There’s a lot more to Rajasthan than just its forts and palaces or sand dunes. Like Jawai, a tiny village that’s one of the only places on the planet where leopards and humans coexist peacefully. Sounds bizarre, right? And at TURBOCHARGED, we’re always up for adventure – which meant that with its uniqueness, Jawai warranted a road trip! The Maruti Suzuki Victoris seemed to be the perfect choice, ticking the right boxes for young and restless SUV buyers keen on exploring new places. The Victoris has also just won the most prestigious automotive award in the country, the Indian Car of the Year, besides having a youthful exterior design, a premium looking cabin, many segment-first features, and the choice of an all-wheel drive system.  

Its design convinces you instantly that this is a sharp-looking SUV for modern-day buyers, besides which, the Victoris has helped the midsize SUV segment come of age with its packaging. I chose its AllGrip version to head to Jawai, knowing well that I would need to tread beyond tarmac there, though Maruti Suzuki also offers the Victoris as a Strong Hybrid SUV which boasts an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 28.65kmpl, the highest for a petrol SUV. The Victoris also comes with a segment-first, underbody CNG tank in the S-CNG version which ensures boot space is not compromised, adding to its appeal. More importantly, the Victoris has scored five stars in Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP safety tests, making it one of the safest midsize SUVs. 

The Victoris is Maruti Suzuki’s first SUV to achieve the score, thanks to its strong focus on safety. This includes a more strengthened Heartect platform, six airbags as standard, electronic stability control, ISOFIX anchors, 3-point seatbelts for all occupants and pedestrian protection. It is also equipped with one of the most spacious and premium cabins in its segment, helping it score brownie points with buyers further. The dual-tone, black and off-white theme, abundance of soft-touch materials and high quality plastics help the interiors look stylish and sophisticated. Effectively, its interiors help the Victoris feel closer to premium SUVs from a segment above. The seats are wrapped in leatherette and besides being supremely comfortable they also accentuate the cabin’s spaciousness. 

One of the biggest strengths of the Victoris though is its feature list, which ensures the Victoris has got it all. Its sunroof is among the largest panoramic sunroofs, not just thanks to the size of the sunroof, but also how large its opening is. A unique mechanism has even the rear glass panel slide backwards when you open it, ensuring the opening is the largest, not just in the midsize SUV segment but also as compared to SUVs in higher segments. The Victoris also comes with a 10.25-inch instrument cluster display and a crisp, 10.1-inch infotainment screen that runs SmartPlay Pro X and has a very slick interface, both aimed at enticing tech-savvy buyers. The infotainment system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and gets OTA updates too, besides being your gateway to the SUV’s excellent 360-degree view system.

The Victoris is also the first midsize SUV to get a high-end, 8-speaker music system from Infinity by Harman with Dolby Atmos. It makes for an immersive audio experience, offering the feel of a theatre-on-wheels and was proving to be an excellent companion on my road trip. You also get 64-colour ambient lighting to suit your mood, along with ventilated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat and an electrically operated tailgate, enhancing the SUV’s premium quotient. The Victoris is also the first Maruti Suzuki SUV to be equipped with Level 2 ADAS features including Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, High Beam Assist and more, helping it feel safer and adding to comfort. 

Speaking of which, the Victoris is excellent when it comes to highway comfort, not only thanks to its excellent seats but also the suspension setup which helps it offer a plush ride quality and reduces fatigue on long drives. This is besides its impressive handling courtesy the well-tuned suspension and well-weighted steering that add to its highway manners. But as I got to Jawai, driving conditions changed, with the highway making way for some narrow lanes. The Victoris offered excellent confidence there too, helping me drive without a hitch and felt nimble and compact, just like the big cats I had come to see. Soon, I found myself running out of tarmac though. A few locals suggested that only dedicated 4×4 off-roaders used for the leopard safaris make it to the vantage points, but I was confident of the Victoris’ AllGrip system helping me.

Its off-road abilities help the Victoris stand out as a midsize SUV, and it is a classic example of how looks can be deceptive. Additionally, its ground clearance stands at 210mm, among the highest in its class, besides which it also has excellent approach and departure angles and runs on 17-inch wheels. The AllGrip system was doing a brilliant job of transferring and managing the torque being sent to all four wheels, and was making my off-roading session a piece of cake. The Victoris was thus taking me to places you would only expect SUVs with a low range transfer case to get to, which is the magic of Maruti Suzuki’s engineering! As I got to a vantage point, I spotted two leopards in the distance. I wasn’t expecting to spot them as easily, but the excellent handling of the Victoris and its AllGrip system had made the task easier than expected. In fact spotting the leopards had proved to be easier than trying to spot tigers or lions in national parks, which is what makes Jawai special. That said, I also feel leopards are more special than tigers and lions, given how strong, yet lean and athletic they are. 

But there’s more to Jawai than just the leopards. Many say it is perfect for extreme off-roading thanks to its massive rocks. And the ultimate prize there is a steep hill, which has been conquered only by SUVs with 4×4 systems. I had little doubt about the Victoris being able to make it to the top of the hill though, as it had proved its abilities to me already. And as I ascended  the hill I broke into a smile, not only given how easily it was climbing up the hill, but also because the Victoris was reminding me of the lightness, swiftness and agility of the leopards I had just spotted. The view from the top was also one to savour, and I ended up spending a few minutes there to simply soak in the beauty of the region. Before heading back down, I couldn’t help but reflect on my trip to Jawai in the Victoris. Because not only is the SUV perfect for explorations and road trips with its features and comfort, it can also take you places by adapting to different conditions. Yes, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris is an SUV that has got it all!  

The post Special Feature: Unchartered Territory – Driving the Maruti Suzuki Victoris to Jawai first appeared on Turbocharged.

I decided to drive to the school in the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid, which is India’s most fuel-efficient SUV. Launched in 2022, it needs no introduction as a premium midsize SUV from India’s leading car manufacturer and also has an edge over its rivals in a lot of ways. Its ARAI-certified efficiency of 27.97kmpl is a big deal too! The number bears testimony to Maruti Suzuki’s engineering prowess and is also a strong nod to the manufacturer’s commitment to a greener future. And besides its silent nature, the Grand Vitara’s strong hybrid powertrain helps you drive long distances without having to refuel. You can drive it for over 1,200km without needing to look for a fuel station!

This meant an interesting proposition, of driving to the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School from the Delhi-NCT, 800km away, on a single tank of petrol! But its excellent fuel efficiency is just one of the reasons why I chose the Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid. The SUV is supremely comfortable for long drives, thanks to its plush ride quality and well-cushioned seats and hybrid powertrain that makes it very silent to drive, making journeys very pleasant and enjoyable. This is besides the fact that the Grand Vitara is loaded with features, including many segment firsts. These include the largest in class panoramic sunroof with the largest opening, a head-up display and more.

So, tank filled to the brim and tripmeter reset to zero, I started from Gurugram for the city of Jaisalmer that sits in the dry and arid Thar desert in Rajasthan. I also had interesting companions on this drive in the form of Maruti Suzuki’s SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system and the Premium Surround Sound System by Clarion. The infotainment system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while the sound system plays crisp audio notes, adding to the pleasantness of the long drive. Crossing over from Haryana into Rajasthan had the countryside change from lush green to brown, but the one thing that did not change even 200km later was the Grand Vitara’s fuel gauge. It was still at full! The distance to empty readout was over 800km, while fuel efficiency was an astonishing 26.6kmpl.

I was also able to experience the SUV’s comfort, excellent road manners and exhaustive feature list. The TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) ensured I had precise information about tyre pressures while the ventilated front seats were a bonus. The Grand Vitara is also equipped with a PM2.5 filter that keeps dust and pollution at bay. Meanwhile, the strong hybrid powertrain was only sipping fuel thanks to its clever, future-ready engineering, also helping the Grand Vitara achieve the lowest possible CO2 emissions. An electric motor powers its front wheels, receiving energy from the lithium-ion battery pack onboard and engine is fired up only when needed, helping curb emissions. Effectively, the 1.5-litre petrol engine only acts as a supplementary power source and provides additional boost, thus helping make the Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid ultra-efficient!

The strong hybrid system also switches between pure EV mode and turning the engine on seamlessly, only firing it up to recharge the battery or provide additional boost. The instrument cluster’s multi-information display offers precise information about energy flow from the battery to the motor to the wheels, or the other way round, when using regenerative braking. This information can also be accessed via the 9.0-inch infotainment screen. The strong hybrid powertrain also helps in making the Grand Vitara very quiet. The silence and smoothness, especially when cruising, help in making the Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid an excellent mile muncher, as I was feeling fresh even after hours of driving.

The additional torque on offer courtesy the combination of the electric motor and engine were also making for effortless driving, especially while overtaking on the highway. The Grand Vitara’s comfort – thanks to its well-tuned suspension and plush seats – were also helping me make good time. And thanks to the strong hybrid system functioning like clockwork the fuel gauge was still above half, even as I was approaching the 500km mark. That is because the Grand Vitara was running in EV mode even at highway speeds most of the time, making for a pleasantly quiet drive, and the engine was only coming on occasionally. This is also why the Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid is a very practical solution for India, besides its focus on sustainability.

The drive also gave me a chance to drive on the Jamnagar-Amritsar Expressway where I was able to use the Grand Vitara’s cruise control function, adding to my comfort, while viewing relevant information on the head-up display. Soon after turning off the Expressway, I crossed the 500km mark but didn’t need to start looking for a fuel station as I still had a little more than half a tank of fuel! 100km later the fuel gauge was down to half, but Jaisalmer was just over 100km away now, and the school was only another 40km away. At Jaisalmer, tank range was still 432km, after having driven for about 750km which was unbelievable! I halted at Jaisalmer for the night, but the excitement – of visiting the school and just how much range the Grand Vitara would still have – meant I was restless.

Driving to the school the next morning called for a bit of off-roading as the school is in the middle of nowhere literally, with no tarmac once you turn off the main road. With its 210mm ground clearance the Grand Vitara was perfectly at ease on the gravel and sand though and the excellent torque delivery at low speeds courtesy the combination of the electric motor and the 1.5-litre petrol engine both ensured progress was rapid. And as I approached the school, I was grinning. The tripmeter told me I’d driven 787km, the fuel gauge was just under half tank and distance to empty was still 356km! I’d effectively driven the distance in much lesser than a tankful of petrol, and overall efficiency on the trip computer was 24.2kmpl! Another reason for the grin was that finally, I was at the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School.

The school is a beacon of hope for women’s education and empowerment, especially in the region, as female literacy rate there is barely 32 percent as per statistics. The school is run by CITTA India, a nonprofit organisation that has been instrumental in making it all happen. The school is also backed by the royal family of Jaisalmer, which is why it is named after the royal princess. The building has been designed by American architect Diana Kellogg, but pro bono. In fact, there’s a list of people and organisations who have provided help for the school without charging fees, be it for its construction, for the solar panels, for the girls’ uniforms (fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee designed them using ‘Ajrakh’, a local block printing technique) and many more.

The school does not charge any fees, and its coordinators also travel to nearby villages to convince families to send their daughters to study. Transportation to and from the school is provided free of cost, along with mid-day meals. The school is gaining popularity and has also been successful at convincing locals about the importance of women’s education. Besides this, local women, especially mothers of the students are given an opportunity to earn through handicrafts. But what’s also worth noting is that sustainability is at the core of everything in the school. For instance, the building has been constructed using locally sourced limestone which is known for its cooling effect during summers. The architecture is such that the school does not need air-conditioning even when it’s 50 degrees Celsius outside – Jaisalmer is one of India’s hottest places!

That’s thanks to the building’s unique design, which is oval in shape and interestingly, also meant to represent the shape of a mother’s womb. There’s lots of cross ventilation in the classrooms, which are airy and spacious, and there’s a large central playing area as well. The school also employs rainwater harvesting ensuring there is no scarcity of water, despite the school being in the middle of nowhere, in a desert, and the girls drink water cooled naturally. There’s large solar panels on the terrace to take care of electricity needs, ensuring the school is self-sustaining on the energy front. Being there in the school and watching the little girls – quiet and attentive in the classroom and loud and playful while outside it – brought a smile to my face. I was in fact beaming with pride, thinking of the bright future the girls can look forward to thanks to their education!

To draw parallels, the Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid is India’s most fuel-efficient SUV and the need of the hour, given its advantages. The fact that I’d driven 800km without needing to refuel is a feat possible only in a strong hybrid SUV like it. Then there’s the premium interiors, comfort and features that make the Grand Vitara so likeable. As I was leaving, I couldn’t help but smile as I glanced at the school in my rear-view mirror, thinking of the memories I was heading back with, especially, as a father to a 9-year-old girl myself! The very next instant I was looking at the Grand Vitara’s distance to empty readout of over 350km and smiled wider – the SUV had helped me accomplish a unique road trip, and one that had filled my heart with the feeling of warmth I spoke about at the start!

The post Special Feature: Oasis In The Desert first appeared on Turbocharged.

This piece of oasis I am referring to is a tiny village called Bera, near the Jawai dam. A few weeks back when I was invited to the Tiguan Experience Day, I got a chance to drive the full-sized premium SUV on what was a purpose-built off-roading course. And that had me thinking – how would the Tiguan fare in a real world ‘off-road course’ where I’m also trying to spot ‘Mr Spots’. Then there’s the fact that compared to other big cats like the tiger, lion, Jaguar and also the cheetah, the leopard has a smaller and more athletic build which endows it with greater agility. Just like the Tiguan!

Of course, it’s hard to deny the fact that with its sharp design, elegant interiors and overall polished impression, the Tiguan will convince you that it is a set of wheels for the urban-dwelling corporate executive who usually gets chauffeured around for meetings. In fact, that’s also how comfortable its rear bench is. But let that not take away from the fact that the Tiguan is an immensely capable SUV thanks to its solid engineering. It is ideal for the kind of adventure I was heading out for – a leopard safari, which also involves a heavy dose of off-roading on the rocky hill formations made from lava that erupted from volcanoes ages ago!

The Tiguan also looks smashing – it is equipped with a set of sleek-looking headlamps incorporating the brand’s IQ.Light, which are full LEDs and get an adaptive function. The sharp lines also make for an unmistakable stance from the sides, along with the neat-looking 18-inch alloy wheels that get one of the coolest features around – self-levelling hub caps, something previously seen only on uber-expensive cars like Rolls Royces. Likewise, the interiors will have you assume you’re in an SUV wearing a luxury badge on its hood. Neat, understated and highly functional, like a full-sized German SUV should feel from inside, with its soft-touch plastics, large screens and the abundance of leather all round, not to forget, a large panoramic sunroof and top drawer fit-finish levels.

Jawai sits a 1,000km away from our base in Pune, a distance the Tiguan simply gobbled down. Its mile-munching abilities bear testimony to the Tiguan’s status as Volkswagen’s global best-seller. The 2.0-litre TSI engine offers 190PS and 320Nm, making it effortless to drive, also courtesy of Volkswagen’s tried and tested 7-speed DSG that sends power to all four wheels using the German marque’s renowned 4MOTION all-wheel drive system. I have to also mention here, the Tiguan’s paddle shifters are the piece-de-resistance for me, especially on long highway drives. They simply inject a sense of enthusiasm that has you try to use them at every possible opportunity with their alacrity.

All this, while you’re safely cocooned inside and revelling in the comfort of the plush seats, enjoying the impeccable ride quality that will have you feeling fresh even after several hours behind the wheel. On the same note, the Tiguan is a Volkswagen and that translates to sporty dynamics that believe you sitting in an SUV that has a ground clearance of 200mm and not a sedan! So while straightline stability is as good as it gets, the Tiguan will also have you break into a smile around corners with its planted feel and steering responses, something I was enjoying around the bends as I closed in on the Gujarat-Rajasthan state border. My smile didn’t fade away even when I hit the pothole-ridden country roads in Rajasthan as the Tiguan simply soaked it all up.

I soon found myself hitting up Jawai, where some of the narrowest lanes I’ve driven through welcomed me. The Tiguan’s 8-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat ensured I was able to sit up and get the best possible visibility of the road ahead. It almost felt like the Tiguan had wrapped itself around me and shrunken in size. The Tiguan and I found ourselves running out of tarmac soon and it was then time to try out the off-road mode on the section leading up to the vantage point, which included a mix of mud and rocks both. Now, the locals use dedicated 4×4 vehicles for safaris, but given my experiences with the Tiguan, I was confident the SUV will soldier ahead. Of course, it’s off-road abilities are what help the Tiguan stand out and this full-sized premium SUV is a classic example of how looks can be deceptive!

Its excellent approach and departure angles afforded tonnes of confidence as did the 200mm of ground clearance. The bigger star of the Tiguan’s show though are its 4MOTION all-wheel drive system which was doing a brilliant job of transferring and managing the amount of torque being sent to all four wheels, and the little rotary dial on the centre console that was allowing me to choose from the terrain modes which include Snow, Tarmac, Off-Road and Off-Road Expert. The latter lets you customise settings, thereby allowing you to tailor powertrain responses to suit your driving conditions. Effectively, the Tiguan feels so capable off-road, it negates the need for a 4×4 system and a transfer case.

Here’s an interesting fact I learned from the locals: the leopards live in natural caves and rock shelters in the hills surrounding the village of Bera, which were formed millions of years ago due to volcanic eruptions. Bera is home to inhabitants of the Rabari tribe and surprisingly, there have been no human-animal conflicts and the harmony is an unspoken rule of sorts where human beings do not try to interfere with the animal’s whereabouts.

The Indian Leopard can adapt itself to varying environments. For example, the weather in Rajasthan gets rather hot during the day but temperatures cool down quite a bit at night. To draw the parallels, the Tiguan can easily adapt itself to urban conditions or get outdoorsy, depending on what you ask of it. Be it crawling through peak hour traffic, highway duties or treading off the beaten path, the SUV is always up for it all. I also have to say, leopards are among my favourites when it comes to big cats given how gracefully they go about their business – just like the Tiguan! And Jawai is one of the only places in the world where they co-exist peacefully with human beings, which is a wonder in itself!

As we proceeded further into the hills to spot the magnificent animal, Ed was ready with his camera and the massive lens we’d carried with us while I drove on. Suddenly, looking through his binoculars, our guide declared he’d spotted a couple of leopards nearby. I instantly found myself driving in stealth mode, thanks to the quietness of the 2.0-litre TSI engine, while Ed climbed up through the panoramic sunroof’s opening with his big lens!

We weren’t hoping to spot leopards as easily, but turns out, we were in the right place at the right time, thanks to the Tiguan’s swift manners. Watching the big cats was a treat for the eyes, given the way the leopards were walking and we also spotted their cubs who seemed quite playful! But it isn’t just the leopards that we were looking forward to. Our guide had also mentioned about a ‘hill climb’ that’s considered a true challenge for any SUV and I just knew I had to take the Tiguan there!

As we drove to the base of the said hill, I switched to Off-Road Expert mode, checked the settings, looked up at the steep incline, let out a cold breath and decided to give it a go. The incline was steep enough to frighten me but the strong, consistent surge of torque from the 2.0-litre TSI engine at low revs egged me to go on. The Tiguan maintained traction even though the incline was getting steeper by the inch and soldiered on without a hitch! Can’t deny I also felt very safe – the Tiguan is a Volkswagen which is a huge assurance on the safety front in itself. It feels solidly built and also gets six airbags along with a slew of safety features that help with peace of mind while making the Tiguan feel like a world-class premium SUV!

As they say, the view from the top is always to be savoured and when I got to the top and got out to look around, I simply couldn’t stop smiling. The sense of accomplishment was immense for me, while our guide was left gaping, as moments ago he wasn’t really sure the Tiguan would make it to the top! The view of the hills, greenery and water leading up to the Jawai dam was a sight to behold, especially with the sun just about to go down beyond it all, painting everything in front of me in a highly captivating shade of orange. It isn’t every day that you get to savour such moments and the Tiguan has helped it all feel surprisingly easy. Like I said at the start, it’s an SUV that refuses to be judged!

The post Special Feature: Call of the Wild – Unexplored Rajasthan in Volkswagen Tiguan first appeared on Turbocharged.