Maruti Suzuki Victoris

In the continuously growing compact SUV segment, Maruti has launched another model called the Victoris. If you’re interested in knowing the detailed prices of the Victoris, check out our in-depth launch story. This car shares its platform with the Grand Vitara but will be sold from Maruti’s Arena range of showrooms. It gets the best features ever offered by the carmaker and comes with a familiar but expansive range of engine and transmission options.

I’ve recently driven the Victoris and have spent a considerable amount of time with its rivals. Does the Victoris have what it takes to go up against the segment leaders? Find out here.

While most Maruti cars have a design which is plain and simple, catering to family-oriented buyers, the Victoris gets a design that is more appealing to a young buyer.

Its face gets sharp lines, an upright nose, a very muscular bonnet, and sleek lighting elements that blend seamlessly with the grille. Maruti has used horizontal elements to accentuate the width of this car, and to add some more muscle, it comes with a fairly thick bumper. Notably, it looks very different from any other Maruti Suzuki you may have seen.

The profile is the most basic angle of the Victoris. From here, it has similarities with other Maruti cars, but the overall design is of a traditional SUV. However, you do get a slightly sloping roofline which adds a bit more character.

It sits on 17-inch dual tone alloy wheels. Lower variants get 17-inch all black alloys and entry level variants come with 17-inch steel wheels.

Just a glance at the back and you can sense that something’s unusual. From this angle, the Victoris looks wider than it actually is. This is because of the nearly flat boot, and the massive rear windshield which takes up almost half of the entire rear profile. While this design does not have anything off putting, it just does not match the rest of the design, and feels a little out of place. 

Here, the highlighting element is the connected tail lamp setup which breaks up at even intervals, resulting in very distinct styling. If you want a holistic understanding of the exterior design, we have made it easier for you by giving you an in-depth look at our Victoris exterior image gallery.

You can get the Victoris in 7 monotone shades: Eternal Blue, Sizzling Red, Mystic Green, Blueish Black, Magma Grey, Splendid Silver, and Arctic White. Eternal Blue, Sizzling Red, and Splendid Silver are also available in a dual-tone shade.

If I had to pick one, I'll pick the Eternal Blue shade as it looks very appealing and easily catches attention. Are you interested in taking a closer look at every colour of the Victoris? You can do so by checking out our in-depth Victoris colours explained story.

Design & Quality

Before we talk about the interiors, let’s talk about the ingress and egress. The Victoris, just like any other car in its segment, is reasonably tall. This means that while young people will not have any issues getting in and out of the Victoris, old people will have to put in a little effort. Also, since it has a slightly sloping roofline, passengers getting into the second row will have to watch their head.

Once inside, you are treated to arguably the best looking cabin Maruti has ever made. You get a dual-tone black and off-white theme with silver accents and textured gloss black elements on the doors and dashboard. You also get ambient lighting on the aforementioned gloss black elements which makes the cabin look more premium.

In the strong hybrid variants, you get an all-black cabin theme with gold accents. This theme is a little dark, but the gold accents add some richness to the overall look. 

In terms of quality, it is what you expect from Maruti. The seats have a leatherette finish and the same finish is offered on the dashboard, door pads, centre armrest, and steering wheel. The plastics on the doors and centre console also feel nice and smooth.

Maruti has offered a brand new steering wheel which gets a lot of gloss black elements. The buttons on the steering wheel are solid and have a sturdy click. However, buttons on the doors and climate control panel are a little plasticky, the volume knob is flimsy, and the cabin lights feel cheap.

Overall, the cabin does look very nice and this design will definitely attract a lot of people. But when it comes to quality and fit and finish, this cabin is good, not great. Like the exterior, we have also detailed the interior design to give you a closer look at all the design elements. 

Front Seats

While seat height adjustment is not standard, you do get both tilt and telescopic steering adjustment from the base variant. This, combined with the neutral seat height, makes it easy to find your ideal driving position. Higher variants get a height adjustable driver seat and the top-spec variant comes with an 8-way powered driver seat, both of which add more convenience.

The space on offer here is enough for all. The headroom is good even for tall passengers and the wide contours hold you in place. The underthigh support is also good and there is enough room in the footwell to keep your legs properly.

For added convenience, you get a sliding front armrest, and in terms of visibility, there are no major blind spots.

Rear Seat

The rear seat of the Victoris has enough space for three passengers to sit comfortably, but there will be some shoulder overlap which might be a little tedious during long journeys. The middle passenger does sit a little upright, but Maruti has offered a middle adjustable headrest for comfort.

The legroom and knee room is ample and the underthigh support is one of the best in the segment, however, the headroom is very limited in the panoramic sunroof variants. Even in the non-sunroof variants, the headroom is just enough for an average sized adult, and those over 6 feet tall could want a bit more. In this regard, however, it’s on par with most segment rivals.

Due to the light cabin theme in the mild hybrid and CNG variants, you get an airy feel. But due to the size of the front headrests, frontal visibility gets compromised. In the strong hybrid variants, you get a dark cabin, which can make you feel a little cramped.

Storage Options

With the Victoris, you get all the basic storage options. All four doors have 1-litre bottle holders with some space on the side. The front passengers get two cupholders, a tray in the centre console, a big glovebox, storage under the front armrest, and a sunglass holder.

Rear passengers get seat back pockets, two cupholders in the central armrest, and a tray to keep their phone under the rear AC vents.

Charging Options

Front passengers get a cooled wireless phone charger along with a 12V socket and two USB Type-C charging ports. Rear passengers also get two USB Type-C charging ports, and there is also a 12V socket in the boot.

Overall, the Victoris’ cabin has a lot of offers in terms of design, space, and practicality. However, there are some areas which need better quality materials and improved fitment.

Boot Space

Maruti has not disclosed the official boot space figure, but you can keep an entire suitcase set here, with just enough space left for a small office bag. It comes with a flat floor, which makes it easy to load or unload luggage. But, since the boot is not deep, you cannot stack suitcases. We recommend you use small cabin-sized suitcases to best utilise this space. There is additional space under the boot floor which can fit a spare tyre, though the car doesn’t come with one as standard.

In the CNG variants, the tank is placed underneath the boot (behind the bumper), which does not compromise the space. Unlike the petrol-only variant though, there is no space under the boot floor.However, in the strong-hybrid variant, the battery pack raises the boot floor by a few inches, which does reduce some space.

Also, to make the process of opening and closing the boot easier, Maruti offers a powered tail gate, that too with gesture control.

There are 7 cool features that are a first for a Maruti Suzuki in the Victoris! Here are all the every day use features you get:

Apart from these features, you also get a 10.1-inch touchscreen which is the biggest for a Maruti car yet. This screen comes with the brand's new user interface which is easy to use, runs smoothly, and supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

This setup is paired with an 8-speaker Infinity sound system which comes with Dolby Atmos. It offers a surround sound experience with great sound clarity, but the music being played needs to be optimized for Dolby Atmos if you want the best experience.

Next to the touchscreen is a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display. This is also the biggest and Maruti’s first fully digital instrument cluster. It displays all the drive information in a neat and clean manner, and you can choose between two different layouts. 

But, if you don’t want to see your drive information on this screen, there is also a head-up display which will give you all the same information.

It also comes with ventilated front seats, however, at the highest setting, the ventilation makes a lot of noise.There is also a cooled wireless phone charger, which as the name suggests, keeps your phone’s temperature low while charging so that the charge does not stop.

Standard safety features of the Victoris include 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability program (ESP), traction control, hill hold assist, rear parking sensors, day & night IRVM, and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

Higher variants also get a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), front parking sensors, hill descent control, and a 360-degree camera with a blind view monitor. It also comes with Level 2 ADAS features like lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, high beam assist, and adaptive cruise control.

ADAS, however, is exclusive to the 6-speed automatic version of the mild-hybrid petrol Victoris. Yes, even the strong-hybrid, which costs more than the other variants, doesn’t get ADAS.

Lastly, the Victoris has 5-star crash test safety ratings from both Bharat NCAP (read our crash test decode) and Global NCAP (check out our crash test report), making it one of the safest cars in its segment.

Engine Options And Performance

With the Victoris, you get multiple powertrain options that cater to the needs of different types of buyers.

1.5-litre Mild Hybrid Petrol

This is the more refined engine out of the two and offers a smooth drive experience with little vibrations.

City Performance

With this engine, you get a very peppy drive experience inside the city. It is quick to gain speeds and overtake others in the city. The power is delivered smoothly and in a linear fashion. There is no sudden jerk or sudden surge of power which can catch you off guard.

You get the option of both manual and automatic transmissions. The manual offers better control but if you drive in the city a lot, the automatic will offer better convenience.

As for fuel efficiency, this engine can offer around 12-13 kmpl in the city.

Highway Performance

On the highway, this engine does not feel as peppy as it does in the city. Instead of an exciting drive, you get a much more relaxed drive experience. You can get to triple digit speeds easily, but overtaking at high speeds will require you to downshift every now and then. Also, under stress, this engine tends to become a little loud.

As for fuel efficiency, you can get around 17-18 kmpl on the highway.

This engine is also available with an all-wheel-drive setup that can only be had with the automatic transmission. 

1.5-litre Petrol + CNG

This is the same 4-cylinder petrol engine that comes with a factory fitted CNG kit. While it does not get the mild hybrid assist, the CNG powertrain in itself is enough to offer a good fuel efficiency.

The vibrations here are kept to a minimum, but you will notice a slight drop in power when you switch it from petrol mode to CNG mode. Also, just like the standard petrol engine, this powertrain also gets a little loud under stress.

1.5-litre Strong Hybrid Petrol

This is a 3-cylinder petrol engine which is paired with a battery pack and electric motor to deliver quick performance and great fuel efficiency. It’s the same heart as the Grand Vitara and is self-charging i.e. you just need to fill petrol as you normally would with no need to charge the battery manually. But, the downside is that it is not as refined as its mild hybrid cousin.

City Performance

Inside the city, you will mostly drive in EV mode if you’re just cruising around. However, if you need to quickly gain speed and overtake someone, you can do so with ease as the electric motor provides instant torque.

The eCVT offers a jerk free drive experience so all your drives will be smooth and relaxed.

Since it uses EV mode inside the city (if the battery pack is charged enough) you can get a fuel efficiency of over 20 kmpl while driving in the city.

Highway Performance

The electric motor assists here as well and you get quick acceleration on the highway. Overtaking others is not a hassle and you can do that at high speeds as well. 

With this performance, you also get a good fuel efficiency of well over 24-25 kmpl on the highway.

Ride Comfort

Just like any other Maruti car, the Victoris offers a plush and comfortable ride quality which has little room for complaint. It goes over potholes and poorly built roads with ease and limits any sudden movement. Passengers inside also don’t feel much side to side movement, which makes city drives very comfortable.

However, due to the average cabin insulation, you hear a lot of tyre and road noise, which definitely takes away some of the comfort.

Handling

Our experience with the Victoris was short but in that experience we drove it on properly built highways. The Victoris remains stable at high speeds and even during corners, it feels steady.

The Maruti Victoris can be had in 4 broad variants: Lxi, Vxi, Zxi, and Zxi +. Both Zxi and Zxi + get optional (O) variants which only add a sunroof.

Victoris Lxi

• The exterior gets halogen projector headlamps, black ORVMs and door handles, LED tail lamps, and 17-inch steel wheels.

• Cabin comes in a dual-tone black and off white theme, it gets black fabric upholstery, and silver inserts along with gloss black finish on the dashboard and doors.

• Features include push button start/stop, keyless entry, auto AC with rear AC vents, a semi-digital driver’s display, and a tilt & telescopic steering wheel.

• It also gets an infotainment package with a 7-inch touchscreen, 2 speakers, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and a voice assistant.

• Safety kit gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability program (ESP), traction control, rear parking sensors, and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

Victoris Vxi

• Entry level strong hybrid variant.

• Exterior changes include connected LED tail lamps, body coloured door handles and ORVMs, and roof rails.

• Cabin gets chrome finished inside door handles, seatback pockets, a height adjustable driver seat, and lighting in the glovebox, boot, and footwell.

• Additional features include electrically adjustable ORVMs, cruise control, a PM 2.5 air filter, 2 additional speakers, and a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display (strong hybrid only).

• The safety kit gets a rearview camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and electronic parking brake with auto hold (AT only).

Victoris Zxi

• Exterior upgrades include all LED lighting including LED DRLs, 17-inch all-black alloy wheels, and grey skid plates in the strong hybrid variants.

• Cabin gets leatherette seat upholstery and soft touch padding on doors and dashboard.

• Strong hybrid variants come with an all-black cabin theme with gold accents.

• Additional features include a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display (all Zxi variants), a powered tail gate with gesture control, and a cooled wireless phone charger.

• The only addition to the safety kit is an auto dimming IRVM.

• If you want a panoramic sunroof, you can pick the Zxi (O) sub variant.

Victoris Zxi +

• Only variant to get an AWD setup. However, there is no CNG powertrain available.

• Visual changes include 17-inch dual-tone alloys, a leather wrapped steering wheel, and ambient lighting on the dashboard and doors.

• Additional features include an 8-way powered driver seat, ventilated front seats, a heads-up display, and auto folding ORVMs.

• Pick the Zxi + (O) variant if you want a panoramic sunroof.

• The infotainment package gets a 10.1-inch touchscreen with an 8-speaker Infinity sound system.

• Safety kit gets a 360-degree camera, hill descent control (AWD only), and Level 2 ADAS features.

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• Pick the base variant if you’re on a budget. It gets all the basic daily use features and comes with an infotainment package.

• Go for the Zxi variant if you want the best value for your money. It gets good styling inside and out, and comes packed with useful features.

• Pick the top-spec Zxi + variant only if you want the best features or an AWD setup.

If you want to know more about the compact SUV this buying guide will assist you in knowing everything about the Victoris.

The Maruti Victoris offers a good deal when it comes to design, space, features, and comfort. And it wraps up that deal inside a very fuel efficient package. 

What the Victoris offers is choice, and that too plenty. Since it has so many different powertrain options, you can very easily find a variant that caters to your needs. It may not set any new benchmarks for the segment but offers a strong balance that’s definitely worth considering.

Other Options To Consider

Hyundai Creta

Reasons to consider

• Diesel and turbo-petrol option

• Sporty N-Line option looks more attractive

Reasons to ignore

• Petrol engines aren’t as fuel-efficient

• High speed ride quality isn’t as good

Kia Seltos

Reasons to consider

• Sharper styling

• Diesel engine and turbo-petrol option

• Richer interior quality

Reasons to ignore

• Petrol engines aren’t as fuel-efficient

• High speed ride quality isn’t as good

Maruti Grand Vitara/ Toyota Hyryder

Reasons To Consider

• Similar package in a different design avatar.

Reasons To Ignore

• Not as feature rich and more expensive.

Now, there are quite a few differences between the Grand Vitara and Victoris, which we have detailed by comparing the dimensions, powertrain options and features of both compact SUVs.

Honda Elevate

Reasons to consider

• Bigger boot space

• Interior feels a little better built

Reasons to ignore

• No hybrid, CNG or AWD option

• Misses out on a few features

Volkswagen Taigun/Skoda Kushaq

Reasons to consider

• Feels more enthusiast-oriented

• Build quality feels more solid and premium

Reasons to ignore

• Looks smaller than its rivals

• Not as fuel-efficient