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Maruti Suzuki Invicto Review: The Ultimate Cheat Code Special?
When Suzuki and Toyota inked their badge-swapping deal a while back, the larger Japanese firm benefitted from the partnership by gobbling up the Brezza and the Baleno from Maruti Suzuki.
While fans of Toyota weren't the biggest fans of the deal, it did help the firm shore up its numbers in India. However, over the past few months, the shoe has been on the other foot, as Maruti took the Hyryder and made it the Grand Vitara.
Recently, Toyota dropped the all-new Innova Hycross, and the latest iteration of the King of the MPVs in India has become the latest product from Aichi in Japan to feature an 'S' on its nose.
The result is the Maruti Suzuki Invicto, a rebadged Innova Hycross that tweaks the looks of the Innova, fits it with smaller wheels and rips out driver aids for a price tag no one a decade ago would have pictured next to a Maruti Suzuki.
So do the changes make the Maruti Suzuki Invicto the ultimate cheat code or are the changes a step too far into the unknown for India's largest carmaker? We drove the all-new Maruti Suzuki Invicto in Rajasthan to find the answer...
Maruti Suzuki Invicto Design & Features - Tweaking The Unbeatable
The Maruti Suzuki Invicto, like other vehicles in the Toyota/Maruti Suzuki world of badge swaps, is more of a facelift than a proper face swap.
Like its smaller rebadged siblings, the Invicto redoes the face and a few other bits to give the premium MPV a distinctive Maruti Suzuki look that has become a trademark for the firm's premium Nexa lineup.
At the front, the Invicto features a different grille that features chunky chrome bars connecting the Suzuki badge to the revised headlamps that feature new triple LED daytime running lights.
The new grille looks similar to the one on the Grand Vitara and the new Fronx SUVs and, when combined with the smoked look of the headlamps, gives the new Invicto a distinctively Nexa look. And the large turn signals are no longer dual-purpose units.
Other changes on the new Invicto compared to the Innova Hycross include the new triple LED taillights on the Maruti version of the MPV, which also sports smaller 17-inch alloy wheels.
The interiors of the Maruti Suzuki Invicto are a near-carbon copy of the Innova. However, Maruti Suzuki has added a few champagne gold highlights to the new Invicto's cabin that give it a more premium look.
However, the all-black interior and the silver trim on the steering wheel and dash look slightly less premium. The seats are also almost identical. While the front seats are the same ventilated, adjustable (driver's only) units, However, the captain seats on the 7-seater version of the new Invicto are not as mad as the ottoman units on the Innova.
The display for the infotainment screen remains the same - a 10.1-inch touchscreen with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The 7-inch display in the instrument binnacle has also been retained, as has the dual-zone climate control setup, powered tailgate, large panoramic sunroof, and the wireless charging pad that sits above the glovebox.
The new Invicto from Maruti Suzuki also gets the firm's Suzuki Connect suite of connected car features. These allow you to track your Invicto and know when it is being towed away or stolen, along with a host of other functions like geofencing and door lock/unlock, which can be done through a connected smartwatch.
The Maruti Suzuki Invicto also comes packed with quite a bit of safety kit, including six airbags, ABS with EBD vehicle stability control, hill start assist, a 360-degree camera with dynamic guidelines, front and rear parking sensors and all-wheel disc brakes.
However, Maruti Suzuki has ditched ADAS once again with the all-new Invicto, which we feel is something they should not have compromised on as these driver-aids help save more lives on the road.
Maruti Suzuki Invicto Driving Impressions - More Of The Same
Instead of borrowing all the powertrains on offer with the Innova, Maruti Suzuki has decided to stick with the strong hybrid system for the Invicto. The hybrid setup is paired with an e-CVT gearbox that sends power to the front wheels.
The hybrid setup consists of a 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine that pushes out 150bhp and 187Nm of peak torque. The engine is helped along by a single electric motor producing 111bhp and 206Nm and is paired with a 1.7kWh NIMH battery pack.
The power output of the hybrid setup of the Maruti Suzuki Invicto is limited to 184bhp. The Invicto sprints from 0-100km/h in 9.5 seconds, and the premium MPV delivers a mileage of 23.24km/l.
The Invicto starts on electric power, and it will easily go around town with the engine only coming in to recharge the battery or to give a bit of extra boost when needed. However, when the speeds go up, the roles flip. With the engine in charge, the motor adds electrical assistance, and the combination easily goes up the speedometer.
Initially, the response is linear; however, it does peter out at higher speeds with the e-CVT, making the powerplant feel a bit weirdly strained. However, at lower speeds, the gearbox feels more at ease.
The monocoque chassis setup means that the Invicto drives down the highways with ease. The 17-inch wheels are shod with 215/60 tyres, and the ride of the Invicto feels slightly plusher than the Innova.
Turning round bends is also quite nice for a vehicle this size. However, don't expect any miracles when you push the Invicto around a corner despite how easy the power steering makes it seem.
The brakes on the Invicto are aided by the regeneration of the hybrid setup. The regen can be tweaked, and with discs all around, the Invicto comes to a stop with relative ease.
Final Thoughts About The Maruti Suzuki Invicto - Cheat Code Activated
The Maruti Suzuki Invicto seems like the ultimate cheat code for fans of the nation's largest carmaker, who seem to be getting a rebadged Innova for around Rs 1 lakh less.
However, while the Invicto may seem to some as an imposter with an S badge, especially with the lack of ADAS, Maruti customers will still find it to be a rather brilliant deal. At the end of the day, that's all that matters at the end of the day.
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