Maruti Suzuki has always been our favorite in the small car and sedan category and now with the Maruti Ertiga in the MPV category as well, but when it comes to the SUV segment, the major has hardly achieved anything. A few years back it came up with the Grand Vitara which was a disappointment in terms of sales numbers. Launched in the premium SUV segment, the car was not premium at all and has registered very few sales till date. Some big let downs include the availability of only a petrol engine, not so premium appeal either on the interior or exterior and it’s the most important, the impractical pricing.
Obviously the company could not bear this pain for long and the car’s journey culminated there. But a fresh start is always welcomed and recently the next version of the Vitara has been spotted in China.
image – 2013 Suzuki Grand Vitara front
A number of interesting changes have been brought to the car which are as follows:
- A redesigned front bumper
- New headlamps
- Sunroof
- ORVM mounted turn indicators
- A bolder chrome grille
image – 2013 Suzuki Grand Vitara front
I am sure Maruti will most likely not participate in the premium SUV segment as of now, as there are already a number of good options. But the company could consider launching the new Vitara in the compact SUV segment which is seen to have tremendous potential. Renault is the first brand to enter the SUV segment with its Renault Duster on the 4th of July, 2012 and rumors are surfacing that the French car maker has already registered more than a thousand bookings for the Duster even before launch which is extremely impressive.
image – 2013 Suzuki Grand Vitara Rear
Ford is the next brand to eye on the compact SUV segment and is currently taking the Ford EcoSport through thorough tests. The EcoSport will arrive by the year 2013 only so there is still a lot of time to adjust the pricing in accordance with the Duster’s price tag, so as to make the car appealing enough.
image – 2013 Suzuki Grand Vitara Interior
Maruti will not have to create a new SUV from scratch, instead it could launch the Vitara in the same segment after making some changes. Whatever the case may be, whether Maruti launches the Vitara in the premium segment or comes up with a low cost version in competition with EcoSport and Duster, we eagerly await the new Vitara to hit the Indian shore.
Maruti Suzuki will bring its all new compact SUV based on the XA-Alpha concept to Indian roads before the end of year 2013 which is expected to be a tough competition to Renault Duster and Ford EcoSport. Maruti Suzuki CEO Nakanishi has already announced that they have fast tracked Maruti XA-Alpha Development for an earlier launch than initial plans. We will keep our eye on the developments and keep you posted. Stay tuned to Car Blog India for latest updates.
