Maruti Suzuki Invicto Review: Same Same But Different?

In the age of platform sharing and economies of scale, badge re-engineering is the way for most manufacturers to go. VW, Skoda Renault, Nissan, Toyota, and Maruti Suzuki are all very much part of this game and the latest of the lot belongs to the latter two. The Toyota Innova Hycross now has a sibling from the Maruti Suzuki stable called Invicto and we went to sunny Rajasthan to drive the most expensive car from the company’s stable.

Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Design

The Invicto does not look far different from the Innova Hycross. Frankly, the only things that have changed can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The mesh pattern of the front grille, headlamps, tail lamps, 17-inch tyres and the chrome on it and not to forget the badging. View it in profile and the similarities are even more pronounced. There’s no change in the dimensions, which frankly we weren’t expecting. But there’s no change even in the engine.

Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Engine & Transmission

There is no change in the engine specs when compared to the Innova Hycross. The only difference is that the Invicto is available only with the strong hybrid and there is no other variant on offer. I would also like to talk about the e-CVT because it still suffers from the rubber band effect like CVTs though not as painful. It takes a second to react to your inputs and then goes. There’s 184 bhp on offer so the gearbox needed to be slightly more tuned to provide that power when you want it, but it does not happen.

Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Ride and Handling

Unlike the Innova Hycross, the Invicto gets 17-inch wheels, the Hycross gets 18 inchers. There’s a good grip and it even helps make the Invicto more fuel efficient. Any number above 20 kmpl for a car this size is great and the Invicto delivers more than 23 kmpl according to the company. Of course, the hybrid system helps as well and these 17-inch tyres too. The suspension is tuned on the harder side but you don’t get a kickback. The occupants though have to deal with body roll and there’s a good amount of it.

But the travel of the suspension is not long, and hence the lateral movement in the car is not that pronounced. So, the ride quality is actually pretty good, well, it was good even on the Hycross frankly.

Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Cabin And Features

There’s a lot to like here, like this 10-inch display, and you get wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto. There’s a slight delay in response, but overall, it works well. You get a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, and good overall space. Ergonomically, all controls are handy. But there is a miss, as there’s no wireless charging even in this top-spec model. We wish Maruti Suzuki would have focused on getting the right mix of features. Because certain features could have been made part of standard equipment like TPMS, Seatbelt reminder for the second row, and even wireless Apple Carplay, but they’re not!

But what you can’t fault it for is the ample space on offer. The rear seats offer good knee room, and there’s decent headroom as well. You get AC vents at the rear and charging points, too. The third row, however, is not for adults, because it will be too cramped, so maybe kids and pre-teens will be the only ones finding this space comfortable.

The boot space is a paltry 300 litres with all the seats up and it can be extended to 991 litres but in a big car like this, there are usually a lot of people joining in right?

Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Safety Features

On the safety front, Maruti has nailed it providing everything you want. 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, and vehicle stability control are among the other standard safety features. But it has given ADAS a miss which we feel is not a big deal, given the competitive price point.

For those of you asking about a crash test safety rating, well, there is none yet!

Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Price

Priced between Rs. 24.79 to 28.42 lakh it isn’t cheap either.

Though it’s cheaper than the Hycross variant-to-variant. But It is the most expensive Maruti Suzuki money can buy. And the price is not the only thing that will make you think twice before buying the Invicto.

Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Verdict

While the Toyota Innova Hycross carries a close to 1 year waiting period, the allocation for Maruti Suzuki has to go up to meet the demand for the Invicto. The Invicto already has close to 6800 bookings and from what I have been told, to fulfil this order Maruti Suzuki could start with a waiting period of 1 year which is not good news for the consumers. But Maruti will clearly look to push for more cars but will that resolve the issue? We don’t know yet.

But Maruti Suzuki could have been a bit more original with this car, because it needed that touch of luxury which the company could have provided, given how well it knows its consumers.