So, you’ve heard the buzz, right? Maruti Suzuki, the big boss of cars here in India, is gearing up to unleash a brand-new SUV. And guess what? This one’s aimed squarely at the Hyundai Creta, the king of the mid-size SUV jungle, and its buddy, the Kia Seltos. It’s all happening with their new baby, internally known as the Y17, but word on the street is it might be called “Escudo.” Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it?

Coming Soon to an Arena Near You!

Mark your calendars, because this new Maruti SUV is officially set to hit the showrooms on September 3, 2025. Yeah, you heard that right, not too far off! Now, here’s a little tidbit that’s got everyone talking: unlike the swanky Grand Vitara, which you find at the Nexa dealerships, this new “Escudo” (if that’s what they call it) will be sold through Maruti Suzuki’s massive Arena network. That tells us one thing – Maruti’s looking to make this SUV accessible to more folks, possibly even giving the Grand Vitara’s lower models a run for their money. Oh, and originally, there was talk of a 7-seater, but it seems they’ve decided to stick to a 5-seater to keep things focused on affordability and getting those sales numbers soaring through Arena.

Same Bones, Different Face

Now, you might be thinking, “Will it just be a rebadged Grand Vitara?” Well, not quite. The Escudo is expected to share its core platform and engines with the Grand Vitara, which makes sense – why fix what isn’t broken, right? But Maruti being Maruti, they’ll surely tweak the styling and features to give the Escudo its own vibe. From what folks have seen in spy shots, it’ll have some Grand Vitara bits but with its own unique twist.

A Bit More Roomy?

Here’s an interesting detail: whispers suggest the Escudo might actually be a tad longer than the Grand Vitara (which is 4,345mm). We’re talking somewhere between 4,330mm and 4,370mm. If that’s true, it means more room inside the cabin and probably a bigger boot too. And who doesn’t love more space, especially in India?

What’s Under the Hood?

As for power, expect the familiar and trusty 1.5-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine with mild-hybrid tech from the Grand Vitara. This engine pumps out around 103 bhp and will likely come with both a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Now, the Grand Vitara also has a strong hybrid option, which is pretty neat. But for the Escudo, there’s a bit of a question mark there. Maruti might skip the strong hybrid initially to keep the price down and keep Nexa and Arena cars distinct. Then again, some reports still hint that the strong hybrid might make an appearance. We’ll have to wait and see on that one!

Feature-Packed? You Bet!

While they’re keeping things under wraps, expect the Escudo’s interior to feel a lot like the Grand Vitara’s, maybe with a few tweaks to fit the Arena vibe. We’re probably looking at:

 * A 9-inch touchscreen for all your infotainment needs, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

 * A cool semi-digital instrument cluster.

 * Possibly even a sunroof (though some folks are saying it might be left out to keep costs in check).

 * Automatic climate control to keep you comfy.

 * Connected car tech for all your smart features.

 * And, of course, plenty of airbags and safety features as standard.

The Price Tag and the Big Fight

Alright, let’s talk money. While no official prices are out yet, the Maruti Escudo is expected to kick off around ₹10 lakh (ex-showroom), potentially going up to ₹20 lakh for the top-end strong hybrid (if it happens). This pricing is a clear shot across the bow at the Hyundai Creta, which has been crushing it in sales, selling over 1.2 million units in India since 2015 and still grabbing over 31% of the market share this year. And let’s not forget the Kia Seltos, another tough cookie it’ll be going head-to-head with.

What’s Next?

With the launch just around the corner in September 2025, Maruti Suzuki is definitely looking to shake things up in the mid-size SUV world. The Escudo, or whatever it’s called, is Maruti’s big play to grab a bigger piece of this fiercely competitive pie. Its success will really depend on how well it balances a good price, tons of features, a roomy interior, and, of course, Maruti’s famous reliability and amazing service network.

The next few months are going to be super interesting, and everyone will be watching to see if Maruti Suzuki can finally take the crown from the Creta!

What do you think? Are you excited about this new Maruti SUV?