Amid increasing competition in the SUV segment, Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to strengthen its game with a range of new products and a multi-powertrain strategy. Recently, the Indo-Japanese automaker rolled out its new flagship Arena SUV – the Victoris – at an aggressive starting price of Rs 10.50 lakh. In the midsize SUV category, it challenges the dominance of the Hyundai Creta. Interestingly, the all-new Victoris is being offered with three engine options – petrol, hybrid and CNG.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Victoris launch, Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO at Maruti Suzuki Limited, revealed that the company has a new premium SUV in the pipeline, measuring over 4.5 metres in length. However, he did not mention further details about the model.

What Reports Suggest

SUVs measuring over 4.5m generally fall into the three-row/premium SUV category. Speculations indicate that the Indo-Japanese automaker might introduce a three-row premium SUV, sharing platform with the Grand Vitara. If reports are accurate, the upcoming Maruti SUV will take on the Hyundai Alcazar, Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus.

New Maruti 7-Seater SUV – What to Expect?

It would be too early to comment on its engine specifications and other details. However, Maruti Suzuki is likely to adopt the same multi-engine strategy for its upcoming 7-seater SUV as seen with the Grand Vitara and Victoris. The model could borrow all three powertrains from the Grand Vitara. Similar to the Victoris, the CNG variant of the new Maruti 7-seater SUV might come with an underbody fuel tank.

Expected Features

As a premium offering, Maruti’s new SUV is expected to be packed with several advanced features including Level-2 ADAS (autonomous driver assistance system), Dolby Atmos, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera, HUD, multiple airbags, TPMS, ESC and more.

Price Expectations

Maruti Suzuki has always been known for its aggressive pricing strategy, and the same is expected for the upcoming 7-seater premium SUV. Its arch rivals such as Hyundai Alcazar and Mahindra XUV700 are currently available within the price range of Rs 14.55 lakh – Rs 21.86 lakh and Rs 14.49 lakh – Rs 25.14 lakh, respectively (all, ex-showroom).  

Source, Rendering source – SRK Designs