Maruti Grand Vitara Now Equipped With Pedestrian Alert System

Known as the acoustic vehicle alerting system (AVAS), it alerts pedestrians about the car’s presence and can be heard up to five feet from the vehicle

• Maruti has added the safety alert system only to the hybrid variants of the Grand Vitara.

• Only the Zeta+ and Alpha+ variants of the SUV come with a strong-hybrid powertrain.

• Alert is likely to be most useful when the SUV is silent in pure EV mode.

• Prices for the hybrid variants have hence been increased by up to Rs 4,000.

• They get a 116PS 1.5-litre strong-hybrid petrol powertrain mated to an e-CVT claiming an economy of up to 27.97kmpl.

With hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) becoming more popular, their silent working nature has often caught pedestrians in their vicinity off guard. While EVs are common examples in such scenarios, hybrids too can account for it, thanks to their “EV mode” that works silently under low-stress conditions or at lower speeds. Taking cognisance of the same, the Maruti Grand Vitara has now added ‘acoustic vehicle alerting system’ or AVAS on the feature list of its strong-hybrid variants.

How Does It Work?

Maruti says the system has been designed in such a way that it emits a low-level alert sound, which can be heard up to five feet away from the car to caution pedestrians and other road users. It is being offered as standard across the hybrid variants (Zeta+ and Alpha+) of the compact SUV.

Although the Grand Vitara’s Toyota counterpart – the Hyryder – doesn’t offer this safety feature as yet, the carmaker might follow Maruti’s footsteps and roll it out on newer units of the SUV soon.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki eVX Electric SUV Testing Begins, Interior Details Seen Too

Comes At A Small Cost

Due to the addition of the safety feature, the strong-hybrid variants of the Maruti Grand Vitara have become costlier by a nominal Rs 4,000.

The official statement also mentions that this feature makes the SUV compliant with upcoming regulations, possibly hinting that all electrified vehicles may soon be mandated to offer this piece of safety equipment in the near future.

Details Of The Electric Powertrain

Maruti has equipped the Grand Vitara with a strong-hybrid powertrain featuring a 1.5-litre petrol engine. It is rated at 116PS and offers a claimed range of 27.97kmpl. It comes mated to an e-CVT.

The compact SUV also gets the choice of a 103PS 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with either a 5-speed MT or a 6-speed automatic. It also has an all-wheel-drivetrain (AWD) option but only with the manual gearbox.

Also Read: 7 Important Tips To Ensure Your Car Is Safe During Flash Floods

Prices And Rivals

Maruti’s compact SUV is priced from Rs 10.70 lakh onwards (ex-showroom Delhi). It takes on the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Astor, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, and the upcoming Citroen C3 Aircross and Honda Elevate.

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