The Maruti Versa was a microvan built for the Indian market from 2001 until 2009. Based on the Suzuki Every Plus, it used the 1.3-litre engine of the Esteem and was later relaunched as the simpler Maruti Eeco.
Maruti Versa at a glance
| Maker | Maruti Suzuki, India |
|---|---|
| Production | 2001 – late 2009 |
| Based on | Suzuki Every Plus / Carry 1.3 |
| Class | microvan |
| Engine | 1298 cc G13BB four-cylinder |
| Power | 83 PS (61 kW) |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual |
| Trim levels | STD, DX and DX2 |
| Successor | Maruti Eeco, launched January 2010 |
The Versa is described in the English Wikipedia article on its successor, the Suzuki Eeco; this page uses that section, so it is shorter than the other Maruti articles.
History of the Maruti Versa
Launch
The van was launched as the Versa in 2001. It was based on the Suzuki Every Plus, itself an extended version of the tenth-generation Suzuki Carry van, and used the 1298 cc G13BB engine also found in the Maruti Esteem. With 83 PS and a five-speed manual gearbox, it was offered in three trim levels: STD, DX and DX2. The microvan format gave it a large, boxy cabin on a compact footprint, which suited families and commercial users who needed space rather than speed.
End of the Versa
The Versa was discontinued in late 2009. It did not disappear for long. In January 2010 Maruti Suzuki relaunched the same basic van as the Eeco, revised and simplified, with some of the Versa’s features and visual details removed — among them the dual blower air conditioning and the coloured bumpers — although the headlights were updated with a more modern style. The G13BB engine was also downsized to 1196 cc as the G12B, producing 73 PS, and the five-speed gearbox was carried over. Unlike the Versa, the Eeco was available from the factory with CNG, marketed first as Intelligent Gas Port Injection (i-GPI) and later as S-CNG.
Eeco after the Versa
The Eeco proved more successful than the Versa had been, helped by its lower price and by the option of factory CNG. In March 2019 it received major safety equipment as standard across the range — driver-side airbag, ABS, seat-belt reminder, speed alert and reverse parking sensors — and in November 2022 a new 1.2-litre K12N Dualjet petrol engine with 81 PS, along with a digital speedometer, engine immobiliser, new steering wheel and dual airbags. The Eeco also became the entry-level replacement for the Maruti Omni, which was discontinued in 2019 after Suzuki was unable to redesign it to meet India’s safety standards.
Design and features
- Microvan space: a tall, boxy cabin on the Carry 1.3 platform.
- Esteem engine: the 1298 cc G13BB four-cylinder with 83 PS.
- Three trim levels: STD, DX and DX2 at launch.
- Eeco successor: relaunched in 2010 with a smaller 1.2-litre engine and factory CNG.
Maruti Versa versions
- Versa STD: the basic trim level.
- Versa DX and DX2: the better-equipped versions.
- Eeco (2010): simplified relaunch with the 1196 cc G12B engine.
- Eeco CNG: factory gas option sold as i-GPI and later S-CNG.
- Eeco 2022: 1.2-litre K12N Dualjet engine and more safety equipment.
The Versa’s engine came from the Maruti Esteem, and its Eeco successor eventually replaced the Maruti Omni at the bottom of the range. More cars are in the Maruti collection.
Video: Wheelchair Ramp for Maruti Versa Ramp
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki Eeco, English Wikipedia: Versa history, engine, trims, Eeco relaunch and updates
