Rumour: Maruti Suzuki YBA compact SUV to get 1.5L diesel, AWD

Earlier this week, the upcoming YBA compact SUV from Maruti Suzuki was revealed in a spy shot. Now another image has been put up and this time the rear of the car has been revealed.

The YBA will have a length of less than 4 metres. It will be Maruti's rival for the Ford EcoSport. The car's design is influenced by the Suzuki iV-4 concept, which was showcased at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013. For the production version, the company is likely to tone down the aggressive look of the concept. The greenhouse of the SUV looks remarkably similar to that of the Swift hatchback.

The image shows the rear windscreen with a single wiper, roof-mounted rear spoiler and bumper with a silver skid plate and reflectors at both ends. Reports say that Maruti will provide a tail gate-mounted spare wheel for the YBA. However, spy images of the Ford EcoSport facelift suggest that the car could carry its spare wheel elsewhere and Maruti might be tempted to follow.

The YBA is likely to be powered by engines from Maruti's current range. However, there are rumours that it could get a new Fiat-sourced 1.5-litre diesel engine in place of the 1.3-litre DDiS unit, which is a downsized version of the 1.6-litre JTD engine. It is likely to produce more than 100 bhp.

The YBA could also be equipped with Suzuki's AllGrip all-wheel drive system, which will give it an advantage over the front-wheel drive only Ford EcoSport. The SUV is rumoured to be slated for a 2016 Auto Expo debut.

Source: Autocar India