We have seen multiple products emerge from the partnership between Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Kirloskar Motor ranging from the Baleno/Glanza hatchbacks to the Invicto/Innova Hycross premium family movers. The shared product lineup is set to expand further with the three-row versions of the Maruti Grand Vitara and Toyota Hyryder.
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO at Maruti Suzuki Limited has confirmed that the company is planning a premium SUV measuring over 4.5 metres in length. While the product name and details are still under the wraps, it’s likely to be the 7-seater version of the Grand Vitara.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor, on the other hand, has started testing a new 7-seater SUV, which was recently caught on camera in Ladakh wearing heavy camouflage. Considering the test mule’s silhouette and stance, it appears to be the three-row version of the Toyota Hyryder. Both upcoming 7-seater SUVs will be positioned against the Mahindra XUV 7XO, Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar and MG Hector Plus.
What to Expect?
The launch timeline and official details of the upcoming Maruti and Toyota 7-seater SUVs are expected to be revealed near future. However, both models are likely to share powertrains, platforms, design elements and features with their 5-seater counterparts.
Hybrid & Petrol Powertrains
This means, the upcoming 7-seater SUVs could be offered with a 1.5L TNGA Atkinson Cycle strong hybrid and 1.5L K15C petrol engine options. The former delivers a combined power of 114bhp, the later offers power worth 103bhp and 137Nm of torque. Transmissions on offer will include a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed torque convertor automatic and an eCVT (for the strong hybrid variants only).
More Features & Cabin Space?
The Maruti and Toyota 7-seater SUVs will certainly have more cabin space to accommodate an additional row of seats, which will also result in a longer overall vehicle length. More features could also be part of the package.
Rendering source – SRK Designs