Maruti Suzuki is Evaluating a Premium SUV above 4.5 meters

Maruti Suzuki is getting aggressive with its product strategy for the Indian market. Just like the mass-market passenger car segment, the Indo-Japanese brand is aiming to dominate the SUV category. The company has launched its mass-market, mid-sized SUV Victoris, which is poised to challenge the dominance of Hyundai Creta in the mid-sized SUV category. 

Maruti Suzuki has no presence in the premium SUV category, which is currently dominated by the likes of Mahindra and Tata Motors. However, Maruti has already started evaluating a new product in the premium end of the SUV market. 

Speaking to media, Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO Maruti Suzuki said, “we have to have one (an SUV longer than 4.5 meters). We are talking about it.” In India, any SUV measuring between 4 and 4.5 meters classified as a mid-sized and longer than 4.5 meters is premium. 

The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara currently has a market share of around 19% in the mid-sized SUV category. Hyundai Creta is the leader with close to 30-31% share, while its Korean cousin, the Kia Seltos accounts for 10-12% of sales in the mid-sized SUV segment.

The Maruti Victoris will be sold through ARENA dealership network, which has over 3000 dealers across India. The company aims to price the Victoris aggressively, and its base model carry a price tag of Rs 10.5 lakh. However, the Victoris is most likely to impact the sales of the Grand Vitara, which is sold through NEXA premium dealership network. 

Maruti Suzuki is yet to reveal details on the premium SUV, but it is most likely to target SUVs from Mahindra and Tata Motors. The new premium SUV could be the long-awaited 7-seater model targeting the likes of the Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari and Hyundai Alcazar. 

Source - ET Auto