The eVitara has been one of the most-awaited new cars, as there has been a lot of anticipation since it is the first Maruti Suzuki EV. India will finally get the eVitara next month, but for an early taste, we came all the way to the UK to sample the eVitara since the car has been on sale here.
However, another significance is that we are driving a Made in India eVitara since the car will be exported to 100 countries from the Hansalpur facility. However, this is a UK spec car, which means a proper review will come after our India drive, but for now, here is a quick first impression of driving the eVitara on UK soil.
The eVitara is a born EV with the Heartect-e platform, and being 4275mm long, it sits right at the heart of the compact EV SUV space. In red, it looks visually appealing and comes with a blanked off grille plus plenty of cladding, which gives it a pure SUV stance. Big wheels and a light bar make it a good-looking car, while there are some details, like the rear door handles are on the C Pillar.
Inside, it’s a big jump, and the interior is completely different from other Maruti Suzuki cars, with a new digital instrument cluster plus a new screen, along with a new steering wheel too. The India spec car will have dual dual-tone look, but quality is good along with a decent features list like a standard sunroof (not panoramic), level 2 ADAS, 10.25-inch screen, 10-way power adjust for the driver seat, 7 airbags, drive modes and more.
The cabin feels well built, while the flat floor plus middle headrest at the rear means three can comfortably fit with good legroom. The boot could be bigger, though. There is a 61kWh LFP battery pack, and there would be another 49kwh too.
We drove the top-end versions with 173bhp on offer. India spec models would have a front axle electric motor too. We expect an AWD version later, and the range is upwards of 500km ARAI. Real world, we can expect more than 400km. On UK roads, the eVitara is quick and comes with linear power delivery.
There is a one-pedal driving mode and some regen modes, while the suspension is soft along with ample ground clearance. It feels quite agile, though and sportier than other Maruti Suzuki cars. The first EV from Maruti then builds on the strengths, but the born EV architecture means good space, while range is ample, along with a reasonably well-packed interior.
Overall, the first drive tells us there is a lot to look forward to when the car goes on sale in India.