Preview: Maruti Suzuki YRA premium hatchback

Among the wide range of hatchbacks from Maruti Suzuki in the country, the Swift is the most premium of the lot. That will continue to hold true until 2015, when the larger and more expensive car codenamed YRA arrives. The car will be slotted between the Swift and the Ciaz. Here's what we think of the car based on the various spy pictures seen so far.

What is it?

The YRA is a hatchback that seems to be primarily developed for the European market. The car's footprint is much larger than the Swift. It has to be, since the car is a segment higher. The hatch will most likely share its platform with the Ciaz sedan. A new generation Swift is also being developed and the YRA will not be replacing the popular car.

Design and styling

If there is one carmaker who doesn't follow a particular family design theme, it has to be Maruti Suzuki. Almost every car in the portfolio looks vastly different from the other. The same applies to the YRA as well. The headlamp does look like a mix of the current and previous generation Swifts but apart from this, almost every other element follows a fresh and new approach. The front grille follows a theme that looks very similar to another Japanese carmaker (cough cough. . . Nissan. . . achhoo). A full front grille could have boosted the styling. The daylight running lamps are positioned vertically in between the fog lamps and the air dam. The India spec car however will mostly feature headlamps with projector lighting and built-in DRLs.

The side is unlike any other Suzuki with only the blacked out A-pillar resembling the one on the Swift. It's a long hatchback and that, is obvious if you notice the wheelbase and the overall length. There isn't any prominent shoulder line but the line from the headlamp flows well along the fender and towards the windows. The rear-end follows a simple approach, the tail lamps are sized well too. The bumper takes up most of the rear end while the window is quite small.

What engines and features can we expect?

Maruti Suzuki currently only offers the option of the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel and the 1.2-litre/1.4-litre K-Series petrol motors for now until the newer engines arrive. The YRA could be under 4m in length and hence feature the 1.2-litre petrol to capitalise on the lower tax bracket. While the diesel is expected to offer more power than the Swift, the petrol will most likely offer similar performance unless a 1.4-litre petrol is offered as an option. The car's USP over the Swift will be more to do with cabin/boot space and features.

Speaking of which, expect the YRA to borrow comfort and standard safety features from the Ciaz. Going by the pictures seen here, the car in high-end trim is expected to offer the same steering as the one on the Ciaz. However, features like cruise control and side airbags that are seen in the spy pictures may not make it to the Indian-spec car. Auto climate control, a touchscreen stereo with reverse camera output, colour infotainment cluster display and keyless entry and go will most likely be offered.

Source: Raid101