NEW DELHI: India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki (MSIL), in collaboration with Toyota, is eyeing to make a mark in the SUV segment, which is dominated by South Korean duo - Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. MSIL on Wednesday unveiled its mid-size SUV - Grand Vitara - the rebadged version of Toyota’s Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
The SUV, claiming to give segment-leading mileage of 27.97 km/l for the strong hybrid variant, will be manufactured by Toyota Kirloskar Motor in its Karnataka plant as per the global collaboration pact inked between Toyota and Suzuki. The production of the SUV will begin next month and delivery is expected to commence in September.
“SUVs and MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) now account for about 49% of the total passenger vehicle (PV) market. The size of the mid-size SUV market is 5.40 lakh units per annum and contributes 18% of the overall PV market. This segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10% over the next few years and we are aiming to maximize our presence here with the new Grand Vitara,” said MSIL senior executive director (sales & marketing) Shashank Srivastava.
Currently, Maruti Suzuki has a very small share in the mid-size SUV segment as its sole product S-Cross lagged behind Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and a bunch of other SUVs in terms of sales numbers. The automaker has now decided to discontinue it from the market. Maruti Suzuki MD and CEO Hishashi Takeuchi said in addition to catering to domestic markets, the company will also be exporting Grand Vitara to many global markets. “Strong-hybrid technology debuts with this model. We are confident, that Grand Vitara will accelerate mass electrification and realisation of a carbon neutral society in India,” Takeuchi said.
MSIL holds a small share in mid-size SUV space
Currenly, Maruti Suzuki has a small share in the mid-size SUV space as its sole product S-Cross lagged behind Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and a bunch of other SUVs