The new Suzuki 7-seater SUV that could be coming to South Africa – Details

Suzuki is working on a new seven-seater SUV, and it could be coming to South Africa.

Autocar India recently reported that Suzuki is developing a three-row version of the Grand Vitara, complete with spy shots of the camouflaged car undergoing public road tests.

India is where nearly all of the Suzuki models on sale in South Africa are imported from, which got us curious as to whether this new SUV will also be heading our way in the near future.

TopAuto therefore got in touch with Suzuki Auto South Africa to ask whether the new seven-seater Grand Vitara is in the pipeline for a local introduction.

“We will be studying the viability of the model for the South African market but cannot confirm if it will be coming,” said a company representative.

In other words, the car is under consideration for South Africa, but it is too soon to say for certain if and when it will arrive.

What we know

The seven-seater model is built on the same Global-C platform as the base Vitara, though it is currently unknown how much the wheelbase has been extended to accommodate the extra row.

As a reference, the standard Vitara’s wheelbase measures 2,600mm with an overall vehicle length of 4,345mm.

What hasn’t changed is the car’s engine selection, as the larger SUV will still be offered a 1.5-litre petrol engine with 77kW and 138Nm.

In South Africa, this engine can be paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox, which connect to the front wheels.

The Grand Vitara is also unique in that it is currently the only Suzuki hybrid in South Africa, as the range-topping GLX is available with the AllGrip four-wheel-drive system and a mild-hybrid electric starter motor that improves fuel efficiency.

Given that the seven-seater is sure to become the new flagship of Suzuki’s local stable should it be rolled out here, it seems likely that the hybrid option will be made available for the larger SUV as well.

The three-row version will reportedly be launched as part of a mid-life facelift for the Vitara in India, which will entail a number of visual alterations, though the camouflage on the spied test unit does a good job of masking these details.

The facelift will borrow design elements from the newer e-Vitara, though overall the family car will likely still be very familiar to the one we have now.

One other interesting consideration has to do with Toyota, as it currently sells a rebadged version of the Grand Vitara called the Urban Cruiser.

AutoCar India previously reported that Toyota was developing a three-row version of the Cruiser in tandem with Maruti Suzuki, so it’s likely that both the Vitara and the Cruiser will be officially unveiled in the near future.

Given that all of the Suzuki-Toyota partnership cars released in South Africa thus far have been a major success, a seven-seater Urban Cruiser should be all but confirmed for our market if and when the Grand Vitara reaches our shores.