Maruti Suzuki has been the perennial leader in the small car segment but off late the company has been more focused on building premium cars in the upper segment. It entered the mid-size SUV segment with the Grand Vitara in 2022 and now it wants to expand its SUV portfolio, this time with a seven-seat model.
There were reports published last year which mentioned that Maruti is working on a seven-seat version of the Grand Vitara, codenamed Y17. This could be the first sighting of the prototype. Although the test mule is completely wrapped under covers, certain elements give away that it is a derivative of the Grand Vitara.
Maruti Grand Vitara 7-seater spied
While the new SUV clearly takes its cues from the Grand Vitara, with familiar door contours, window lines, and mirror placement, a closer look reveals a longer rear end. This suggests Maruti is adding a third row of seats, possibly necessitating a longer wheelbase to accommodate the extra space.
Despite its familial ties to the Grand Vitara, this new SUV showcases a unique design language, drawing inspiration from the upcoming eVitara which recently made its global debut at EICMA 2024. The front fascia is particularly striking, with its three-dot LED DRLs positioned above the main headlamps, which are integrated into the bumper. The bumper itself features a bold, sculpted design with central air intakes, similar to the eVitara. The rear end is equally impressive, with sleek, full-width LED taillights.
A small sneak peek in the cabin suggests the interiors will be very different from the current 5-seater Grand Vitara. It gets a large vertical free-standing touchscreen infotainment system, underlined by chrome-embellished air-con vents housed within a completely new dashboard layout.
Maruti Grand Vitara 7-seat expected specs
The 7-seat version of the Grand Vitara is expected to borrow the same global C platform. The new SUV will likely inherit the 1.5-liter naturally aspirated and 1.5-liter petrol-hybrid engine options, along with the same transmission choices.
The report mentions that this SUV will be built at Maruti’s upcoming Kharkhoda plant in Haryana. Production for this SUV is expected to begin in mid-2025, therefore, a market launch can be expected towards the end of the year. The Y17 will directly rival the other mid-size seven-seat SUVs such as Hyundai Alcazar, Tata Safari, and MG Hector Plus.