Maruti Suzuki To Launch Yet Another Creta Rival On Sept 3 – e Vitara or Escudo? | V3Cars

The new Maruti SUV could either be the all-electric e Vitara or the ICE Maruti Escudo. While the e Vitara was showcased in its close-to-production form at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Show, the Escudo was spied undergoing tests recently. In this article, we take a quick look at either SUVs to see what they have to offer.

2025 Maruti Suzuki e Vitara

The upcoming Maruti e Vitara, built on the Heartect-e skateboard platform jointly developed with Toyota, will offer 2 battery options: a 49kWh pack and a 61kWh pack. Variants with the smaller battery will get a 144PS front-mounted motor, while the larger 61kWh unit will power a 174PS motor. Both configurations will produce 189Nm of torque. Maruti Suzuki has stated that the e Vitara is projected to achieve an MIDC-rated range exceeding 500km on a single charge.

When launched, the e Vitara will become the Maruti Suzuki in India to incorporate ADAS features. Other notable features include 7 airbags, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, a blind spot monitor, an electronic parking brake with auto-hold, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), ventilated front seats, an air filter, a Harman audio system, wireless smartphone connectivity, and a panoramic sunroof.

During the company’s Q4 FY25 earnings call, Chairman R. C. Bhargava announced plans to introduce 2 new SUVs in FY26, one of which is the e Vitara. While e Vitara sales were expected to commence in India by the end of September, reports suggest this timeline has been affected by a shortage of rare earth magnets, which are essential components for electric vehicles.

The scarcity could prompt a revision of the e Vitara’s launch timeline. Thus, we are inclined to believe the September 3 launch is now expected to be for a new internal combustion engine (ICE)-based SUV, rather than an electric model.

2025 Maruti Suzuki Escudo

Spotted testing recently, Maruti Suzuki’s upcoming SUV could be called the Escudo. The new Escudo SUV is expected to sit above the Brezza and below the Grand Vitara in Maruti Suzuki’s SUV lineup. The Escudo, which shares styling similarities with the Grand Vitara, is expected to be longer than the flagship Nexa SUV. We expect it to launch as a 5-seater SUV initially, with 7-seater variants likely to join the lineup based on market demand. 

Like the Grand Vitara, the Escudo will target C-segment rivals such as the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and MG Astor, albeit with a lower price tag. We expect it to retail via Maruti’s Arena network with a price tag ranging from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 16 lakh. The new Escudo is expected to share its powertrain options with the Grand Vitara, offering both a 1.5L mild-hybrid and strong-hybrid petrol engine. 

Visually, the upcoming Escudo appears to blend key styling cues from the Grand Vitara with elements from the upcoming e Vitara. Spy photos suggest a design featuring a more upright grille flanked by angular LED headlamps, and a restyled bumper incorporating LED fog lamps. A wider air dam, a revised bonnet, and a new front skid plate should help it distinguish it from the Grand Vitara. At the rear, expect the Escudo to offer a connected LED light bar, updated tail lamp graphics, and a tweaked tailgate.

Inside, the cabin layout and features are likely to borrow heavily from the Grand Vitara. We expect the 2025 Escudo to offer features such as a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a semi-digital instrument cluster, a sunroof, climate control, and 6 airbags.

Escudo Image Source 

Also Read: Jeep Launch Trail Edition Of 2025 Compass & Meridian

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