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January 29, 2023

Suzuki Teases 2023 Grand Vitara For ASEAN Market


Well, that didn’t take very long. After its global debut in India just last July, the next region to get the all-new Suzuki Grand Vitara is ASEAN. And it’s happening this February.

Although Suzuki Indonesia hasn’t named the exact model that they’ll be launching at the Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) 2023 next month, the shadowy photo and tagline of “Guess Who’s Back?” all point to the 2023 Grand Vitara.

To recall, the all-new Grand Vitara rides on Suzuki’s Global C platform. It has, as what the brand calls, “Crafted Futurism” design. This is seen in the vertically-split headlamps with three-part LED projectors and DRLs. At the back, there’s a full-length LED bar with multi-layered elements.

The big news (and biggest question for the ASEAN market) is what will power the 2023 Grand Vitara.

For its debut market of India, it is purely electrified with either a mild-hybrid system developed by Suzuki or a strong hybrid developed by Toyota.

The former pairs Suzuki’s K15C engine with a 12-volt 6-Ah lithium-ion battery for a total of 102 horsepower and 135 Nm of torque (Suzuki Smart Hybrid). It’s the very same engine used in the Ertiga Hybrid which was just launched for the Philippine market.

On the other hand, the full-hybrid system pairs Toyota’s 1.5-liter 3-cylinder motor with an 80-horsepower AC Synchronous Motor (Suzuki calls it Intelligent Electric Hybrid). Total output is rated at 116 horsepower and 141 Nm of torque.

For the Indian market, the mild-hybrid is available in both manual (5-speed) and automatic (6-speed) versions, while the full-hybrid only comes with Toyota’s e-Drive CVT. It’s also worth noting that for buyers who want all-wheel drive, the Suzuki AllGrip system can only be had with the mild-hybrid. Like its application in the Vitara, it comes with multiple drive modes.

For now, there’s no announcement on whether the all-new Grand Vitara will be assembled in Indonesia, or whether it’ll be imported as a CBU from India. If it’s the former, you can bet that Suzuki Philippines will pounce on the opportunity to compete in the entry-level compact crossover segment.

3 comments:

  1. By the time the ''new'' Grand Vitara ever arrives in the Philippines it will already be one year old.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maruti Suzuki = trash trash trash

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vitara again? why not bring the cheaper Brezza, it might even outsell the Ertiga.

    ReplyDelete

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