It’s been a while since we’ve seen the name Vitara in brand new car buyer’s guides. It was quietly dropped from the local Suzuki Auto Philippines lineup in mid-2022 with no successor in sight.
Nearly two years have passed since Vitara was discontinued in the country. That means the Japanese automaker has been left without a subcompact crossover for a rather long time. Given that the B-Crossover segment is stronger than ever, now might be a good time for the company to reintroduce a model in that class.
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That brings us neatly to the Suzuki Grand Vitara. The all-new model was also introduced in 2022 with India being the first market to get it. It has since made its way to the Middle East, select Latin American markets, South Africa, and Indonesia. With its arrival in Indonesia, it marks the arrival of the B-Crossover in Southeast Asia.
Does that mean it’s coming to the Philippines? It’s hard to say for now but the fact that it’s in the region makes us optimistic. The Grand Vitara is made in just one assembly plant, the Toyota Kiloskar Manufacturing Plant in Bidadi, Karnataka, India.
Yes, Toyota builds the Suzuki Grand Vitara, alongside its own version of the crossover, the Urban Cruiser. There are various powertrain options available, all using variations of Suzuki’s 1.5-liter engine. It kicks off with the standard engine that makes 103hp and 138Nm of torque. A CNG version is also on offer, but only for the Indian market.
Up next is a mild-hybrid that churns out 102hp and 137Nm of torque and available with either front or all-wheel drive. Another exclusive Indian market model is the full hybrid that uses the same powertrain as the Toyota Yaris Cross HEV.
The Indonesian market model comes with the mild-hybrid powertrain. It shifts with a six-speed automatic transmission with front-wheel drive being the sole option. Over there, prices range from 362,000,000 rupiah to 388,400,000 rupiah. Converted to local currency, we’re looking at around P1,290,000 to P1,380,000.
Of course, tariffs and duties can change all that, but should Suzuki Auto Philippines keep close to those prices, the Grand Vitara is right in the mix of other similarly sized models such as the Honda HR-V and Toyota Yaris Cross.
