Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Review, Road Test

Vitara Brezza took the lead of the segment from the moment it was launched and still shows signs of rapid progress in sales and continues to define the Indian compact SUV market

Enchanting –

• Well designed compact SUV
• Superlative dynamics and engine
• Extremely fuel efficient
• Maruti’s sales, aftersales and resale peace

Unsatisfying –

• Couple of missing features
• NVH level could be better

Maruti has been the spearhead of Indian car industry ever since the day the joint venture began in the country with Suzuki. The 800 was a success by doing every basic stuff right, it offered mobility to the country. However, since that day, the manufacturer has rolled product which has done the same and nothing more. The products weren’t entertaining till the Swift came along. Most importantly, the diesel equipped Swift changed the game. Maruti upgraded it every six years and today the third generation isn’t far away from our shores. However, in between, it has learned vital lessons.

The manufacturer started making interesting products, offered more features, quality and premium giveaway was attached with the product. First car to do so was the S-Cross, a car that confused people but there was no denying that it was brilliant at what it was supposed to do and established premiumness (finally) in the brand and then, came the Brezza. The SUV in the compact sedan that everyone was waiting for, even the competition. Maruti made the Vitara Brezza with all the heart and soul and gave it funky touches and stuck to tradition at the same time. How is the Brezza, you probably know someone who owns it by now. However, there is still room and we have some interesting take on the Brezza for you. Hop on the train of text with us to find out.

Design

The highlight is the way the Brezza has been designed. The front has various elements to soak in. The turn-indicator is mounted in the way of the fog lamps and the fog lamps are also present in the lower section. The grille has four slats which kind of reminds us of the Jeep. The main grille adds the tough image but could have been better. The bonnet looks and feels strong at the same time.

The headlights and tail-lamps deserve special mention as they are boxy, have well done LED lights that illuminate and look like the bull horn. Side profile is boxy and floats around the C-pillar.

Our car wasn’t a dual tone which looks even better though with that design element. The accessorized car makes thing a little less interesting but nevertheless, customers know which color to choose form in the dual tone scheme. Overall, one of the best designed Maruti’s till date and Brezza has the stance and style to stand out.

Interior

First impression of the interior is very positive the moment you get inside. The plastics are textured, there is a large touch screen in the middle and the lower half has the A/C controls. However, dig deeper, even the plastic quality is great than before, but still distant from its competition. The same goes to the build quality which seems inconsistent. Our car had a loose upper glove box lid. The new dials which have five color scheme to choose from which includes yellow, red, blue, white and green. The dial area houses all the fuel-efficiency parameters and the usual two trip meters, odometer, clock and speedometer.

Feature list includes automatic climate control, USB, AUX, Bluetooth connectivity, steering mounted control, Apple Car Play and soon to be rolled out Android Auto, which can now be updated on the car from your service centers. There are fully electric ORVM, parking sensors and a reversing camera.

Features that could have made it to the car are rear A/C vents and a reach for steering. How Maruti returns value to consumer is offering a good sound system, safety features such as airbags, ABS and EBS as standard on variants. Maruti is also offering adjustable headrest on all seats but not for the 5’th passenger.

When it comes to space, there is a lot of stowage area to begin with. There are Bottle holders in all doors and a large boot on offer. Space in the back, when it comes to legroom, is adequate but shoulder room and headroom are in plenty and it is a 5 seater which will be suited for longer journeys. Visibility at the front is bit poor for the driver as the A-Pillar is almost on the face of the driver. At junctions, a bit of extra caution is required.

Engine and Gearbox

The Brezza is only offered with a diesel engine for now which we are all aware of. The 1.3 Multijet runs in the best possible tune one can find wherever this same engine finds home. The motor makes 90 PS and 200 Nm of torque comes mated to an 5-speed smooth shifting gearbox. The clutch is light and is easy for daily duties too. The motor is smooth and refined and redlines cleanly.

There is driveability if you are easy with the throttle, but be a demanding driver that most enthusiasts are, you will find that turbo lag dominates most of everyday driving. That said, floor the throttle, turbo spools up and the mid and top-end power is surplus. We even saw 170 km/hr on the odo without much fuss. This was due to a 5-speed overdrive ratio which extracts the best top-end power.

We got a fairly high fuel-efficiency number of 18.6 km/l which is quite stunning which includes highway and city with spirited driving. 0-100 km/hr comes up in 13 seconds. We wish NVH levels were lower though, but they aren’t extensively intrusive in anyway.

Ride and Handling

Dynamically, the Brezza is one of the most fun to drive SUV in its class. The low kerb weight and a fast and communicative steering with good feedback makes it enjoyable when pushing hard. There is hardly any body roll and the Brezza changes direction confidently. Ride quality is compliant but you can sense the firmness in the suspension. Ground clearance is ample and it clears the worst roads of cities that are hard hit with monsoons. Brakes are good with decent pedal bite and post that ample progressive power is on offer.

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Review, Verdict

The Vitara Brezza is already doing extremely well. Despite a single diesel engine option the SUV is topping the charts in every possible way and segment that it is competing in. The manufacturer has rolled out cosmetic options in bulk and dual tone schemes, the accessory kit Icreate and much more is on offer to suit the customers needs. Being a Maruti it is priced well and the peace of mind that comes from Maruti sales and service network which makes it cheap and cheerful to run ,there is no doubt that the Brezza will continue to be best seller in its class.

LDi Rs. 7.3 Lakhs
LDi (O) Rs. 7.43 Lakhs
VDi Rs. 7.97 Lakhs
VDi (O) Rs. 8.1 Lakhs
ZDi Rs. 8.73 Lakhs
ZDi Plus Rs. 9.72 Lakhs
ZDi Plus Dual Tone Rs. 9.94 Lakhs