Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Exports Begin; First Shipment Heads to Latin America

Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest automaker, has begun exporting its first mid-size hybrid SUV, the Grand Vitara, and the first shipment is headed to Latin America. The model will be exported to more than sixty countries in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, ASEAN, and neighbouring regions by the country's leading carmaker and exporter. Maruti Suzuki is one of India's largest auto exporters, and in the fiscal year 2022, the company exported over 2.6 lakh vehicles – the most it has ever exported in a calendar year. According to Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi, the Grand Vitara, which was launched in 2022 and is sold through NEXA dealerships, has received a positive response in the domestic market. The automaker is confident that the Grand Vitara, which is made in India, will also be successful in foreign markets.

The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV, the manufacturer's one of the most popular offerings, was developed in partnership with Toyota, which also sells the Urban Cruiser Hyryder. With a mileage of more than 28km/l on a single litre of gasoline, the car offers the segment's first powerful hybrid engine option.

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Mr Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, commented on the latest development: ‘Supporting the Government of India’s efforts to increase exports from India, Maruti Suzuki has taken multiple initiatives to increase its international presence. Expanding product portfolio for exports has been one of the key pillars of success. By adding the Grand Vitara, we now export a range of 17 vehicles. The Grand Vitara, unveiled in July 2022, has received an overwhelming response in the domestic market, and we are confident that the India-manufactured Grand Vitara will meet with similar success in overseas markets as well.’

The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is offered with a choice between a 1.5-litre K15C petrol engine with a mild hybrid system and a 1.5-litre TNGA petrol engine with a strong hybrid system. The former, which produces 102bhp of maximum power and 137Nm of peak torque, is mated to a six-speed torque converter automatic and a five-speed manual transmission. Moreover, only manual models come with the AWD system. The strong-hybrid model, also known as the Intelligent Electric Hybrid system, delivers 114bhp and 141Nm of maximum torque in the electric mode and 91bhp and 122Nm of torque when using the ICE unit.

The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is packed with a host of features, including a 360-degree camera, contrast-coloured skid plates, a split headlamp design, a fully digital instrument display, new 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, ventilated front seats, wraparound LED tail lights, a dual-tone black and brown interior theme, a nine-inch SmartPlay Pro+ touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HUD, Suzuki Connect telematics, a shark-fin antenna, paddle shifters, a panoramic sunroof, and different drive modes.

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There are nine colour options available for buyers to choose from – Nexa Blue, Arctic White, Splendid Silver, Grandeur Grey, Chestnut Brown, Opulent Red, Arctic White with a black roof, Splendid Silver with a black roof, and Opulent Red with a black roof. In terms of variants, there are six different trim levels available for the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara – Sigma, Delta, Zeta, Alpha, Zeta+, and Alpha+. The Grand Vitara is the first Maruti Suzuki model to use split headlamps. It also gets a big front grille with chrome surrounds and a silver skid plate. The SUV features 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and split LED taillights, with smoked clusters.