Is This The New Maruti Eeco? Truth Vs Hype!
People these days spend a lot of time on social media. Content consumption has spiked in the past few years. From plain pictures to music, podcasts, and videos- there’s a lot to consume! However, we have also come across instances of social media handles spreading false information to garner views and engagement. Earlier today, we came across a Facebook post that showed a flashy minivan, finished in Red. It had a Suzuki logo on its nose! The description said it to be the new Maruti Suzuki Eeco 7-seater! In a few minutes, we noticed the same being circulated in some WhatsApp groups as well. The minivan looked too good to be true for an Eeco replacement! We did our research and uncovered the truth!
Despite being a budget mini-van, Maruti Eeco has been a steady seller in the Indian market. It has been around for over a decade now, but sees no drop in demand. A post showing a flashy, more premium van as its claimed replacement will obviously attract a lot of attention.
The vehicle shown in these images has a tall stance and a good-looking front fascia. It is much longer than the Eeco we’re familiar with. The profile looks stylish and has a prominent glass area. You’ll also see a sporty bumper, massive air intakes, LED DRLs connected together by a light bar, and sleek headlamps at the front. The rear has connected LED tail lamps and a roof-mounted spoiler. This design definitely looks modern and appealing.
But is this really the Eeco? Unfortunely no! This isn’t even a real car! What you see here is actually a digital imagination of the 2026 Toyota Sienna minivan, released ahead of its global debut today (October 24th). Someone just painted a Suzuki logo in place of the original render’s ‘Toyota badge’. Below is the original render. You’ll also notice that the registration plates read ‘Toyota’ on the original image. On the edited version, they read ‘Eeco’.
Look closely, and you will notice that none of these images have logos of the respective brands on the hub caps of their wheels. In the image that shows the rear view, we see the left side profile as well.
In this picture, you’ll notice an additional door shut line near the rear wheel. This seems to be an error from the time of generation, which the artist did not rectify.
Indian buyers may not be familiar with the Sienna. It is a minivan that Toyota sells in markets like the US. Earlier today, the 2026 Sienna was officially revealed. Interestingly, it looks nothing like the vehicle featured in this render!
The 2026 Sienna is more expensive than its predecessor, but also comes better packaged. Compared to the old model, more features are now offered as standard. Windshield deicer and power liftgate are easy examples. The minivan also comes with an improved cabin and gets many new features like an 8-speaker audio system in place of the predecessor’s six-speaker setup. The XSE variant gets a better 12-speaker JBL system.
Powering the new Sienna is a 245hp, 2.5L hybrid four-cylinder petrol engine, mated to an e-CVT transmission. Both Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) are offered on the new van. It is expected to reach (US) dealerships in January next year. Before you ask, Toyota will not launch this in India, at least not in the foreseeable future.