2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara Launch Soon, To Rival Hyundai Creta

The upcoming 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara spied testing recently is likely to be powered by a Fiat-sourced 1.6-litre diesel engine and an all-new 1.5-litre petrol engine.

Hyundai Motor India’s success in India can be related to its ever-expanding dealer network. In addition, the automaker also experiments with new segment-first vehicles like the recent success story of Creta. Hyundai tried its hand at the compact SUV and mid-size SUV market before when it launched the Tucson and Terracan but since the market was not ready for either, they failed. Hyundai has learnt from its mistakes and now each of their products brings in respectable numbers. Since Hyundai is the only automaker that offers premium vehicles in the Tier-II and selective Tier-III markets in India, its products like the Elantra grabs major numbers from such markets. Sighting the increase in adoption of luxury vehicles in such markets, even Audi expanded its reach to some of these markets, challenging Hyundai’s monopoly.

The Hyundai Creta, till now, had only one real competitor in the segment, the Jeep Compass. The Compass, though a great car, is slightly overpriced and is not popular yet. Maruti Suzuki on the other hand, are immensely popular and with the shift to Nexa, they can offer premium vehicles with relatable service experience. Our friends at Gaadiwaadi recently spied the upcoming 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara. The same was spotted testing in the NCR region. Maruti tried its hand with the Made-in-India Vitara Brezza which shares its platform with the upcoming Vitara. Although the Brezza is not a direct competition to the Creta, it still bags competitive numbers. Maruti sighted this as an opportunity to bring in it’s elder sibling which is expected to launch late this year or early 2019.

Also Read: 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift Vs Tata Tiago- Price, Features, Mileage And Spec Comparison

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara – What this SUV is?

Out in the international market, the Vitara is running its fourth generation. Introduced in 1988, the Grand Vitara was a compact SUV offering to seat for 5 pax. The go anywhere capability and the added reliability quotient translated to a successful run over the years. The 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara takes certain design cues from the Grand Vitara. The new Vitara features a revolutionary design change though. The compact-SUV now looks more like a crossover with a sloping roofline and streamlined exteriors.

Also Read: 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift: All You Need To Know

By the looks of it, Maruti Suzuki has been planning to launch the Vitara for a while as spotted testing is a production ready variant which is not even disguised. Unlike test vehicles, which sport red number plates, the Vitara surprisingly sports a general one. When checked online, the Vitara is registered with Gurugram North Authority and is active right now. The general number plate suggests that the Vitara has already enlisted with the transport authority. The new Vitara will feature a couple of similarities to the Brezza, specifically the side panels and dual-tone body colours. While the latter measures less than four-meter in length, the Vitara will host overall extended dimensions. Comparing the Vitara to the Hyundai Creta, the latter is bigger in terms of exterior dimensions.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara – Launch Price

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara	Petrol	Diesel
Base Price	INR 9 lakh	INR 14 lakh
Top-Trim Price	INR 10 lakh	INR 15 lakh

The upcoming 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara was spied testing in India recently. The locally-manufactured Vitara Brezza borrows its platform from the Vitara. The engine on offer will include a Fiat-sourced 1.6-litre diesel and an all-new 1.5-litre petrol. This translates to a majority of parts on the upcoming Vitara readily available for production in India. We expect the new Vitara to launch in India sometime between late 2018 and early 2019. During the same time span, Hyundai is expected to launch the Creta facelift. Perhaps Maruti will simply join the hype train as the Creta is launched.

Also Read: New 2018 Maruti Suzuki WagonR Spied Completely Undisguised, Could Get A Diesel Variant

We expect the upcoming Maruti crossover to be priced competitively with the prices starting right below the Creta. On the higher side, the new Vitara might be offered with the Suzuki AllGrip four-wheel drive allowing it to compete with the Jeep Compass as well. The 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara is expected to be priced between INR 9 lakh for the base petrol and INR 15 lakh for the top-end diesel with optional AllGrip four-wheel drive.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara – Engine Specifications

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara	Petrol	Diesel
Engine	1.5L 4-cylnder	1.6L 4-cylinder
Power	130 bhp (Estd)	118 bhp (Estd)
Torque	220 NM	320 NM
Gearbox	6-speed MT & AT	6-speed MT & AT

The new Vitara is expected to be powered by an all-new 1.5-litre petrol engine and a Fiat-sourced 1.6-litre diesel engine. The petrol unit is good for 130 bhp of max power and 220 Nm of max torque. The 1.6-litre diesel unit will churn out 118 bhp and 320 Nm of torque. Both the engines will be mated to a 6-speed manual as well as a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The new Vitara might be offered with an optional Suzuki AllGrip all-wheel drive that would enable the user the benefit of additional on-road grip and off-road treading capability.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara – Mileage

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara	Petrol (Average)	Diesel (Average)
City	15.3 kmpl	21.2 kmpl
Highway	19.6 kmpl	25 kmpl
Average	17.5 kmpl	23.8 kmpl

The petrol motor on the upcoming 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara is expected to deliver around 15.3 kmpl in the city and around 19.6 kmpl out on the highway. Similarly, the diesel motor is expected to deliver 21.2 kmpl in the city and around 25 kmpl out on the highway. The average fuel economy figures for both petrol and diesel are estimated at 17.5 kmpl and 23.8 kmpl respectively.

Also Read: Maruti e-Survivor Concept Debuts at Auto Expo 2018, Previews All New Gypsy?

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara – Dimensions

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara	Dimensions
Length	4,175 mm
Width	1,775 mm
Height	1,610 mm
Wheelbase	2,500 mm
Kerb Weight	1,730kg to 1,870 kg
Boot Space	375-litres
Fuel Tank Capacity	66-litres
Seating Capacity	5 Occupants

The successor of the Grand Vitara features revolutionary changes. What was once a compact-SUV, is now a crossover. If compared to its predecessor, the Vitara loses the ‘Grand’-ness. The new Vitara is shorter by 125mm, lower by 35mm and has a shorter wheelbase by 140mm. The new Vitara spans in length, width and height of 4,175 mm, 1,775 mm and 1,610 mm respectively. The wheelbase on the new Vitara is 2,500 mm.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara – Exterior And Interior

The upcoming 2018 Maruti Suzuki Vitara will carry the same boxy old-school appeal as with the Vitara Brezza. With the increase in dimensions, the Vitara will offer roomier interiors than the Brezza. The Brezza and Vitara will share certain parts to keep the costs in check. The infotainment system will be directly carried over from the Brezza offering a touchscreen system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play. The Vitara will also offer additional driver assistance and safety features.

The interiors will feature boy coloured inserts in the dashboard as well as the doors. A panoramic sunroof is offered on the international model and might be carried over to the Indian version. Since the Creta lacks one, Maruti can capitalise on that. The instrument cluster offers analogue dials reading speed and RPM while in the middle is a multi-info display and offers various info, as per the user’s requirement. The boot offers a space of 375-litres and offers intelligent under-floor storage for various compact and valuable items.