Maruti Suzuki e Vitara

After a long run of teasers and showcases, we finally got to drive the Maruti e Vitara which has been launched from Rs 10.99 lakh + Rs 3.99 per km (BaaS pricing) after much delays. The full prices of the e Vitara range from Rs 15.99 lakh to Rs 20.01 lakh. This is not just another electric car, it is Maruti’s first EV for the Indian and Global markets, and there is a lot that Maruti has to do right for it to give its rivals, which have been evolving for years, a strong competition.

Post our drive experience, we have formed our first impressions about the design, space, features, and the performance of the e Vitara, and if you have your eyes set on the Maruti EV, you can read our review here. Meanwhile, if you like the e Vitara and are interested to bring one home, our detailed booking process story will give you insight on how to reserve one. 

You must have already seen a lot of photos of the e Vitara, but we can tell you with experience that it looks better in person. Unlike a lot of EVs, which come with quirky designs that are in your face, the e Vitara looks simple and has a European elegance (it will also be launched in Europe).

The face has a sharp look, which you might not like at first glance, but spend some time with it, and it will grow on you. There are sleek y-shaped LED DRLs which house the headlamps, the sharp cuts and creases gives its nose a mean look, and there is a lot of muscle thanks to its huge bumper.

On the other hand, the profile is much simpler due to its flat panels, and there isn’t much going on here save for the aerodynamic alloy wheels and thick door cladding. In terms of size, here is how big the Maruti e Vitara is compared to its rivals.

At the back, the muscle continues to show with a wide tailgate and a massive bumper. A touch of modernity is added by the connected tail lamp setup. Our image gallery will give you a closer look at the e Vitara's design details. 

Maruti offers the e Vitara in 5 monotone shades: Splendid Silver, Nexa Blue, Bluish Black, Grandeur Grey, and Opulent Red. You also get Land Breeze Green and Arctic White shades that are only available with a black roof, and you also get a dual-tone treatment with the Splendid Silver exterior colour. Our detailed colours image gallery will give you an idea of how the e Vitara looks like in different hues. 

Design & Quality

Inside, the e Vitara gets a black and tan brown cabin theme which is predominantly dark. You get a new two-spoke steering wheel with a squarish shape, square AC vents with brushed aluminium surrounds, and a dual-screen setup which takes up half of the dashboard.

The interior design is unlike any other Maruti car, and so is the cabin quality. The dashboard is soft touch and well finished, all stalks and buttons feel solid, the leather-wrapped steering wheel feels premium and the door pads feel robust. There are no inconsistencies in the cabin quality which we’ve seen in other new Maruti models, and the overall cabin quality is getting closer to what you get in Kia or Hyundai cars.

Front Seat

For young people, getting in and out of the e Vitara will not be a hassle as the doors open wide enough for easy ingress and egress. However, since the floor is raised due to the battery, you have to lift your knee a little high to get inside, and that may be difficult for the elderly.

Even for a 6’5” person, the driver seat of the e Vitara is surprisingly comfortable and accommodating. The overall ergonomics are good, you can easily reach the screen and the buttons, and the knee room is good enough. We only wish that the steering wheel could come closer, especially for tall drivers.

Rear Seat

At the back, the space is a little limited. You do get enough knee room so that your knees don’t brush up against the front seats, but the raised floor results in compromised underthigh support, and the headroom is only adequate.

You can seat three people here, but the middle passenger will have to sit upright with a lot of shoulder overlap, and the dark cabin theme will make you feel a little cramped. The middle passenger does get a dedicated headrest, which does make the ride a little more comfortable.

Storage & Practicality

Storage spaces inside the e Vitara are like any other family SUV. You get bottle holders in all doors, cupholders in the centre console, an average-sized glovebox, space under the centre armrest, and a tray to keep your phone. It also gets space under the centre console which you can use to keep large items.

Rear seat passengers get seatback pockets, a tray to keep their phone, and cupholders in the centre armrest.

There are multiple charging options available inside the e Vitara, including a wireless phone charger, a 12 V socket, a USB type-A port, and USB type-C ports. 

Overall, the cabin design and cabin quality of the e Vitara is impressive to say the least, and it packs all the practicality you expect from a car of its size. The only place where it could have done better is the rear seat space, which is adequate at best.

Features

The e Vitara is well equipped with features as it comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen which gets a new user interface that’s easy to use, and it has large icons which are easy to read. This screen supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both of which run smoothly.

There is also a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display which has neat graphics and the information is easy to read. You also get features like a fixed glass roof, a wireless phone charger, automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, an HDMI port, and a 10-way powered driver seat.

While all these features are good, physical buttons for regen-levels and seat ventilation would have been better and more convenient.

You also get a 360-degree camera which gives you a clean feed of what’s around and there are multiple views to choose from.

In terms of safety, you get 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, all-wheel disc brakes, an electronic parking brake, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), electronic stability control (ESC), acoustic vehicle alarm system (AVAS), front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree camera.

It also gets Level 2 ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) which comes with features like lane keep assist, high beam assist, adaptive cruise control, rear cross traffic alert, and autonomous emergency braking.

During our drive, we did test the ADAS a bit, and it worked properly as it has been tuned properly for Indian road conditions. 

The e Vitara also has a 5-star BNCAP crash test safety rating, which you can read about here.

The e Vitara comes with a boot space of 310-litres, which is not enough when you consider the size and segment of the SUV. But it is enough to keep a couple of small and medium sized suitcases and you can keep the luggage for a weekend getaway.

If you want to keep more stuff in the boot, the rear seat offers a 40:20:40 split, which you can fold to carry larger items.

With the e Vitara, you get two battery pack options: 49 kWh and 61 kWh. While Maruti claims a range of up to 543 km, in real-world conditions, the smaller battery pack will give you somewhere close to 350 km, and the bigger one will offer around 420 km.

City Performance

The e Vitara’s throttle response has been tuned in such a way that it’s very friendly for someone driving an EV for the first time. You can easily drive it around inside the city because it does not have that initial surge of power that most EVs do. The acceleration is linear, it does not take you by surprise, and driving around in the city is smooth and effortless.

For more economical drives, you get an Eco mode which reduces the power consumption, so that you can get a better range.

Highway Performance

On the highways, while the e Vitara will not push you back into your seat, it does go to triple digits with ease. You get an acceleration that is quick enough to easily overtake someone, and at the same time, it’s smooth and gradual enough that you won’t feel out of control.

The Sports mode does add a bit more fun to your drives, but driving in that mode will gulp the battery.

Driving the e Vitara feels like driving a very large remote controlled car and what stands out is how well Maruti had balanced the throttle response and regenerative braking.

For more details about its powertrain and Maruti’s charging infrastructure, check out our article.

Ride Comfort

Maruti is well known for its comfortable and impressive ride quality, which we have seen in the Grand Vitara, and we’re happy to report that you get the same level of comfort with the e Vitara as well.

The bump absorption is good, driving over speedbreakers or potholes does not result in sudden movement, and while you do feel the weight of the car over undulations, the body roll has been well controlled.

One thing that needs improvement is cabin insulation. Road noise is noticeable on asphalt and becomes more pronounced on concrete roads. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it can get tiring on longer journeys.

Handling

On the handling front, the e Vitara offers good high speed stability. The suspension setup is neither too soft nor too stiff, and the well controlled body rolls keeps the SUV planted while taking corners or making quick lane changes. 

You’ll not get a sporty handling out of it, but the stability you get is predictable and you won’t feel that the car is not under your control.

Maruti is offering the e Vitara in three variants: Delta, Zeta, and Alpha. To know the details of what each of these variants offer, you can check out our Maruti e Vitara variants explained article.

Maruti e Vitara Delta

• Gets LED DRLs, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a roof mounted spoiler.

• The cabin comes with fabric seats, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, and a reclining and sliding function for the rear seats.

• Features include auto AC, push button start/stop, and a digital driver’s display.

• The infotainment package gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and an Infinity sound system.

• Safety kit gets 7 airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitoring system, electronic stability control, and an electronic parking brake.

Maruti e Vitara Zeta

• Adds a wireless phone charger and a rearview camera to the feature list.

Maruti e Vitara Alpha

• Gets projector LED headlamps, fog lamps, and dual-tone paint options.

• Cabin gets semi-leatherette seats, 10-way power adjustable driver seat, and a single-pane glass roof.

• Additional features include ventilated front seats, additional subwoofer and tweeters, a 360-degree camera, and Level 2 ADAS.

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• The base Delta variant makes a lot of sense as it covers everything you need for your daily commutes, and only misses out on some fancy comfort features.

• Pick the higher Zeta or Alpha variants only if you want the bigger battery pack or the flashy features.

Finally, to answer the question of exactly what kind of a product it is, the e Vitara is what one expects a Maruti car to be. It is simple, practical, and executes everything thoughtfully. It’s easy to drive, well-equipped, and represents a significant step forward in cabin quality and safety. Rear seat under-thigh support remains a concern, but aside from that, it’s a very well-rounded package.

Other Cars To Consider

Hyundai Creta Electric

Reasons To Consider

• Better rear seat space

• Better feature list

• More practical

Reasons To Ignore

• Lower claimed range

You can find a detailed comparison of the Maruti e Vitara and the Hyundai Creta Electric in this report.

MG Windsor

Reasons To Consider

• Best rear seat experience

Reasons To Ignore

• Lower claimed range

• Quirky design

Wondering which one to pick? Our detailed comparison of the Maruti e Vitara and MG Windsor should help you make a decision.