After a decade of absence from the Mexican market, the Grand Vitara is back with the goal of competing directly with popular models from Korean manufacturers such as the Kia Seltos (now imported from China) and the Hyundai Creta (made in Indonesia).
With four versions ranging from 449,900 pesos to 565,900 pesos, the Kia Seltos is the segment leader. Between January and August, the Korean manufacturer sold 12,489 units of its subcompact SUV. Hyundai, for its part, sold 10,591 Creta units, according to Inegi data.
To differentiate it from its rivals, Suzuki decided to equip the Grand Vitara with its mild-hybrid engine, called Booster Green, which has a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with an electric system. This technology not only improves the response of the model, but also provides additional benefits to the owners, such as the possibility of obtaining a green plate that allows access to the double zero hologram up to two times.
Versions and equipment
The interior of the car has leather upholstery and carbon fiber elements. The steering wheel is wrapped in leather with audio controls and hands-free. The instrument cluster includes a 4.2-inch LCD screen and a retractable head-up display that shows parameters such as power flow chart, performance, speed and time.
The infotainment system has a 9-inch screen, Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity, Bluetooth and USB. It also has wireless charging.
In terms of safety, it has ABS brakes, electronic brake force distribution (EBD), electronic stability control (ESC), slope assistant, high-density steel platform, 360° peripheral vision camera and six air bags.
Gerardo MacÃas, Sales Manager of the Suzuki car division in Mexico, explained that the strategy will focus on offering a version of the Grand Vitara with a price of 539,990 pesos. In the future, the brand may introduce another version of the turbo engine called the Booster Jet.
The Japanese brand took advantage of the stage to announce the pre-sale of the first 2,000 units of the Grand Vitara Booster Green. This tactic has been successfully tried by Suzuki in the past with its 4×4 Jimny model and more recently with the launch of the Fronx.
The Japanese automaker aims to sell 3,500 units of the Grand Vitara by the end of the year, to be added to another 1,000 of the Fronx, a recently launched subcompact crossover. These two models, imported from a plant in India, are part of the Japanese brand’s strategy to increase its sales to 50,000 units by 2023, representing an increase of 10,000 units compared to 40,000 which will be sold in 2022, according to data from Inegi.
