A heavily camouflaged test mule of an all-new SUV has recently been spied testing on our roads, and we suspect it to be the upcoming three-row derivative of the Maruti Grand Vitara SUV. Autocar India exclusively reported in early 2023 that Maruti is working on a new 7-seater version of the Grand Vitara, and this is the first sighting of the prototype (codenamed: Y17).
- Grand Vitara 7-seater gets e Vitara-inspired styling
- Will carry over the same platform and engines as regular Grand Vitara
- Will be produced at Maruti’s new plant in Kharkhoda
Maruti Grand Vitara three-row spied for the first time
The giveaway that this is an SUV based on the Grand Vitara are the doors – the overall shape, the window line and even the positioning of the mirrors are quite similar to the regular Grand Vitara. However, a closer look reveals a slightly longer rear overhang to accommodate an additional row of seats. It is likely that Maruti will also increase the wheelbase.
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What’s interesting is that some of the design details, very faintly visible through the camouflage, are far removed from the Grand Vitara. In fact, the lighting and front bumper seem inspired by the upcoming Maruti e Vitara. There seems to be an LED Daytime Running Light setup up top, with Maruti’s signature three-dot motif, while the main headlamps are positioned on the bumper. The surfacing of the bumper with centrally mounted air inlets also look similar to the e Vitara. At the rear, it seems to have wraparound full-width LED tail-lamps.
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Not much of the interior can be seen in this sighting, but there’s a large, free-standing touchscreen infotainment with a completely new dashboard design.
Maruti Grand Vitara three-row engine, platform
The Y17 SUV will sit on the same global C platform as the standard Grand Vitara. It is also expected to carry forward the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated and 1.5-litre petrol-hybrid engines; gearbox options, too, are expected to be carried over from the 5-seater SUV.
Sources tell us that the three-row version of the Grand Vitara will be built at Maruti’s upcoming plant in Kharkhoda, Haryana. This new plant will be operational by mid-2025, and the Y17 will likely be the first model produced here. So, a debut towards the end of 2025 can be expected.
Upon launch, the Maruti Y17 will rival the Hyundai Alcazar, Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus, all of which are three-row derivatives of their respective 5-seater siblings.
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