Maruti Suzuki just launched its latest SUV the Victoris, saying its “Got it all”. The biggest validation of this are its 21 variants. Yes, the Victoris has almost 2 dozen variants with options of a petrol 1.5 litre smart hybrid, strong hybrid with EV mode and also a CNG powered version. Gearbox options comprise a 5-speed manual for the CNG, an e-CVT for the strong hybrid, and a 5-speed manual or 6-speed torque converter automatic for the mild hybrid. That is 4 different transmissions! In one vehicle! Talk about choice. If that is not enough, you also have an all-wheel drive version equipped with multi-terrain mode selector with auto, snow, sport, and lock drive modes.

The other features list is also long and extensive. The Victoris comes with Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), 6 Airbags and a high-definition 360 view camera with views from 11 different angles. It also offers a Harman sound system integrated with Dolby surround sound with 4 Speakers, 2 Tweeters, a centre speaker, sub-woofer, and 8-channel in-built amplifier that is meant to provide a “Theatre on Wheels” effect. It has  a 10.1 inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with in-built apps with OTA (over-the air) updates, Alexa Auto Voice  with 35 plus features, a powered tailgate with gesture control, customizable ambient lighting, and so on.

The features I really like though are the cool ventilated seats and the 8-way electrically adjustable driver seat that allows you to safely find your desired driving position, even when while driving. There are also other useful features like wireless smartphone charger.

As mentioned, the Victoris comes with a Level 2 ADAS system that includes driver-assist features like automatic emergency brake application, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, high beam assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitor with lane change alert, etc.

Though the Victoris is based on the familiar Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara platform, with both having similar performance and powertrains, the Victoris has completely different styling and looks nothing like the Grand Vitara. The interior is also distinct and what I like is that Maruti have attempted to make the Victoris more sporty, and sleeker and smarter looking.

And I must say, overall it’s quite a good effort by Team Maruti Suzuki. The Victoris looks longer than it actually is (4360 metres) and shorter than its height of 1655 mm. Making a vehicle look longer and lower than it actually is, is a credit to the design team. They have achieved this by giving the Victoris a smart side profile with sloping roof and a slanted tailgate, which is topped by a two-piece rear spoiler. The blacked out roof further gives the impression of a lower body profile. But the sloping roof obviously means some compromise in headroom, especially at the rear.

By and large the Victoris is a good looking SUV, with some nice detailing. But I wish the front end was not so upright and straight.  Wonder if it’s because the designers wanted to blend in some strength into the otherwise sleek shape. Personally, I would have preferred a sleeker front that would go well with the otherwise streamlined styling. Now the front looks a tad out of place as it’s just too upright and perpendicular.

There are a couple of other things I wish Maruti had done in another way. They have gone all out in making sure the Victoris looks completely different from its sibling the Grand Vitara, both on the outside and inside. But though the Victoris is clearly sportier looking, it does not have the additional performance to do justice to the sleeker styling.

Then there is the fact that the ride height has been raised to increase the ground clearance, due to which it has a higher stance than one expects in a sporty vehicle. I am the first to accept that ground clearance is still very essential in our country, which yet suffers from bad roads, potholes, ditches, craters, bumps, and what have you. So I definitely appreciate the fact that the Victoris has great ground clearance, better than most SUVs in fact. What would have been ideal was if Maruti had given the all-wheel drive version this impressive ground clearance, and the other more urban use oriented versions of the Victoris, could have come with a slightly lower ride height.

And yes, I strongly feel that Maruti could have, and should have, a more powerful variant of the Victoris. And this performance version could come with not just more powerful power plants, but also more potent brakes, a stiffer suspension with lower ride height, sharper steering and wider and lower profile tyres mounted on larger wheels.  All this is not so difficult to do, and this sportier Victoris might also just appeal a bit more to the Gen Z it is targeted at.

If you are wondering why I am not talking about the performance of the Victoris, it’s because on the road it’s almost identical to the Grand Vitara.  But I will say that driving the strong hybrid version of the Victoris in an around Jaipur recently, definitely reinforced my belief that this hybrid is extremely practical and user friendly. It’s got decent performance, impressive fuel efficiency and with a full tank of petrol (45 litres) one can drive almost 1000 kms! And being a hybrid there is no hassle of charging, which means it’s cost effective and convenient too.

But there is one aspect whose suitability for India I am not convinced about. And this is doing away with the spare wheel. Yes, Maruti does not offer a spare wheel in the Victoris. It only comes with a puncture repair kit and a TPM (tyre pressure monitoring) system. I did discuss this with some Maruti officials and they said their research shows that these days most customers call for help when they have a flat with few attempting to fix it themselves. And as the tyres offered by them don’t have a low aspect ratio, they feel chances of major damage to the sidewall or tread are limited and most punctures can be fixed by the roadside itself, with the repair kit provided with the vehicle.

The obvious benefit of doing away with the spare in a hybrid or EV is additional space for the batteries. Maruti have also ingeniously mounted an underbody tank in the CNG variant to provide more space in the boot for luggage. This might not have been possible with space for a spare wheel. Tata have also done this in the Punch and Altroz, but they use a dual cylinder setup. Anyways, the point is that there are clear benefits of doing away with a spare, which in all likelihood may not be required by a large number of regular users. But where does that leave us hard core automotive enthusiasts who enjoy adventures and long drives in not so friendly driving conditions. Yes, I would clearly prefer having a spare wheel, so I am keen to see what feedback Maruti gets about this from its customers.

Finally, in conclusion let me try and answer the question – has the new Maruti Suzuki Victoris really “Got it all”. Well, like I said right in the beginning, it’s got a lot, but not all. The introductory pricing is inviting and attractive and starts at Rs 10.50 lakhs going up to Rs 19.99 lakhs for the top end fully loaded variant. The styling is sleek and its list of features is impressive. All of which makes the Victoris quite a sporty looking SUV with a good amount of practicality and affordable modern technology offerings.

Now the irony would be if the Victoris, which Maruti says they have targeted at Gen Z customers who enjoy a lively and sporty lifestyle, is chosen not for its sporty character and fun features, but due to its practicality and value for money attributes. And it would really be a paradox kind of situation if the taxi trade or fleet operators line up for the CNG version due to the underbody fitting of the tank and more space in the boot.

Given this, I will once again reiterate, that Maruti should seriously consider having a sportier more performance oriented version of the Victoris. It already has some 21 variants. So a couple of more is surely doable and will ensure that the Victoris has actually “Got it all”.