Thursday Throwback: Exploring The MPV Predecessors Of The Maruti Invicto

Maruti’s best sellers from the hatchback and SUV segments make it easy to overlook the brand’s dominance in the MPV space

The Maruti Invicto MPV is all set to launch in July, and it will be the costliest Maruti on sale till date, with an expected price of around Rs 19 lakh and up (ex-showroom). Maruti is the most popular carmaker in India, and even in the MPV segment, it’s a leader with the Ertiga and Eeco. While we expect the Invicto to help increase Maruti get a foothold in the premium MPV space, the brand can trace its MPV legacy to truly humble origins. 

We take a trip down India’s automotive history and remember all the Maruti MPVs before the Invicto and the carmaker’s journey in the segment. 

Maruti Omni

In 1984, right on the heels of the launch of the Maruti 800, came the Maruti Van. The microbus-type Maruti was later renamed to Omni, in 1988. 

The Omni was an instant hit, not just in the commercial segment, but with families too. It came with a simple ideology to transport the maximum number of passengers from one place to another at a minimal cost. This was where the Omni excelled at. 

Interesting Fact: The Omni was launched for under Rs 1 lakh in 1984! 

In 1998, it got the first facelift which gave the Omni subtle design changes inside and out. It still continued with the 800’s engine with the manual transmission. The MPV got another facelift 7 years later and it remained pretty much the same until its discontinuation in 2019. 

After 35 years of service, the Omni nameplate finally retired, leaving its duties on the shoulders of the Eeco. 

Maruti Versa

In 2001, Maruti launched the Versa which was essentially a better equipped alternative to the Omni. It debuted for a price of around Rs 4 lakh (ex-showroom), which was considered a bit hefty for that time. 

The purpose of the Versa was to blend utility with some comfort while travelling with 6-7 passengers. Its price and rather basic van-like styling didn’t appeal much to buyers at the time. For that matter, the much nicer looking Esteem sedan was only a little bit pricier making it a far more attractive vehicle for anyone who could consider buying the Versa. 

The Maruti Versa came with a humble 1.3-litre petrol engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. The Versa was decently equipped for its time, with premium quality fabric upholstery, adjustable steering column, rear AC vents, power windows, central locking, and adjustable seats. 

In 2009, the MPV was phased out, and the carmaker had learnt its lesson - make it simple and keep the prices low. 

Also Read: Top 10 Indian Celebrity Brand Ambassadors For Indian Cars!

Maruti Eeco

In 2010, came the successor to the Versa, in the form of the Eeco. It was essentially a facelift and carried the same van-type look but was stripped of all the visual highlights and noteworthy comforts. It was offered as a bare-bones car which simply had one purpose - carry goods or people in the most affordable way. 

Thanks to all the feature reductions from the Versa, the Eeco came at a very aggressive price tag. For a starting price of around Rs 2.7 lakh (ex-showroom), it was literally half of Versa’s price. The Eeco was missing several vital features like power steering, powered windows, central locking, airbags, and even AC was optional! 

The simplicity of the build meant that the Eeco promised ruggedness, significant room for cargo, and low maintenance costs made the Maruti van a success in the commercial segment. It’s still widely used as taxis, ambulances and school vans among lower economic sections while the most widespread use remains to be as cargo vans. The Eeco is one of the best selling cars of India, averaging around 9,000 units per month. 

Over the 13 years of being on sale, it still looks identical to the first version. The interior has been slightly refreshed but is still pretty basic. Its only updates have been to keep it compliant with the latest regulations. 

Maruti Ertiga

At the 2012 Auto Expo, Maruti finally launched its first “proper” MPV which didn’t look van-type. The Ertiga was introduced with the ‘LUV’ tagline - Life Utility Vehicle at a price tag of Rs 5.89 lakh. It is a three-row car which looked a bit stylish but also had the look of an extended hatchback. 

It was also the first Maruti MPV to get a diesel engine, which claimed an efficiency of around 20kmpl. Also on offer was a brand-new 1.4-litre petrol engine which was quite refined. Mainly, it offered car-like comfort and driving manners, which was a much needed leap from the Eeco. 

It can seat seven people and is adequately comfortable too. There were very few drawbacks with the Ertiga and once launched, the buyers who wanted an affordable family car with easy-to-manage proportions took an instant liking to it. For the longest period, it has had to deal with very little competition and enjoys significant demand from both private and fleet buyers. 

In 2016, it got a comprehensive facelift which gave it more efficient petrol and diesel engines, additional features, and a more stylish appeal. The petrol also got the option of a 4-speed automatic, which added more to its practicality. Interestingly, in just 4 years, it had already crossed the 2.25 lakh sales mark. 

FUN FACT - The Maruti Ertiga was one of the earliest MPVs to get a decent 3-star rating

In 2018, the MPV got a new generation update and it was underpinned by Suzuki’s new HEARTECT platform.  While the diesel engine was retained, a new 1.5-litre petrol engine was introduced. The Ertiga became a somewhat feature-rich offering with dual airbags, a rear camera, a touchscreen infotainment system, ESP, and hill-hold function. The new generation was priced from Rs 7.44 lakh to Rs 13.90 lakh (ex-showroom). 

Maruti then replaced the Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre multi-jet diesel engine with an in-house developed 1.5-litre unit. However, when the BS6 emission norms were implemented, the MPV lost its diesel option altogether in 2020. The last mild facelift came in 2022 and Ertiga continues to be a segment leader in the MPV space.  

Maruti XL6

Over the years, the design of the Ertiga started getting outdated and a bit dull. Meanwhile, Maruti was building a line of premium models to be sold via the Nexa chain of dealerships and there was an opportunity for a better-looking but still affordable compact MPV in the Indian market. So, in 2019, Maruti introduced the XL6. as a more stylish, premium, and comfier version of the Ertiga. As the name implies, it is strictly a six-seater, unlike the seven-seat Ertiga.

It was launched for around Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom) and was available only in two fully-loaded variants. A 1.5-litre petrol engine was on offer with the choice of manual and automatic.In 2022, it received a mild facelift which gave it a fresh lease of life. With several feature additions over the Ertiga and a more stylish design, it can be considered as an upgrade in the MPV space. 

Maruti Invicto

The Maruti Invicto is essentially a rebadged version of the Toyota Innova Hycross, with slightly different looks. It’s a by-product of the Suzuki-Toyota dealership to exchange cars, platforms, and technologies. 

The Invicto will be an upscale offering with features such as panoramic sunroof, a 10-inch touchscreen system, wireless charger, ventilated front seats, and second-row powered Ottoman seats. It will also be the first Maruti car to get the radar-based ADAS safety feature. 

Powering the Invicto will be the Innova’s 2-litre petrol-hybrid engine, which on the Toyota, claims an efficiency of 23.24kmpl. It’s also one of the most powerful powertrains offered by Maruti in almost a decade.

Final Thoughts

Most Maruti cars have always been high-volume models with the exception of the initial Nexa offerings. But now, the brand has shed its budget-only image with recent products that are as feature-rich as global competitors and are still fairly high in demand.

The Invicto represents how Maruti has learned from its past and has now established itself as a multi-faceted brand. In the context of MPVs, you can find something as bare as the Eeco and go all the way up to a premium MPV that will get a justifiable price tag of around Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom) and higher.