Which Mid-Size SUVs Have Multiple Drive Modes in India? (2026)

Four mid-size SUVs in India offer a genuine multi-mode drive system, and they split evenly into two kinds. The Maruti Grand Vitara and Victoris use Suzuki's ALLGRIP Select, an all-wheel-drive terrain selector with Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock modes that physically changes how power reaches the wheels. The Tata Harrier and Safari use software-tuned Trail Response and drive modes on a front-wheel-drive platform. Both are real systems, but they solve different problems.

A Sport button on a dashboard often means very little. On plenty of cars it tweaks throttle mapping and holds a lower gear. A genuine multi-mode system either changes how power is distributed, as an AWD terrain selector does, or measurably changes throttle response and traction control across more than one setting. This list only covers the second kind.

Key takeaways

• Two AWD systems: the Grand Vitara and Victoris both use ALLGRIP Select, with Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock.
• Two front-wheel-drive systems: the Harrier and Safari retune throttle mapping and traction control rather than sending drive to a second axle.
• AWD comes with a real trade-off: on both Marutis the terrain-mode trim is petrol-only, so it cannot be had with the Strong Hybrid, and it cannot be had with ADAS either.
• The Tatas carry the safety credentials: both hold a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating and offer adaptive cruise control on the automatic, which neither AWD entry does.
• Only four cars qualify, because that is genuinely how many mid-size SUVs in India have a confirmed, named multi-mode system.

The four compared

Model (trim)	System	Modes	Drivetrain	Price
Maruti Grand Vitara (Alpha ALLGRIP)	ALLGRIP Select	Auto, Sport, Snow, Lock	AWD	about ₹18.05 lakh
Maruti Victoris (ZXi+ AT 4W AllGrip)	ALLGRIP Select	Auto, Sport, Snow, Lock	AWD	₹18.84 lakh
Tata Harrier (Adventure X)	Trail Response and drive modes	Normal, Rough, Wet, City, Sport, Eco	FWD	about ₹18.99 lakh
Tata Safari (Adventure X+)	Trail Response and drive modes	Normal, Rough, Wet, City, Sport, Eco	FWD	about ₹19.99 lakh
Where these numbers come from. The Grand Vitara and Victoris figures are read off Maruti's own current brochures, with the Victoris price from the Arena price page. Tata does not publish a comparable brochure specification table, so the Harrier and Safari figures are the best available published numbers.

What the modes actually change

An all-wheel-drive terrain selector physically changes how drive reaches each wheel. Snow maximises stability on slippery surfaces, Lock uses the stability system to brake a spinning wheel and push torque to the wheels still gripping, and Auto switches between two and four-wheel drive on its own to save fuel.

A front-wheel-drive multi-mode system cannot redirect drive to a second axle, so it retunes throttle response, steering weight and traction control instead. That is genuinely useful in rain or on a loose surface, but it is a different tool from a terrain selector and should not be read as equivalent.

1. Maruti Grand Vitara, Alpha ALLGRIP

Price: about ₹18.05 lakh. The Alpha(O) ALLGRIP above it is about ₹18.63 lakh, or ₹18.78 lakh in dual tone.

The Grand Vitara brought a proper AWD terrain selector to this segment, and ALLGRIP Select remains one of only two genuinely AWD-based systems in the class. It is restricted to a single trim and comes only with the plain petrol engine, not the more efficient Strong Hybrid.

Modes: Auto prioritises economy and switches between two and four-wheel drive automatically; Sport sharpens the drivetrain for winding roads; Snow maximises stability on slippery or unpaved surfaces; Lock brakes a spinning wheel and redirects torque to those still gripping.

Engine: 1.5-litre K15C petrol, 103.06 PS at 6,000 rpm and 139 Nm at 4,300 rpm, paired only with a 6-speed automatic on this trim. Hill descent control is included on ALLGRIP.

Mileage: 19.20 km/l on the ALLGRIP automatic. The two-wheel-drive petrol automatic returns 20.58 km/l and the Strong Hybrid, which cannot be had with ALLGRIP, returns 27.97 km/l.

Safety: 6 airbags standard with stability programme and hill-hold assist. No confirmed Bharat NCAP or Global NCAP rating.

Where it falls short: no ADAS on any Grand Vitara trim at any price, and choosing ALLGRIP means giving up roughly 8.8 km/l against the Strong Hybrid. It also has no confirmed crash-test result.

2. Maruti Victoris, ZXi+ AT 4W AllGrip

Price: ₹18.84 lakh. The ZXi+(O) AT 4W AllGrip above it is ₹19.42 lakh.

The Victoris carries the same ALLGRIP Select system on the same platform and drivetrain, but adds a newer safety specification and a confirmed crash-test result the Grand Vitara lacks. As with the Grand Vitara, the AWD trim is petrol-only and skips the ADAS package reserved for the two-wheel-drive automatic.

Modes: the same Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock selector.

Engine: 1.5-litre K15C petrol, 103.06 PS at 6,000 rpm and 139 Nm at 4,300 rpm, paired only with a 6-speed automatic on this trim.

Mileage: 19.07 km/l on the ALLGRIP automatic. The two-wheel-drive petrol automatic returns 21.06 km/l and the Strong Hybrid, which cannot be had with ALLGRIP, returns 28.65 km/l.

Features: ventilated front seats, powered tailgate with gesture control, 360-degree HD camera with 11 views.

Safety: 6 airbags standard. 5-star Bharat NCAP, scoring 31.66 of 32 for adult occupant protection and 43 of 49 for child, plus a separate 5-star Global NCAP result for both.

Where it falls short: the ALLGRIP trim is mutually exclusive with both the Level 2 ADAS package, which sits on the two-wheel-drive automatic, and the Strong Hybrid. Getting the terrain modes means giving up one of those rather than simply paying more.

3. Tata Harrier, Adventure X

Price: about ₹18.99 lakh.

The Harrier's Adventure X is the cheaper way into Tata's multi-mode system, and unlike the two Marutis it does not require giving up driver assistance: the automatic variant pairs the drive modes with adaptive cruise control. What it does not have is all-wheel drive, so every mode works through software and traction control on a front-wheel-drive platform.

Modes: Trail Response offers Normal, Rough and Wet, retuning throttle response and traction control for the surface. A separate set of City, Sport and Eco modes adjusts everyday driving character.

Engine: 2.0-litre diesel, about 170 PS at 3,750 rpm and 350 Nm from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm, with a 6-speed manual or automatic. Adaptive cruise control is offered on the automatic.

Mileage: about 16.8 km/l on the manual, from independent road tests. Tata does not publish a certified figure for this exact trim.

Safety: up to 7 airbags, 6 standard across most trims, with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for both adult and child occupant protection.

Where it falls short: no all-wheel drive, so none of its modes can redirect power the way the Marutis' Snow and Lock modes do. It is also diesel-only on this persona.

4. Tata Safari, Adventure X+

Price: about ₹19.99 lakh.

The Safari is the three-row version of the Harrier on the same platform, with the same engine and the same mode systems under a different badge. It appears here as a separate nameplate rather than a rebadge because it is sold and priced separately, and it is the only three-row option on this list.

Modes: the same Trail Response and drive-mode sets as the Harrier.

Engine: 2.0-litre diesel, about 170 PS and 350 Nm, with a 6-speed manual or automatic. Adaptive cruise control is offered on the automatic.

Mileage: about 16.8 km/l on the manual, from independent road tests rather than a published certified figure.

Safety: up to 7 airbags, 6 standard across most trims, with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating.

Where it falls short: the same drivetrain limitation as the Harrier, and as the heavier three-row body on the same engine it is the priciest car here.

Conclusion

The two AWD entries offer the more capable system on paper: a genuine terrain selector that changes how power reaches the wheels. But both gate it to a single petrol-only trim that skips ADAS and the segment's most efficient hybrid powertrain. That is a real cost, not a technicality. On the Victoris it means giving up 9.58 km/l and a Level 2 suite to get four-wheel drive.

The two front-wheel-drive entries cannot match that on snow or a loose climb, but they pair their modes with adaptive cruise control and a confirmed 5-star Bharat NCAP rating. Which matters more depends entirely on whether the buyer needs traction on difficult surfaces or a well-rounded daily car with verified safety credentials.

FAQs

Which mid-size SUVs have true AWD-based drive modes?

The Maruti Grand Vitara and Maruti Victoris, both using ALLGRIP Select with Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock. Both restrict it to a single AWD trim.

Do the Tata Harrier and Safari have all-wheel drive?

No. Their Trail Response and drive-mode systems work through throttle mapping and traction control on a front-wheel-drive platform.

Can I get AWD and ADAS together on the Grand Vitara or Victoris?

No. On both cars the AWD trim and the ADAS trim are separate and mutually exclusive, and the Grand Vitara offers no ADAS at any trim. The Strong Hybrid is also unavailable with ALLGRIP on either car.

Which of these has a confirmed crash-test rating?

The Victoris holds 5-star ratings from both Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP. The Harrier and Safari both hold 5-star Bharat NCAP ratings. The Grand Vitara has no confirmed rating from either body.

Why does this list only have four cars?

Because that is how many mid-size SUVs in India currently have a confirmed, named multi-mode drive system. The Jeep Compass Trailhawk, which had a genuine AWD terrain selector, has been discontinued here, and other candidates could not be confirmed against manufacturer sources.