Maruti's Renault Kwid rival (Maruti Crosshiker) rendered

Will be sold alongside the Maruti Alto.

Based on a report stating that Maruti is working on a crossover smaller than the Maruti Ignis for the A Segment, Shoeb R Kalania has created a rendering to give an idea of what a Maruti A-Segment crossover could look like. Note that the rendering is purely speculative.

Aimed squarely at the Renault Kwid, the Maruti mini crossover draws cues from the Suzuki Crosshiker concept, which was unveiled at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. Suzuki had presented an idea of a mini crossover years before Renault put the Kwid into production, but Maruti will now take it forward and introduce one in 2018.

Unlike previous reports have suggested, the new crossover will not be a replacement for the Maruti Alto; rather will be sold alongside the entry-level hatchback. As evidenced by the sales of Renault Kwid in India, there is an opportunity for such a product to work in the Indian market.

Also Read: Maruti Baleno RS spied in a peculiar dual-tone shade

The Maruti A segment crossover could be unveiled as a near-production concept at the Auto Expo 2018 and could go on sale in the same year. It's not reported if exports are planned, but Sri Lanka, South Africa and Indonesia have already welcomed the Kwid with open arms.