Complete Guide to Buying a Maruti Invicto

In the automotive world, there are few odder couples than Maruti Suzuki and premium pricing. The brand’s previous attempt at grabbing a slice of the premium pie failed spectacularly, despite how good a car the Kizashi was. Given this spotless history, a lot is riding for Maruti on the Invicto.

On the bright side, the Invicto, unlike the Kizashi, doesn’t have to go out and convince buyers of its proposition. It’s Maruti’s version of the immensely popular and well-received Toyota Innova Hycross. This means you get proven underpinnings, excellent comfort, and decent luxury packaged under Maruti’s premium Nexa experience. 

If you’re tempted by the Invicto’s shorter waiting periods compared to the Innova Hycross and are wondering how Maruti’s version racks up against Toyota’s, here’s a Maruti Invicto buying guide to make your decision easier. 

Maruti Invicto Specifications

Why you should consider the Maruti Invicto

Cars across different spectrums will feel threatened by the Maruti Invicto, despite the latter being an MPV. Here are three reasons that make the Invicto such a versatile car.   

Spacious and Comfortable Cabin

Along with the Innova Hycross, the Maruti Invicto is the tallest car in its class, which allows for excellent headroom for occupants right up to the 3rd row. The last row, in fact, can even seat three average-size adults and offers the requisite 3rd seatbelt point for it. The 2nd row can be had with either captain seats or a bench seat, just like with the Innova. In terms of overall space, the Maruti is a clear cut above the 7-seater SUVs sold in this price range. 

There’s adequate shoulder room and legroom while the panoramic sunroof and ample glass area lend an airy feel to the Invicto’s spacious cabin. As for creature comforts, Maruti has done the expected with an electrically adjustable driver’s seat with memory function, front ventilated seats, reclinable rear captain seats, and dual-zone climate control. Overall, the Invicto, just like the Innova, is unmatched in space and comfort at this price range. 

Good Performance and Fuel Efficiency

Unlike the Innova Hycross, the Maruti Invicto gets just one powertrain option, a 2.0-litre strong hybrid petrol mated to an e-CVT gearbox. Even so, this is the largest engine yet on a Maruti vehicle as it produces a combined (petrol + electric) 186 PS of power. Torque output is rated at 188 Nm from the petrol motor, which might not sound a big deal till you realise it’s complemented by 206 Nm of instantaneous torque from the electric motor. This electric motor draws from a 1.6 kWh NiMH battery stored under the 3rd-row seat.  

At lower speeds, this allows the electric motor to do most of the legwork with the petrol motor coming into the picture as you step on it. And when you do step on it, the Invicto will not disappoint you as it can do the 0-100 kmph dash in roughly 10 seconds, an impressive feat for an MPV of this size. This performance becomes even more praiseworthy in light of the Invicto’s fuel efficiency of 23.24 kmpl, putting it beyond the reach of even much smaller cars. 

Toyota Engineering + Maruti Ownership

The Toyota brand in India is synonymous with faultless reliability, as evidenced by Innovas racking up lakhs of kilometres on their odometer without a squeak. But this famed reliability came at the cost of accessibility as the Innova is infamous for its long waiting periods. And though Toyota has a reach across the length and breadth of India, that reach still lags behind the brand’s sales. 

This is where the partnership with Maruti is so attractive for prospective buyers. Maruti has the widest sales and service footprint of any carmaker in India and is known for offering a reliable, accessible, and affordable ownership experience. Simply put, Toyota couldn’t have asked for a better co-custodian of its brand values than Maruti, making it a win-win for everyone involved. 

Why you should not consider the Maruti Invicto

With reliable underpinnings, a comfortable cabin, and peaceful ownership, the Maruti Invicto seems to have it all. However, there are two aspects where the Invicto falters.

No ADAS and Other Features Compared to Toyota Innova Hycross

The lack of a diesel engine is a sore point. Now one may ignore that as even the Innova Hycross doesn’t get one. But that’s precisely why it’s hard to understand why the Invicto misses out on certain features that the Innova gets. Case in point, the Innova Hycross’s ADAS suite. Yes, the Invicto is priced lower than the Innova but given today’s state of the market, paying Rs 30 lakh with no ADAS to show for might be unacceptable to buyers. Similarly, the Invicto doesn’t get the Innova Hycross’s 2nd-row Ottoman seats, fog lamps, and 9-speaker JBL audio system.  

No 8-seater Option in Top-end Alpha+ Variant

As mentioned previously, the Maruti Invicto is a proper 8-seater with a last row that can seat adults in decent comfort. This is also why it’s strange to see the MPV’s top-end Alpha+ variant not offered with this 8-seater configuration. Instead, the Alpha+ makes do with captain seats in the middle row. While this might suit a certain set of buyers, Maruti should’ve offered the bench seat option as the Invicto is more affordable than the Innova Hycross. 

Maruti Invicto Variants

The Maruti Invicto is a Nexa offering and uses the brand’s usual variant nomenclature, except that there are just two trims on offer, the Zeta+ and Alpha+.  

Best Maruti Invicto Variant to Buy

The Alpha+ is the best Maruti Invicto variant to buy and here’s why. The price difference between the Zeta+ and Alpha+ is almost Rs 4 lakh. While this is indeed a massive premium, it buys you a panoramic sunroof, wireless Apple CarPlay, 360-degree camera, TPMS, auto adjustable IRVM, rear window defogger, anti-theft security system, sunblind controls, leatherette seats, powered tailgate, front ventilated seats with remote on/off function, 10.1-inch infotainment system, and most surprisingly, front and rear parking sensors. Yes, Maruti has chosen to omit a feature as important as parking sensors from the Zeta+ variants, which is surprising considering the vehicle’s size. 

We’d reckon each of those features will make a notable difference to your Invicto ownership experience. Of course, if you want an 8-seater, there’s no looking past the Zeta+ variant. 

Maruti Invicto Warranty & Service Cost

Maruti offers the Invicto with a standard 2-year/40,000 km warranty. While this is lower than what Toyota offers with the Innova Hycross, you can bridge the gap by purchasing Maruti’s extended 5-year/1,00,000 km warranty. The Invicto’s hybrid battery also gets a separate 8-year/1,60,000 km warranty cover. In terms of Maruti Invicto service costs, you can expect an annual expenditure of Rs 6,000 – 8,000 for a service interval of 1 year/10,000 km.  

Summary

The Invicto offers Maruti its best chance yet of finally cracking the premium car segment. It’s spacious, comfortable, offers a decent feature list, gets a potent powertrain, and is backed by Toyota’s legendary reliability and Maruti’s legendary reach. Moreover, it also scores over the Innova Hycross in a couple of areas as it’s less expensive with a much shorter waiting period to boot. With this Maruti Invicto buying guide, we hope you have a clearer idea of which Invicto variant to buy.