Maruti Suzuki is set to launch two new SUVs by the end of this financial year, one of which is the Electric SUV e-Vitara and the other is the all-new ICE SUV Escudo. But the recent ban imposed by China on the export of rare earth materials has created some challenges in the EV segment.
These materials required for EV battery manufacturing in India are imported from China, and due to this Maruti Suzuki has had to reduce the production plan of eVitara from 26,000 units to only 9,000 units. Due to this, it is now likely that the company will launch Escudo first and eVitara will be brought later.
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Maruti Suzuki has officially announced that it will introduce a new model on 3 September 2025. Earlier it was believed that it could be eVitara, but given the situation, the launch of Escudo is believed to be fixed first. The company can also introduce both the SUVs on the same day, although clear information about this has not been revealed yet.
The new Escudo will be sold under the ARENA dealership network and will be positioned between the Brezza and Grand Vitara in Maruti’s portfolio. It will be launched in the mid-size SUV segment, where it will compete directly with the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and other popular SUVs.
Talking about the engine option, Escudo is likely to get two powertrains. The first option will be a 1.5 liter naturally aspirated petrol engine, which generates 102bhp of power and 139Nm of torque. It will be given 5-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
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In CNG mode, the same engine will produce 86.79bhp of power and 121.5Nm of torque and will be paired only with a manual gearbox. The second option could be a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder strong hybrid engine, which produces 91bhp of power and 122Nm of torque, while its electric motor is capable of generating 79bhp of power and 141Nm of torque.
In terms of features, the Escudo is expected to get many modern features similar to the Brezza and Grand Vitara. These could include a large touchscreen infotainment system, digital driver display, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats and connectivity features like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
This SUV will be based on Suzuki’s Global-C platform, which already underpins the Brezza and Grand Vitara. The length of the Escudo will be longer than the Grand Vitara, which is 4345mm long. Earlier it was planned to be brought as a 7-seater, but now it will be launched as a 5-seater SUV.
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