Maruti Victoris Vs Grand Vitara: What's Same, What's Different?
Maruti Suzuki has taken the wraps off its all-new compact SUV for India- the Victoris. Positioned between the Brezza and the Grand Vitara in the carmaker’s India portfolio, it will be sold through the Arena dealership network. The new SUV borrows a lot from the Grand Vitara (GV), which is a NEXA product. Maruti Suzuki hasn’t yet revealed the prices of the new SUV. We expect to learn the variant-wise pricing in the coming weeks. For now, let’s see how the Victoris compares with the Grand Vitara, and learn what’s the same and what differs between the two.
Victoris Vs Grand Vitara: What’s Common Between The Two?
Both the Victoris and Grand Vitara are underpinned by the same platform- the Suzuki Tect. They thus have the same wheelbase- 2600mm. The new SUV is slightly longer and taller than the Grand Vitara. The NEXA SUV has a length of 4345 mm, and the new SUV measures 4360 mm in length. The Victoris is also 10mm taller than the Grand Vitara.
The Victoris also borrows its engines, transmission, and drivetrain options from the Grand Vitara. Both SUVs come with three engine options each: 1.5L naturally aspirated four-cylinder mild hybrid petrol, 1.5L three-cylinder strong hybrid petrol, which runs on the Atkinson cycle, and a CNG dual-fuel powertrain. The mild hybrid engine produces 103 PS and 139 Nm. Both five-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions are offered along with this engine.
The mild hybrid versions also offer both Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) layouts. The strong hybrid engine has an output of 116 hp and 141 Nm and comes mated to an e-CVT gearbox.
The CNG versions of both SUVs have outputs of 88 hp. A key difference is in the way CNG is stored. The Victoris has an underbody CNG tank, which helps maximise the boot space. The Grand Vitara, on the other hand, has a conventional design for its CNG tank.
The Victoris would remind you of the Grand Vitara with the design of its side profile. Both SUVs have identical wheel sizes- 17-inch units.
What Differs Between The Victoris And The Grand Vitara?
Despite being based on the same platform as the Grand Vitara, the Victoris has a design identity of its own. It doesn’t have Grand Vitara-like split headlamps. It features a better-looking LED headlamp setup. Instead of a large grille, the Victoris gets a sealed-off fascia. The new SUV also gets prominent Black cladding and several Silver garnishes.
On the Grand Vitara, the wheel arches get a more rounded design, while on the Victoris, they are squared off. The design of the tail lamps and the tailgate also differs between the SUVs. The Victoris also has a steeper rake to its rear windshield. The GV, on the other hand, has a more upright rear.
Another major difference is in the cabin design and equipment levels. The Victoris has a cabin that looks much more upmarket than the one on the GV. It has a pleasant Black and off-White dual-tone colour scheme, while the NEXA SUV continues with a dual-tone Black-Bronze colour scheme.
The Victoris gets a layered dashboard which makes generous use of premium soft-touch materials and trims. The carmaker has also integrated ambient lighting neatly into the dashboard. The Victoris also come with a new, sportier steering wheel design. The switchgear has also been revised.
The Victoris also comes with bigger displays. The digital instrument cluster on the Grand Vitara is a 7-inch unit, while the new SUV deploys a larger 10.25-inch unit for the same. The infotainment screen on the Victoris is a 10.1-inch unit, while the Grand Vitara comes with a 9-inch touchscreen.
The GV has a 6-speaker Clarion sound system, which delivers a decent performance. The Victoris, on the other hand, features an advanced 8-speaker Infinity audio with Dolby Atmos 5.1. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are common on both SUVs, while Alexa connectivity is exclusive to the Victoris.
The Victoris also packs more features than the Grand Vitara. Powered tailgate with gesture control, Level 2 ADAS, selectable terrain modes on the AWD variant, and 64-colour ambient lighting are exclusive to the Victoris.
Finally, the Victoris is safer than the Grand Vitara. Better construction and the addition of ADAS tech have helped it deliver a stronger performance in Bharat NCAP crash tests than the GV. The Victoris scored a full five-star safety rating.