Maruti Suzuki Readying Exter And Punch Rival – Early Details Of Micro SUV

The upcoming micro SUV will not be a high-riding hatchback!

Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch new models in fast-growing segments to increase its domestic market share. The company is currently working on the development of an entry-level micro SUV to compete with the likes of Tata Punch, Hyundai Exter, and others.

The new micro SUV (internally called Suzuki Y43) is expected to be placed under Maruti’s entry-level SUV- Brezza and will come with an exorbitant price tag to meet the demands of a large number of buyers. The entry-level utility vehicle is expected to be launched by the end of the next calendar year (2026-27).

Until now, Maruti Suzuki has been relying on high-riding hatchbacks like S-Presso or Ignis, which feature SUV-like styling, but the strategy with the new model is to have a proper SUV to compete with the likes of Hyundai Exter and compact SUVs like the Tata Punch.

The decision to launch the entry-level SUV comes at a time when sub-4m SUV sales crossed a million units in 2023. With four SUV launches over the last two years, Maruti Suzuki currently has a growing presence in this segment. MSIL hopes to scale the market share notably with the upcoming micro SUV.

SUV Sales In India- Why Is It Important?

In 2023, the SUV segment represented 48% of the total passenger vehicle sales in India, with around 2 million units sold. Last year, SUV sales in India grew by more than 25%, in a market that saw the fall of hatchbacks and sedans. The SUV segment is projected to account for more than 50% of net PV sales in 2024, rising from the 43% mark in 2022.

Source: Autocar India