The Good, The Bad, and The Honest Truth About the Maruti Suzuki Victoris
Hello, friends! The wait is finally over: the Maruti Suzuki Victoris was launched just a day ago, on September 15. As a subscriber, you know I always prioritize honesty and truth in my videos. While I have a deep personal connection to the Maruti Suzuki brand, there are some truths about the Maruti Suzuki Victoris that you should know before you buy. My goal is to help you make the best decision for your needs.
The Good News: Safety, Value, and Accessibility
The Victoris has set a new standard for safety in its segment. It has achieved a 5-star safety rating in both Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP for adult and child protection, a first for any Maruti Suzuki car. With a score of 33.72 out of 34 for adult protection, it has earned the highest marks in India so far, outscoring even rivals like the Tata Safari and Tata Nexon. Its body shell was also rated as stable.
The LXI, or base variant, is priced at an attractive ₹10.50 lakh (ex-showroom), making it the most affordable mid-size compact SUV in its class. For this price, it comes with a 7-inch infotainment system and steering-mounted controls. The Maruti Suzuki Victoris also offers a variety of powertrain options, including petrol, CNG, and a strong hybrid that is expected to be the most affordable in India.
The car’s strong hybrid option, in particular, offers fantastic mileage of 19-20 km/h in the city and 24-25 km/h on the highway. This is a game-changer for car buyers. The Victoris also offers All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and a power tailgate with gesture control. It comes with an 8-speaker Infinity sound system with Dolby Atmos and a 10-inch infotainment system.
A major advantage for the Maruti Suzuki Victoris is its wide reach. As an Arena car, it will be available at 3000 touchpoints across India, compared to the Grand Vitara’s 500 Nexa showrooms. This will make it much more accessible in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, bringing the option of a strong hybrid car to a wider audience.
The Hard Truths: What You Need to Know
Now, for the things that you should know before you purchase. The Maruti Suzuki Victoris petrol engine, a 1500cc Dual Jet Dual VVT unit, may not offer great mileage in the city, possibly dropping to 10-11 km/l. This is a personal concern, and you should consider a CNG or strong hybrid variant if mileage is your main priority.
The car’s design, especially from the front, is not as “bold” or “bulky” as the Grand Vitara; it has a slicker, more car-like stance that might not appeal to all SUV buyers. And while the Victoris has an excellent 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission, the manual transmission is still a 5-speed unit, which has not been upgraded.
Finally, the base LXI variant, despite being well-equipped, does not offer an automatic transmission option, which forces buyers to spend more on the VXI variant if they want an automatic car.
Here is a summary of the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| 5-Star Safety Rating in BNCAP & GNCAP | Petrol engine mileage could be low in the city |
| Cheapest base variant in the segment | Front design is not as bold as the Grand Vitara |
| First Maruti with a 5-star safety rating for both adults and children | Manual transmission is still a 5-speed unit |
| All-wheel drive, CNG, and Strong Hybrid options | LXI base variant does not have an automatic option |
Our Recommendation
If you are a fan of the Maruti brand and are looking for a reliable and safe car, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris is an excellent choice. However, if you are looking to save money and infotainment is not a priority, the Brezza ZXI is still a fantastic value-for-money option, as it has the same engine and a host of good features for less. If you love the design of the Victoris and want the best of both worlds, the VXI Strong Hybrid variant is a great choice. It’s new, fresh, and will stay that way for years to come.
Also Read – Maruti VICTORIS All Variants EXPLAINED : A Deep Dive into Features And Pricing
