I’ve been waiting for this one, and today it finally drops, the Maruti Escudo 2025, a compact SUV that feels built for Indian roads and Indian mornings, where the sun hits the bonnet just right and the cabin tech greets like a new phone setup screen. Starting at ₹9.75 lakh ex-showroom, it’s positioned to rattle the segment leaders, not just wave at them from the sidelines. This is Maruti’s big step inside Arena, premium kit, wide reach, and a price that makes the upgrade feel possible.

What catches me first is the promise of Level 2 ADAS and that generous touchscreen, features that usually live higher up the food chain, now within reach for families who’ve outgrown hatchbacks but don’t want the EMIs to sting. If you’ve sat in a Creta and loved the polish but wished the sticker started lower, the Escudo feels like it read that wish list. It’s expected to get petrol, strong-hybrid, and CNG options, so the daily grind, school runs, office rush, late-night drives, can be tuned to priorities like mileage, smoothness, or clean running.

There’s also the name-game buzz, Escudo or Victoris, but the date isn’t a rumor anymore. It’s real, it’s today, and Arena showrooms are the stage. I can almost picture the cabin vibe already, fresh dashboard, larger screen, 360 camera, and that airtight feeling when doors shut right, with pricing that undercuts the usual suspects without skimping on presence.

Key specs and highlights

• Entry pricing begins at ₹9.75 lakh (ex-showroom), targeting Creta/Seltos buyers with a more affordable start
• Level 2 ADAS expected, plus a big infotainment screen and premium audio features
• Multiple powertrains likely, petrol, strong-hybrid, and CNG for flexibility and efficiency

If Maruti Escudo is on the shopping list, now’s the moment, check variants as they go live, compare with Creta’s price ladder, and see how ADAS slots into trims at Arena dealerships today. Share this with someone shortlisting a compact SUV, drop questions in comments, and if launch alerts matter, join our WhatsApp group. You will see the join link on the right side on screen, or at the beginning of the post.