Suzuki and Toyota have a new hybrid vehicle destined for Africa shortly, as well as other locations around the world. The two Japanese automakers have confirmed that production will soon start on a new hybrid SUV.
The vehicle will be made at one of Toyota’s plants in India, based on a design by Suzuki. Production will start in August this year. The vehicle will go on sale in India, as well as other export locations. Africa is one of those locations, but whether South Africa is part of that list isn’t known yet.
Suzuki-Toyota? Toyuki? Suzota?
For now, the focus of the vehicle seems to be on India. By the sound of things, both Suzuki and Toyota will market the vehicle separately, under their respective brands. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this happen. The Mazda 323 and the Ford Laser were more or less the same vehicle, popping out of the same production line.
But neither of those featured hybrid technology. Suzuki will include a weak-hybrid powertrain, while Toyota is contributing a strong-hybrid powertrain to the project.
“By bringing together the strengths of both Toyota and Suzuki through the collaboration, the two companies will be able to provide a wide variety of vehicle electrification technologies to customers and contribute to the acceleration of electrification and the realization of a carbon-neutral society in India.”
This is the latest step in a partnership between the two car-makers, first signed in 2017. Currently, Toyota sells a pair of Suzuki’s vehicles in India under different branding, as part of the deal.
Source: Reuters