Monday, July 15, 2024
By Kamal Swami
2 Lakh Units Of Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Sold In 22 Months
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, from the Indo-Japanese carmaker Maurti Suzuki India Limited, launched on September 26, 2022, has achieved a 200,000-unit sales mark in just 22 months. From its launch to the end of June 2024, the midsize SUV registered cumulative sales of 199,550 units. The remaining 450 required to touch the mark of 200,000 units were likely sold in the first few days of July 2024. This achievement makes the Grand Vitara the fastest midsize SUV to reach 200,000 sales, leaving the Hyundai Creta behind in sales. The Creta SUV from the Korean car maker Hyundai took 25 months to get the same milestone.
On September 19, 2023, the Grand Vitara had achieved 100,000 sales within 12 months, setting a record in the midsize SUV segment. The speed of sales has since accelerated, with the next 100,000 units sold in just 10 months. The Grand Vitara, a premium midsize SUV, was launched at a time of cut-throat competition in the segment. The 12-variant model’s pricing in Mumbai starts at Rs 12.99 lakh for the base Sigma variant and goes up to Rs 23.68 lakh for the top-end Alpha+ variant.
The SUV offers two engine options shared with the Toyota Hyryder: a 103hp, 1.5-litre K15C petrol mild-hybrid engine, and a 92hp, 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine paired with an electric motor. The hybrid powertrain, producing a combined 116hp, claims an efficiency of 27.97 kph. Visually, the Grand Vitara shares many design elements with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder but includes unique features such as a chrome applique on the C-pillar, different alloy wheels, and a full-width LED light bar on the tailgate. Inside, the Grand Vitara and the Hyryder have similar interiors, with the main difference being the colour schemes.
The top-spec variants of the Grand Vitara boast features such as a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, wireless charger, ambient lighting, connected car technology, ESP, hill-hold assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, and six airbags. In January 2023, Maruti Suzuki introduced a CNG variant to the Grand Vitara lineup, further expanding its market reach. Maruti Suzuki, a leader in India’s CNG market, added the Grand Vitara CNG to its 14-model CNG range. Priced at Rs 15.22 lakh (Delta CNG) and Rs 17.28 lakh (Zeta CNG) in Mumbai, the CNG variant is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine producing 88hp and 121.5 Nm of torque in CNG mode, with a claimed fuel efficiency of 26.6 km/kg.
Despite intense competition in the midsize SUV market, the Grand Vitara has developed a separate segment for itself. In FY2024, its first full year of sales, it became the second-best-selling midsize SUV with 121,169 units sold, a 136% increase from the previous year, trailing only the Hyundai Creta. With this, the Grand Vitara has also contributed to Maruti Suzuki’s market share. In the April-June 2024 quarter, Maruti Suzuki sold 163,130 utility vehicles (SUVs and MPVs), achieving a market share of 25%. The Grand Vitara alone accounted for 27,066 units, representing 17% of Maruti Suzuki’s UV sales in the first quarter of FY2025.
