Strong Hybrid Grand Vitara Costs Same As Mild Hybrid In UP
In an interesting turn of events, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara strong hybrid automatic now costs less than the top-spec mild-hybrid automatic in Uttar Pradesh!
Why this? Uttar Pradesh’s waivers on registration tax for hybrid cars, announced in July this year, is the reason for this dramatic price reduction for the hybrid variants.
The Grand Vitara offers both mild-hybrid and strong hybrid powertrains, and the latter is known for its high fuel efficiency. The mild hybrid comes in four variants- Sigma, Delta, Zeta, and Alpha. The strong hybrid is available in two variants only- Zeta+ and Alpha+.
The prices of Maruti Grand Vitara Alpha AT (mild hybrid) and Zeta Plus (strong hybrid) are now practically the same in UP, thanks to the registration tax waiver!
We are choosing the Alpha AT for this comparison since the Zeta+ comes with just an eCVT. So which one to choose and what difference would it make? Let’s take a deep dive.
Prices And UP’s Tax Waiver For Hybrids
Earlier this year, the Uttar Pradesh government rolled out massive tax exemptions for strong and plug-in hybrids. These were exempted from registration tax. Vehicles with regular powertrains, costing under 10 lakh are taxed at 8%, while those above it get 10%.
The Grand Vitara Alpha AT has an ex-showroom price of 16.91 lakh in UP. It thus racks up 1.6 lakh in road tax. All other taxes combined would take the on-road price to 19.67 lakh.
Now take the case of the Zeta+ trim. It is available with the 1.5L strong hybrid powertrain and thus benefits from the waiver. The Zeta+ variant adds more tech and equipment to the Zeta along with the hybrid powertrain. The variant has an ex-showroom price of 18.43 lakh. It should have ideally been taxed at 1.8 lakh. But with the waiver in place, this amount is saved, and the on-road price stands at 19.59 lakh. This if you see, is around 8000 rupees less than the price of Alpha AT.
Equipment Differences Between Strong and Mild Hybrids
Now that you have a clue of the price difference, let’s see what varies between these variants, other than the powertrain and price. Both the Zeta+ and Alpha AT are available in dual-tone exterior colourways. But on the interior, it is just the Alpha AT that gets dual-tone treatment. The Zeta Plus has an all-Black theme with champagne-gold accents.
There is a lot of difference in the features offered. The Alpha AT, despite being the top-spec MHEV trim, doesn’t get the 7-inch TFT driver display that you’d find on the Zeta+ and continues with a smaller 4.2-inch MID. The Alpha AT comes with soft-touch interior plastics and trims that feel premium. The Zeta+ misses out on these. Both variants get a panoramic sunroof while wireless charger and HUD are offered only on the Zeta+. Out of the two, it is just the Alpha AT that comes with a 360 camera.
Since the Zeta+ is powered by a strong hybrid engine, it comes equipped with an AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alert System)- a setup that warns people around of an approaching EV. This system is mandated in many international markets. In India, however, it garnered attention when the recently launched Curvv.EV featured it.
Who Should Buy Which Powertrain?
The two powertrains differ in their characters and performance. The Alpha AT gets a 1.5L, four-cylinder, mild hybrid petrol engine equipped with an idle start/stop function, that delivers 104 PS and 137Nm. It comes paired with a 6AT gearbox. The strong hybrid version gets a 1.5L, three-cylinder petrol engine that is mated to a strong hybrid architecture and an eCVT transmission. The setup delivers 93 hp and 122 Nm.
The strong hybrid prefers laid-back drives and delivers excellent fuel economy if so. The mild hybrid, on the other hand, is more fun-to-drive and delivers lower efficiency in comparison.
If you are someone who drives a lot and is bothered about fuel efficiency, the strong hybrid is the one to go for. It makes sense to buy the Zeta+ over the Alpha AT in Uttar Pradesh, as you get to spend less. The compromises you’d have to make in the process too are forgivable.