The No.1 passenger carmaker in the country; Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has unveiled its upcoming compact SUV Maruti XA Alpha at the 2012 Auto Expo. The displayed version was a prototype that is expected to go into production late this year. The attention-grabbing compact SUV is styled by in house design engineers of Maruti and will be one of the first monocoque constructions when it goes into production. The car will be basically a soft roader with 4×2 capabilities along with contemporary and gadget filled interiors. The 5-seater will compete with mini SUVs such as Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster in India when it is launched amid next year.
Maruti XA Alpha Launch Date
Maruti XA Alpha that was uncovered at the Delhi Auto Expo this year is projected to be launched by the second quarter of 2013, as per the industry insiders. The compact SUV and MPV segment is starting to get strengthened with the launch of Maruti Ertiga sometime back and recent launch of Renault Duster. There are also speculations that the production version will be ready by amid next year and Maruti might zero upon 2013 Diwali launch. At the time of Maruti XA Alpha launch, the rivals for instance Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster will already be fighting for space and it will be interesting to see how Maruti will thump its inaugural compact SUV.
Maruti XA Alpha Price Range
The launch of Renault Duster has already taken place with flying colors and the striking fact that helped it hold every one’s eyes was its aggressive price statement. Something similar is expected from the largest carmaker too. With Maruti Ertiga launched at INR 5.89 Lakh and Renault Duster at INR 7.19, one can expect Maruti to unleash this modish SUV between INR 7-8 Lakh for the base petrol version while top end diesel will be tagged at INR 8.5-9.5 Lakh.
Performance of Maruti Suzuki XA Alpha
Considering that XA Alpha will be Maruti Suzuki’s first entry in the SUV segment, it will try to prove its capabilities as a Utility Vehicle maker. It is anticipated that the car will deliver figures like mileage of 8-10 kmpl and top speed of 180 kmph on highways, though there are no confirmations. The 2WD and 4WD driving options will assist those who want to use this upcoming SUV on the roughest of terrains as well as busy city roads.
Maruti XA Alpha Mileage and Fuel Efficiency
The Maruti XA Alpha will be basically a crossover SUV hence one can expect a very decent mileage out of it. Here powering the vehicle under the bonnet will be two engines namely 1.4L petrol engine, which is said to be a newly developed K series powertrain and 1.3L tried and tested diesel motor. The new 1.4L petrol engine by Maruti will a much more refined one than the existing K10 and K12 series engine that are doing duties in most of petrol models of Maruti brand. However, the 1.3L Fiat-sourced Multijet diesel motor might also be tweaked for extracting towering mileage in the SUV segment of the country. With the engineering expertise of No.1 carmaker on the fuel economy front, the mileage is bound to beat the competitors like existing Renault Duster and upcoming Ford EcoSport, whereas the likes of Scorpios and Safaris will be left way behind. Both the engines are estimated to boast some amazing mileage figures, keeping in mind its a Maruti product famous for providing optimum mileage.