VICTORIOUS

Maruti's New SUV Comes Prepared

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The midsize SUV space in India isn’t just competitive anymore.

It’s a warzone, frankly. Every carmaker wants a slice of it and every buyer walks in with high expectations and a long checklist. Thus, Maruti Suzuki has a purpose when it enters the battle with the new Victoris. As you might anticipate, Maruti is stating that it’s time to take on the industry leaders head-on and do so with something modern, feature-rich, and pertinent to how India drives today. It is neither a half-step nor a placeholder.

And first impressions count. The Victoris maintains proper stance and posture. The bright LED lighting signature, squared arches, and clean surfaces give it a confident appearance without resorting to aggression for the sake of it. Maruti has resisted the urge to overstyle it, and it works. It appears current enough to appeal to younger shoppers while being practical and proportioned enough for a family audience. It’s the sort of design that grows on you over time, which is typically a good position to be in a market where visual fatigue is a genuine issue.

Job Done

Look closely and you'll notice glimpses of the Brezza and the impending electric Vitara, but the Victoris retains its own individuality. The sloped rear window adds a coupe feel, and the black roof finish optically stretches the proportions. The 17-inch alloys strike a balance between ride comfort, efficiency, and strong road qualities. They appear to be too small for the arches, although this was most likely done to improve efficiency and ride comfort. In a car like this, priorities are important.

The dimensions place it exactly alongside the class benchmarks. It is 4,360mm long and has a wheelbase of 2,600mm, which puts it perfectly in the sweet spot. Large enough to appear significant while remaining compact enough to be suitable for urban living.

Familiar but Modern