Maruti Invicto: For India’s biggest car maker, the Maruti Invicta is a very strategic departure — indeed its first serious attempt at a premium MPV.
The people-carrier, the first car to be launched by Maruti Suzuki since 2023, is part of a move to challenge beyond its traditional domain of small and mid-sized cars and challenge for a slice of the expanding market for high-end family cars.
Maruti Invicto: Genesis and Positioning
The Invicto comes out of Maruti Suzuki’s collaboration with Toyota under their global alliance pact. At the heart of things, the Invicto is the very same Toyota Innova but with some mild cosmetic changes and tweaks getting added on to reflect the Indian carmaker’s identity.
The step will help Maruti to establish in the premium MPV segment with a ready product, not to mention it will also get assistance from Toyota in hybrid technology and larger vehicle manufacturing.
In an expansive retail portfolio of Maruti Suzuki, the Invicto stands at number one above its sole range-topping models – the XL6 and the Ertiga MPVs.
Designed specifically for customers looking for a spacious and feature loaded family carriage with a high-class feel coupled with hassle-free ownership courtesy of Maruti’s service network.
This way, Maruti finds itself able to satisfy at all price points, from the most sensible and practical to the fiercely aspirational.
Design Speak: It’s about Refined Moderation
The exterior design of the Invicto has changed very little in comparison with the silhouette of the Innova Hycross, with Maruti specific design cues to the front.
1 of 7 The chrome-accented grille is styled as per Marutisuzuki’s design language surrounded by sleek LED projector headlamps which comes integrated with Daytime running lights signature to the light.
Profile The Invicto has the long wheelbase look with a pair of long doors, chrome elements that give a floating roof design. The taillamps are LED type with a chrome linking strip that gives more visual width and class to the rear end.
Overall, the design blends function with high-end class – which is important as this will be a vehicle to compete with the likes of being a family car as much as a car for the executive going places.
Powertrain Technology
Poised under the meek bonnet of the Invicto is Toyota’s clever strong hybrid system, pairing an electric motor with a 2.0-liter NA petrol for a total system power of around 186 hp.
This power train will return respectable fuel economy for a car of this size, 21-23 kilometer per liter on a good day, currently an advantage in the segment.
The mechanic system is e-CVT (electronic continuously variable transmission) using an advanced electronic system than is able to deliver power without jerk cause by traditional gear shift.
The configuration allows for short periods of pure electric propulsion at low speeds – which is particularly helpful driving in the stop-start conditions of the urban jungle – and is a strong performer at cruising speed and under higher power demands.
Cabin Space and Technology
To the inside of it, the Invicto enjoys a vast, and lush, hand-built living space for either seven or eight passengers.
The seven-seater also gets captain’s chairs in the second row with independent armrests, recline and slide for a more commanding feel for passengers at the rear. The eight-seater (pictured) swaps these out for a three-seater bench in the middle.
The dashboard is a clean affair with horizontal lines of the dashboard panel converging on the 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. The driver can see full hybrid system information from the semi-digital instrument cluster.
The quality of materials suggest a premium offering for the Invicto, and there are soft-touch surfaces on the dashboard, leatherette upholstery, and fashionable wood-effect trim panels.
The atmosphere in the cabin can be further enhanced by ambient lighting for night-time driving, to be contrasted during the day when the panoramic sunroof opens up this elegant interior to the natural light.
Feature Suite
The Invicto features a generous list of equipment, which arrives in form of ventilated front seats, multi-zone automatic climate control with roof-mounted air vents for all three rows, a wireless smartphone charger, 360-degree camera system, powered tailgate, and a premium audio system.
Safety kit comprises six airbags, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist, tyre-pressure monitoring system and ADAS (advanced driver-assistance systems) functions such as lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert with the higher-spec models.
Market Impact
The Invicto is Maruti Suzuki’s nod to changing customer dynamic and trends in India, where high disposable incomes are driving demand for utility vehicles that are more premium and developed for the family.
Using the Toyota-Suzuki marriage, Maruti gets to play in a segment where developing a standalone product would’ve needed a lot of capital and time to be put in.
As for the consumers – the Invicto brings with it the powers of hybrid technology, premium offerings and Maruti’s wide service reach and resale value – a combo, you simply won’t bet against in the Indian automotive space.
Maruti Invicto:
The Invicto is a landmark product for Maruti Suzuki and it also indicates the direction Maruti Suzuki will have to take in the near future if it wants to compete in the rapidly changing domestic car market of India.
With Indian customers now looking for space, tech and of course the prestige, the Invicto makes it possible for Maruti to keep its existing MPV owners instead of seeing them shift loyalties to other brands for their premium MPV needs.
High levels of aspiration are also counterbalanced by the Invicto’s smart positioning and feature selection, keeping it as reach as it is feasible, while maintaining Maruti Suzuki’s indispensable trait of easy practical motoring.