As the SUVs occupy 50 per cent of the car market, Maruti Suzuki has been under pressure to revitalise Brezza and to treat the market more seriously.
Published: 15th July 2022 06:51 AM | Last Updated: 15th July 2022 09:58 AM | A+ A A-
KOCHI: As the SUVs occupy 50 per cent of the car market, Maruti Suzuki has been under pressure to revitalise Brezza and to treat the market more seriously. A lot of things have changed with the upgrade of this beloved vehicle. To begin with, they dropped Vitara from its name — it’s simply Brezza now. The reason: Maruti Suzuki has named its 4.3-metre long mid-SUV ‘Grand Vitara’. As almost 50% of SUV buyers are below 35 years, a good amount of technology features is warranted in vehicles. The all-new version ticks all those boxes and that makes the new Brezza.
A bit of history Maruti Suzuki launched its sub-4 metre SUV Vitara Brezza in 2016 when Ford Ecosport was the only player in the segment in India. The sub-compact SUV or the entry-SUV segment has grown exponentially since then and now commands more than 20 per cent of the car market in the country. On the way, the segment got fragmented too, with as many as 9-10 models vying for customers. The beauty is that all these models get decent sales.
Vitara Brezza has sold 7.5 lakh units and has been one of the best-selling SUVs in India since its launch. Be it in the initial diesel days or the BS6-compliant petrol era, Brezza has been in the top-selling charts.
Beauty at first glance For an SUV to be urban and for daily commute use, it should be modern, youthful and compact. Without changing the proportions, the company added more muscles to it by bolstering the bonnet, door panels and adding bigger black claddings on the sides. From the earlier sharp edges, the rear and front now have a kind of rounded corners, which look more refined. Grill, bumpers, skid plates, headlamps and tail lamps are sleeker in the upgrade. Along with the raised bonnet, these enhance the SUV stance too. It also has dual-LED projector headlamps with crystal block DRLs. The 16-inch alloy wheels also get a makeover. Silver-toned roof rails and shark fin antenna also add to the look.
New interior The changes are more intense inside. Dual tone black and rich brown interiors in a honeycomb pattern adorn the new Brezza, replacing the all-black theme. In place of the plain black dashboard, the new one features an all-new layered design. The dashboard in black has got a brown treatment with multiple textures. The asymmetric interior is wrap-around and driver-centric, with a silver accent. The many youthful changes are — leather-wrapped flat bottom tilt, telescopic steering wheel with controls, wider rear seats, ambient lighting, wider instrument panel and colour-coordinated multi-information display.
Techs galore The all-new Brezza offers a host of next-gen convenience, infotainment and connected features. It is the first Maruti Suzuki model to get a sunroof. It comes with a SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment with a 9inch HD display system powered by voice assist — you can change settings, play music and make calls. The screen is not integrated into the centre console but is a free-standing one. For some, it may feel as a hindrance.
The wireless charging dock for smartphones comes with an LED indicator and safety features such as a device-left alert. Continuing from the recently launched Baleno, Maruti has added Head Up Display (HUD), which offers information such as speed, RPM, fuel economy at the driver’s line of sight.
The 360-degree view camera is one very useful addition. While parking or manoeuvring at tight spots, this will be a huge help. Auto headlamps with follow me home and lead me to vehicle function, rear AC vents, cooled glove box, rear fast-charging USB ports (A & C type), toggle control auto AC panel and paddle shifter controls for the automatic transmission are also among the list of useful tech.
Remote features The in-built next-gen Suzuki Connect has 40+ features. You can now control many features remotely such as the AC, vehicle safety & security, location and trips, vehicle status & alerts etc. It is all available on your smartphone, smartwatch and Alexa with the Suzuki Connect app.
Safety Maruti Suzuki says it has used high tensile steel in the Brezza. This offers more torsional rigidity and improved handling, leading to enhanced safety. The top variants have six airbags (front, side and curtain). The electronic stability programme (ESP) with hill hold assist is standard across all variants. If we go by the list, there are 20+ safety features like reverse parking sensors, a high-speed alert system and an ISOFIX child seat restraint system etc.
Under the hood The car is powered by the latest 1.5- litre four-cylinder, naturally aspirated, K-series petrol engine. It has a mild hybrid system with a dual battery setup. According to the company, it enhances driving performance, increases fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. The outgoing model had only a mild hybrid on the automatic variants. But the new one comes with manual variants too.
The engine produces 103hp peak power and 137 Nm torque. While the 5-speed manual gearbox is carried over from the outgoing model, the Brezza now gets a new 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox with steering-mounted paddle shifters. The claimed fuel efficiency is 20.15 kmpl for the manual versions (up from 17.03 kmpl) and 19.80 kmpl (up from 18.76 kmpl) for the automatic versions.
Easy-peasy driving I got the opportunity to drive both the manual and automatic versions in Chennai as part of its National media drive. Brezza offers a comfortable drive and travel. The engine and gearbox are set to provide a driving experience that is very much suitable on urban roads. Silent cabin, vibration-free manners, good seating position for all passengers. On the manual, the clutch is very light and the gear shifts smooth and precise. There are paddle shifters near the steering. It is handy, but moving to manual shifting will not be necessary, as the gearbox shifts smoothly on its own. High-speed stability, good suspension, ample leg room, headroom, seat cushioning are also admirable.
Though there are many interesting features, it has brought the prices to the higher side. In a price range of Rs 7.99-Rs 13.96 lakh, most high-tech features are available only on the top variant ZXi+.
The wait is over TUCSON comes to India
The fourth generation model of Hyundai’s premium SUV TUCSON comes to the Indian market on August 4. The company unveiled the India-spec version on July 13 and will accept bookings from July 18. Hyundai’s mid-size SUV Creta and mid-size sedan Verna are known for premium features and Tucson will aim for those who want an upgrade from these models.
TUCSON has been a global best-seller for Hyundai in 2021, winning the hearts and minds of over 7 million customers across the world since its inception. It offers an immersive interspace, the segment’s longest wheelbase and a length of 4630 mm.
It claims to offer 29 first and best in-segment features with 19 advanced driver-assist features. It is powered by a 2-litre petrol engine (156 HP) with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 2-litre diesel engine (186 HP) with 8-speed automatic transmission.
TVS RONIN: On full throttle TVS Motor Company entered the premium lifestyle bike market by launching RONIN. The neo-retro style bike with an all-new 225.9cc air- and the oil-cooled engine produces 20.4hp power and 19.93Nm torque. Two riding modes are on offer, Rain and Urban, altering throttle response and braking. Mated to this engine is a 5-speed gearbox. Ronin is offered in three variants SS, DS and TD at ex-showroom prices of Rs 1.49 lakh, Rs 1.58 lakh and Rs 1.69 lakh, respectively. It is available in three variants and six colours. With both front and rear disc brakes, TVS Ronin comes up with an anti-locking braking system. It weighs 159 kg and has a fuel tank capacity of 14 litres.
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