby holes and spaces to throw your stuff around, while the boot is on an okayish side for the strong hybrid variant due to the battery space. The other mild-hybrid variants have a deep and wide boot to hold big stuff.


New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Performance


Maruti Suzuki will be offering the Grand Vitara in two options, a regular 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine with 100 bhp output and the much hyped 1.5-litre strong hybrid motor with 114 bhp output. The self-charging system will top up the battery range so that you can use EV mode easily. There will be manual, automatic and eCVT gearbox options on offer.



One thing I like about all Maruti Suzuki cars, no matter how affordable is their ergonomics. Maruti Suzuki has nailed the art of making driver-friendly cars for Indian buyers and the Grand Vitara carries forward the legacy, even though it has a different manufacturer. I really liked the overall steering feedback, which is balanced for both city and highway driving, suspension setup, which was tuned to eat most of the crevices and also refined NVH levels


The strong hybrid’s technology works in the background so don’t need to think much about changing modes. The engine is powerful for the car of this size and the gearbox complements it well. We also performed a bit of off roading on the Grand Vitara and with AWD option, it did showcase some promising results. Who will use the AWD, is a different question altogether.



New Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Mileage


It’s crucial to talk about the fuel efficiency of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara as this is one of the selling points of the SUV. With 28 kmpl mileage, Maruti has killed 2 birds in a go! One, they have justified to replace the polluting diesel engines with green hybrid engines, while offering the similar mileage. Two, they lured back the mileage seeking buyers who went away after Maruti discontinued diesel car sales in India.


Verdict


After driving the new Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, I can stick out my neck to say, we have a potential segment winner at our hands. You get a good-looking proportionate SUV with all the bells and whistles, off-roading abilities, good cabin space, incredible mileage and above all, Maruti Suzuki’s brand name adding to the peace of mind. Overall, the Grand Vitara excites you as an overall package and commands your attention.