Maruti Bets On New Victoris To Expand SUV Game, Eyes Exports
The new Victoris SUV would be introduced in the market this month when its price, estimated by experts at around Rs 12 lakh, would be announced: Reports
NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki, India’s biggest car maker, is betting big on its new Victoris model to expand the SUV game to regain lost ground in India’s fiercely contested and growing segment.
On Wednesday the automaker unveiled its much-anticipated mid-size SUV, Victoris, to strategically deepen its presence in the booming SUV market and also expand exports to over 100 countries.
The new Victoris SUV would be introduced in the market this month when its price, estimated by experts at around Rs 12 lakh, would be announced.
“We have created a new product, which raises the bar in the SUV segment, for tech-savvy younger aspirational generation with their own taste and style, who seek experiences and are ever eager to experiment,” Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO at Maruti Suzuki India, said.
“This evolved, widely travelled, hyper-connected generation looks for sleek design, high technology, intelligent and connected features, safety and environment friendliness. Thus, the new Victoris, which has got it all, is for them,” he pointed out.
Takeuchi said the company has invested Rs 1,240 crore on this new product which would also be exported to over 100 countries.
“The Victoris SUV will be a flagship model in our Arena channel,” he said, adding that it has obtained a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating.
“While the Grand Vitara, a premium SUV, continues to play well, the Victoris SUV will fill up white space and bring in volumes,” said Partho Banerjee, senior executive, marketing and sales at Maruti Suzuki India. This move reflects the company’s recognition that a single product cannot capture the breadth of demand in a segment that spans both mass-market and aspirational buyers.
“The SUV market is a huge segment with 20 models and we are targeting the young, aspirational generation,” he pointed out.
The Victoris is positioned as a high-tech, safety-forward model, equipped with connected features, Alexa Auto integration, Gen-3 telematics, and what Maruti calls a “theatre on wheels” infotainment experience.
In safety, the Victoris is the first Arena model to offer Level-2 ADAS (automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, lane departure prevention) along with six airbags as standard.
The model offers multiple powertrain options — petrol, strong hybrid, and CNG.
Over the past four years, Maruti’s SUV share of overall sales has nearly tripled — from 8.9 per cent in FY2020-21 to almost 28 per cent in FY2024-25 — powered largely by entry-level models Brezza and Fronx.
But in the mid-size SUV category, while rivals like the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos continue to dominate volumes, Tata Motors Harrier, Safari, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, and Honda Elevate continue to fight fiercely for their market share.