[84.monsoon]

Checked out the Grand Vitara at the Nexa showroom on my way to meet my friends. Test drives were not available yet, here is the gist of my observations. The variant I saw was the Zeta Strong Hybrid, the one below the top Alpha variant.

• The car looks quite imposing. From the front it has a typical Maruti family look and could be mistaken for a minivan. The front is rather unremarkable. The LEd headlamp is low down on the front and I have a feeling it may be a bit low from the high beam point of view.
  
  
  
  
  
• The car is a much better looker from the side. It is visibly longer than the likes of the Seltos, probably due to the fact that this is accentuated by the ridge shape running all the way down the side. The 17 inch wheels are large enough to do justice to the size of the car and are a perfect match for the wheel arches, not too big not too small. The squared off wheel arches led a certain masculinity to the design that is quite appealing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The rear side is probably the best looking. It has the consistent horizontal lines and creases that lend a European flair to the look. The vertical tail lamp culture is rather unique and stands out.
  
  
  
• Boot space is severely limited, as has been detailed in the various reviews. Those wanting to carry a lot of luggage plus 5 people in the car will be disappointed. Since the roof rails are cosmetic in nature, options of roof top mounted carriers may not also be possible. However, it is not that the battery is the only culprit. The protrusion of the battery is hardly 3 inches above the floor and that too, it only takes up half the boot area. Fundamentally, the design itself does not support a lot of boot space.
  
  
  
• The doors are super light. I had trouble fully closing the door even after banging with a decent amount of force. It is not that the door assembly is thin, it is actually quite wide, it is just that the sheet metal used is super light.
  
• The Sunroof is awesome. It goes all the way back and both panels move. the roller bling is alo mechanised for both backward and forward motion, which is nice. The rear panel moving back was a surprise, I did not expect that. The sunroof lets in a tremendous amount of light and air. It is true that the roller blind is very thin and even when closed lets in a lot of light. I think the concerns about heat coming into the cabin may be a bit misplaced, as even a metal roof in dark colour is going to absorb a lot of heat and with good insulating glass plus additional reflective film coating, the heat transmission problem can be resolved to a large extent. 3M films, for example, claim to reflect upto 97% of heat producing infrared rays.
  
  
  
  
  
• The front seats are excellent,. the seat cushioning is spot on, neither too hard, not too soft. The range of adjustment is truly extensive, the height adjustment seems to have a range of several inches, between the lowest and highest seating position. The seats go back a long way fore and aft as well. As someone with a 6'2" height, I was very comfortable in terms of headroom, knee room and seat width. Plus with the steering column that can be adjusted for both rake and reach, it was easy to find a comfortable seating position. I did wish the seats had electric adjustments. When on a long car journey, occasionally changing the seat height and moving it back and forth can relieve strain on the back and this is much easier with electric seat adjustments.
  
• The front instrument cluster is fully digital and the display is in sharp and beautifully designed. It is big and and font is very pleasing on the eyes. All vital information is displayed, and is dominated by the power flow readout.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The 9 inch infotainment screen looks massive. Most of the infotainment screens these days tend to be elongated rectangular shapes and since the measurement is diagonal, one does not expect much of a size even when you hear the display is 10 inches. However, this one is almost square, with quite a bit of height and so the the overall surface area is much more than even competing 10 inch displays from other brands. However, the display is a bit cluttered on the home screen, with a slew of tiny windows displaying everything from FM stations, to weather and what not. It is going to take a while to get used to the features and be able to call up what you need quickly.
  
• The steering is a bit small for my liking although it looks well built and the buttons for cruise control etc have a nice tactile feel.
  
• The stationary display car was running in electric mode for almost 10 minutes after I turned it on. The display showed 7 kpl, which is not surprising given this is a stationary display car. The engine did switch on at the end of 10 minutes and was clearly audible in the cabin, It is a bit like night and day, the utter silence at first makes the moderate engine idling sound itself seem like a lot. One may not have noticed the engine noise as being anything out of the ordinary for similar cars, other than the fact that it was so quiet prior to the engine coming on.
  
• Rear seat leg room was good, even after adjusting the front seat to my seating position. The rear seat back is way too upright in the first position, and when you push it back to the second rear position, it is still a bit too upright for me., Should have had a third position with more recline especially fo the longer drives. This is probably not possible either due to the battery positioning or to preserve the already compromised boot space.
  
• Rear head room was just about adequate, my head did brush the roof slightly in the forward seat back position. The rear seats are elevated to provide a theatre style seating position and to accommodate the hybrid's battery underneath the seat, which eats up the rear headroom.
  
• The rear seat is strictly for two adults and a child, three adults cannot sit abreast there.

All in all, I came away with the impression that this is a comfortable well built car (except for sheet metal of the doors) loaded to the gills with features. Looking forward to check out the Hyryder, which is the one I have booked (G Strong Hybrid). I prefer the Toyota family looks and at 50K less than the Grand Vitara and expected superior ownership experience of the Toyota network, I think that is a better choice.

[agm]

Originally Posted by headbanger

Same conundrum here my friend. Plus Creta IVT sits at a waiting period of 60 weeks.

Hi!

Sorry but this not true! My Creta SXO IVT arrived in less than 3 months. At the time of booking SA told me they’ll write 24-26 weeks delivery time in booking form, because this is what Hyundai has asked all their dealers. But vehicle will be delivered within 2 months, at most it’ll take 3 months, not a day more than that. I will be taking delivery of my Creta day after tomorrow on 5th October.

[headbanger]

Originally Posted by agm

Hi!

Sorry but this not true! My Creta SXO IVT arrived in less than 3 months. At the time of booking SA told me they’ll write 24-26 weeks delivery time in booking form, because this is what Hyundai has asked all their dealers. But vehicle will be delivered within 2 months, at most it’ll take 3 months, not a day more than that. I will be taking delivery of my Creta day after tomorrow on 5th October.

Which city are you located in?
I contacted Dee Emm Hyundai in Gurgaon and they categorically mentioned 60 weeks waiting with a caveat that the delivery may happen early. But I wasn't comfortable with 60 weeks time duration to start with.

[aaggoswami]

Had a look at Grand Vitara, here are a few observations :

1. Front seats give good visibility outside, it feels like Duster that way, will be appreciated by many.

2. Overall build quality is much better then my last experience with Maruti, one of the better built cars from Maruti's stable it seems.

3. Headroom is less. The top trim that was on display may have further accentuated the feeling of less headroom due to the massive sunroof.

4. Seats are nice, front ones are very comfortable. Rear seat under thigh support is nice, reminds me of the fantastic Baleno 1.6 sedan.

5. Boot space is nothing to complain about in my view.

6. Vehicle stance is good and will have a smart presence. Expect this car to be too common once sales pick up. Should be a nice success for some time to come.

7. Fit and finish isn't bad and panel gaps except on the side of hood are better and wont scream budget.

8. Rear suspension is non independent even in AWD variant. Duster had independent rear suspension in AWD variants.

9. Shoulder room at rear isn't a strong point in my opinion.

10. Engine bay looks well organized and above the average feel we have been used to expecting from Maruti.

11. Power Window controls are tilted towards driver, a nice touch.

12. In the parked car, clutch was light and a breeze to operate, this should be a great relief for manual transmission cars in our every more congested traffic

13. Dead pedal available on top trim on MT variant, useful. Its a proper dead pedal, not just a piece of rubber strip that's glued on the floor. My shoes size is 10 and I use the dead pedal easily.

14. AC vents didn't feel as robust.

15. Both sun visors get mirrors and illumination

16. Larger dials for speedometer and tachometer could be welcome for a large car. I found them slightly smaller than my liking.

Biggest concern : The engine. Never thought I would be typing this, but after my test drive experience of recently launched Brezza and XL6 yesterday, this could be a big hurdle for those who frequent highways.
The K15C engine in XL6 and Brezza feel dead, literally, as one starts to speed up. With Grand Vitara being the heavier machine, it would certainly not be up to the task. Good cruiser on expressway but on undivided highways, this engine will be bothersome. It wouldn't be exactly fair to compare sedan with XL6, but with the amount of throttle inputs I was giving, my 2014 City petrol would have zoomed off. With full load in either XL6 or Grand Vitara, after spending on the asking price, it would definitely be a disappointment for buyers. Maruti needs to be more alert as historically they haven't have had success in this segment. Playing too safe with efficiency card makes the engine performance not blunt, but rather dead. Potential buyers should go for a longer test drive with 4-5 passengers and then take prudent call.

Overall, a good alternative to Creta/Seltos but headroom could be better. It would a great alternative to Creta/Seltos with a more energetic engine.

[sriramv01]

Dear all,
Need some advice..
I did an early booking of Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid. But with the delay and the price point (23.5 OTR), I have second thoughts.

I am a sedate driver. So the reviews of underwhelming power-performance does not affect me. The reduced boot space is also not an issue. And actually I don't see myself clocking more than 10-12,000 kms annually so I don't think I will really utilize the phenomenal Fuel efficiency and use that to justify the higher price of Strong Hybrid.

Then why am I opting for Strong Hybrid ? I guess it is to with
1) Safety Features
2) Ventilated Seats
3) 360 Deg Camera
4) Low NVH most of the time, since the car will be typically used in city and even highway driving will be sedate.
5) New Model snob value

Options -
A) Pay the premium and just buy what I have booked - Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid
B) Buy Creta Petrol IVT Top version. Get 360 deg Camera fitted as after-market ?
C) Buy Seltos Petrol Automatic Top Version. Trust that the top version has higher Safety than its NCAP 3 rating of the car suggests.
D) Not sure if the European SUVs fit my bill as above.
E) Look outside a SUV and evaluate Sedan which has above creature comforts.

Any ideas or inputs ?

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by sriramv01

Options -
A) Pay the premium and just buy what I have booked - GV Strong Hybrid
B) Buy Creta Petrol IVT Top version. Get 360 deg Camera fitted as after-market ?
C) Buy Seltos Petrol Automatic Top Version. Trust that the top version has higher Safety than its NCAP 3 rating of the car suggests.

I would suggest sticking with the GV booking. Would steer clear of Creta and Seltos, since they have such a poor crash test result - barely 3 stars. The GV should get at least 4 star rating and the hybrid may be even safer from a roll over perspective due to lower center of gravity thanks to the battery. Plus the GV and Hyryder are better lookers than the Creta/Seltos (looks are subjective of course).

If you want to save around 2.5 lakhs on-road, you can look at Toyota Hyryder G variant which retails at 17.5 ex-showroom without losing most of the features.

[Audik75]

Originally Posted by sriramv01

Dear all,
Need some advice..
Options -
A) Pay the premium and just buy what I have booked - GV Strong Hybrid
B) Buy Creta Petrol IVT Top version. Get 360 deg Camera fitted as after-market ?
C) Buy Seltos Petrol Automatic Top Version. Trust that the top version has higher Safety than its NCAP 3 rating of the car suggests.
D) Not sure if the European SUVs fit my bill as above
E) Look outside a SUV and evaluate Sedan which has above creature comforts

Any ideas or inputs ?

I am in the same position as you and can totally empathise. I was one of the early ones as well booking both Hyryder and GV. What’s holding me back is the rear seat comfort - clearly not a 5-seater. The other option I am considering is the Harrier (2L more but is more comfortable if one can get around the niggles) but with the facelift upcoming in early 2023, not sure now is good timing.

Against the Korean or German twins clearly fancy the Maruti / Toyota though.

[buntee90]

Originally Posted by sriramv01

Dear all,
Need some advice..
I did an early booking of GV Strong Hybrid. But with the delay and the price point (23.5 OTR), I have second thoughts.

I am a sedate driver. So the reviews of underwhelming power-performance does not affect me. The reduced boot space is also not an issue. And actually I dont see myself clocking more than 10-12,000 kms annually so I dont think I will really utilise the phenomenal Fuel efficiency and use that to justify the higher price of Strong Hybrid.


Any ideas or inputs ?

You could go with Grand Vitara Alpha Mild hybrid AT, major difference is TPMS and Ventilated Seats, and you will save a cool 3L too.

NVH is very good in AT, its a relaxed cruiser (100Kmph ~ 2000 Rpm) reasonably fuel efficient and will suit your needs perfectly.

Its a very good alternative to Creta / Seltos IVT (questionable safety) Their engine gearbox combo is no scorcher either.

[sriramv01]

Yes. I like the Alpha Mild Hybrid since it comes with 360 deg camera. I need this feature for improved safety and while parking.

But I wish it also inlcuded ventilated seats which I think are very useful in Pune Summers and Mumbai all year weather.

[vigsom]

The new Grand Vitara as seen by a long term owner of the older Grand Vitara

I made a chance visit to the local Nexa showroom along with bhpians @aaggoswami and @Vishy76 to look at the latest Maruti Mean Machine. The variant on display was the 1.5 Alpha AllGrip MT. Here is a summary of my encounter:

Likes

* Very well appointed and built
* Muscular stance and pleasing ageless looks
* All bells and whistles that one could ask for in one package
* Airy engine bay which technicians would love
* Air intake Resonator
* Engine underside is partly shielded, with insulation to prevent inadvertent touching of the hot exhaust when accessing from beneath
* Insulation to cut the radiant heat from the exhaust silencer can from affecting the floor of the car
* AWD
* Firm seats - yes, they could have been wider for the wider folks, but still good enough
* Massive sunroof which lends a touch of class to the vehicle
* "Efficient" small differential - much smaller than what I've seen on any UV till date
* Muscular door stoppers
* Acceptable build quality by today's standards
* Steering wheel was just right - some might feel it looks small

What could have been better

* Boot space could have been better
* Rear seat could have been designed for five instead of four and a half
* Getting in and out of the rear seat isn't as smooth as it seems, courtesy B-pillar coming in the way

Since a test drive vehicle was not available, bhpians @aaggoswami and @Vishy76 took turns to test drive an XL6 to get a feel of the engine. They reported it to be perfect for the city, but imperfect for the performance oriented.

Here are some pics to help us appreciate the finer points described above.

View from the driver seat


Massive Sunroof


Driver doorpad - simple yet well packaged


Vanity mirror lights


View from the rear seat




"Muscular" door stoppers


Boot


Airy engine bay - note the insulator under the exhaust


Engine underside shield


Transfer case with the propeller shaft to the rear


View from the underside - note the small differential and the rear driveshafts


Rear view - with the AllGrip Badge


My three cents

1. In the Smart Hybrid range, the AllGrip is the one to go for to live the Grand Vitara lineage
2. For regulars, the Sigma variant comes across as excellent value for money with a lot on offer
3. For a current Grand Vitara owner like me, I'm happy to be with the old flame!

[pqr]

Wholesale: September 2022

• Maruti Grand Vitara - 4,769
• Toyota Hyryder - 1,163

Cars are being produced at Toyota’s premises, but Maruti still has better dispatch figures. Toyota seriously messed up the whole launch process.

[Audik75]

Originally Posted by pqr

Wholesale: September 2022

• Maruti Grand Vitara - 4,769
• Toyota Hyryder - 1,163

Cars are being produced at Toyota’s premises, but Maruti still has better dispatch figures. Toyota seriously messed up the whole launch process.

While I generally agree on Toyota having messed up on marketing and sales, I did hear / read somewhere a statement that Maruti have signed up for a significant volume of the cars being produced and this distribution is likely in line with that agreement.

[Carzilla]

Originally Posted by Audik75

While I generally agree on Toyota having messed up on marketing and sales, I did hear / read somewhere a statement that Maruti have signed up for a significant volume of the cars being produced and this distribution is likely in line with that agreement.

Whether the (much) lower share of Toyota in GV/ Hyryder volumes is as per agreement between Maruti and Toyota, is hardly consolation for those wishing to buy from Toyota. With this kind of distribution disadvantage, those customers’ experience would remain meaningfully poorer vis-à-vis waiting period, test drive availability etc. and all of which would probably push more customers to Maruti.

[Audik75]

Originally Posted by Carzilla

Whether the (much) lower share of Toyota in GV/ Hyryder volumes is as per agreement between Maruti and Toyota, is hardly consolation for those wishing to buy from Toyota. With this kind of distribution disadvantage, those customers’ experience would remain meaningfully poorer vis-à-vis waiting period, test drive availability etc. and all of which would probably push more customers to Maruti.

My 2 cents - while I am not defending Toyota’s position and I see your POV, a couple of stats as to why the volume agreement makes sense.

The number of dealer outlets (source: CarWale) is 1248 to 353 between Maruti and Toyota hence the reverse scenario of Maruti customers being unhappy also holds true especially given this car is based on the Maruti platform.

Another point is this is Toyota’s unutilised production capacity that is being consumed basis some media reports hence Toyota are probably still a happy partner.

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by pqr

Wholesale: September 2022

• Maruti Grand Vitara - 4,769
• Toyota Hyryder - 1,163

Cars are being produced at Toyota’s premises, but Maruti still has better dispatch figures. Toyota seriously messed up the whole launch process.

This makes sense considering the need to have display vehicles available at all the dealerships. As bhpian Audik75 pointed out, with over 1200 delarships and 2 display plus 2 test drive cars per dealership, Maruti would clearly need close to 5000 vehicles just to get the show on the road. With only a few hundred dealerships across the country, Toyota would need far fewer numbers.

Another factor accounting for the difference in volumes could be that while Toyota is emphasizing the strong hybrid segment, with the relatively lower pricing variant-to-variant, Maruti is playing more strongly in its traditional price segment occupied by the mild hybrids. It would be good to see a break -up of despatches between the mild and strong hybrids. My bet is, the shipments to Maruti are probably dominated by mild hybrids, while those to Toyota showrooms are dominated by strong hybrids. This is not at all a bad thing for Toyota, since the average price realisation of the strong hybrid is 50% higher than that of the mild hybrid. Revenue and profit matters ultimately, more than only the sheer number of units sold.