Maruti Suzuki will introduce an all-new premium MPV in the Indian market based on the Toyota Innova Hycross and it will go on sale by July this year.
This MPV will technically be a sister product to the already popular Innova Hycross and, just like the Grand Vitara, this will also be built at Toyota’s Bidadi plant and supplied to Maruti Suzuki.
Last year, in a regulatory filing, Toyota said it was preparing for the launch of a C-MPV in the financial year 2022-2023, which will also be shared with its alliance partner Maruti Suzuki.
Since the inception of the Toyota-Suzuki alliance in 2017, Suzuki-built vehicles such as the now-discontinued Vitara Brezza and the Baleno were cross-badged and sold as the Toyota Urban Cruiser and the Glanza in India (or the Starlet in South Africa), respectively. At the moment, the latest-gen Baleno, Ciaz, Ertiga and even the Celerio are sold as Toyotas in some markets, including South Africa and the Middle East.
On the other hand, this upcoming premium MPV will be the first Toyota product that will be rebadged for Maruti Suzuki in India and sold through the Nexa dealership chain as its flagship model. In Europe, two Toyota models, the RAV-4 and the Corolla Wagon, are sold as Suzuki offerings — the A-Cross and the Swace, respectively.
Maruti’s version of the Innova Hycross will come with some distinct styling elements, mainly on the front with a unique grille, and a different bumper and headlamp design. Styling tweaks in the rear are expected to include a unique tail-lamp design with the Nexa theme that is seen on the Grand Vitara, Baleno and Fronx currently.
Expect changes on the inside too, in terms of interior shades, with trim differences between both models, similar to the ones seen on the recently launched midsize SUV siblings, the Hyryder and Grand Vitara.
The new Maruti MPV will sit on the Toyota TNGA-C architecture; the naturally aspirated petrol and strong hybrid petrol engines that will be seen on the Innova Hycross will also power the Maruti MPV.
The Innova Hycross commands a long waiting period. Toyota recently paused bookings for the top trims due to high demand, and, as such, it remains to be seen how many of such vehicles can Toyota supply to Maruti.
Maruti recently launched the Fronx at ₹7.47 lakh, and the next big launch for the brand is the Jimny, which will take place next month. The premium MPV will go on sale by July this year, with deliveries beginning thereafter. All three models will be sold via Nexa outlets.
