The Y1K will be Maruti’s first micro-crossover that will rival the Renault Kwid.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Future S Concept 2
The Maruti Concept Future-S will provide the right platform for the Maruti Y1K

The demand for SUV-like vehicles is on the rise in the Indian market with buyers wanting a compact package with a tall road stance. Various manufacturers are already developing such products and Maruti isn’t trailing behind. It will be introducing its Y1K micro-crossover in India in the second half of 2019 and like all its models, will be going for the kill with this one.

This won’t be the first tallboy car from Maruti as it already has its Ignis model on sale in India. But unlike the Ignis, the Y1K will be aimed more at the entry-level segment and won’t have as many features on offer. To give you a fair picture, the Y1K will take heavy inspiration from the Maruti Concept Future-S that was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo.

Maruti is also looking to revive its Zen brand and the Y1K happens to be the right model to do that. Zen is a household name in India and tallboy cars are the new rage. The two will go together very well and give Maruti an upper hand in terms of brand offering and naming.

The Maruti Y1K will go on sale in India in the second half of 2019. It also happens to be the only micro-crossover that is yet slated for launch next year by any company and will enable Maruti to get a head start before more such cars from other companies like Tata and Hyundai start coming in. The segment is currently led by the Renault Kwid which will also be Y1K’s only major competition at the time of the launch.

While Mahindra is pioneering the various SUV vehicle segments with its all SUV portfolio, it won’t be long before we start seeing more SUV (esque) cars on the Indian roads. This segment will be especially leveraged by those who have owned a small car before and looking for an upgrade. While the Indian roads continue to get crowded with more vehicles, the coming years will see the crossover design becoming a more common sight.

Maruti Y1K Launch

– The launch is slated for the second half of 2019
– It will take major inspiration from the Maruti Concept Future-S
– The name is likely to be Maruti Zen
– Will directly go against the Renault Kwid

2018 Maruti Suzuki Future S Concept 3
The tall road stance and a bulky design proves to be the right upgrade for people wanting to swap their small car for a new one

Source – ETAuto.com