Maruti Vitara Brezza first look

Maruti's Vitara Brezza was one of the stars of Auto Expo 2016. The compact SUV is now on sale and if the initial interest in it is anything to go by, the Brezza is likely to be yet another big seller for Maruti.

The Vitara Brezza is built on Suzuki’s global small car platform but, in a first, it was designed and developed entirely in India by a team led by Maruti’s executive director for R&D, CV Raman. Maruti insiders reiterate this is a model made in India, for India, and the 98 percent localisation on the Brezza further underlines the point. Like chief rival, Ford’s EcoSport, the monocoque-bodied Brezza places its engine transversally and will be front-wheel drive only; there’s no provision for an all-wheel-drive system. While the last bit is unlikely to be a deterrent for buyers, what is sure to appeal is the Brezza’s design. Maruti designers wanted to capture the upright stance and look of a proper SUV within the small footprint and it must be said, they’ve succeeded to that end.

The short overhangs, squared-out wheel arches and mildly raked tail do give the Brezza the look of a scaled-down SUV. Styling isn’t flamboyant but the lines are clean and it won’t divide opinion like the EcoSport’s appearance can. That’s not to say, the Brezza’s not got its interesting bits. The front is characterised by a high-set chrome-rich grille flanked by neat headlights that, on top-end versions, get projector units. Seen head on, the Brezza’s LED running lights are also styled to resemble a bull’s horns.

The bumper with its split air dam under the grille, blacked-out fog lamp enclosures and scuff plate low down also adds sufficient bulk to the design. There’s a neat shoulder line on the sides and cladding at the base of the doors too but it’s the tapering glasshouse that really gives the Vitara Brezza its unique look here. In a bid to give the Vitara a ‘floating roof’ look, the A-, B- and C-pillars come finished in black while the roof and D-pillar are painted in the body colour and can also be had in a contrasting shade of black or white. Further, Maruti will offer three accessory packages, namely Glamour (pictured here), Sporty and Urban, to let buyers personalise their Vitara’s appearance. Styling at the rear is not radical but the split tail-lights replete with the bull horn light guides, the chrome bar with Vitara Brezza embossed on it and the bumper with plastic cladding and a scuff plate do give this Maruti some personality. As the pictures make clear, the tail gate is wide and extends low which allows good access to the well-shaped 328-litre boot. Boot space can be extended by lifting the rear seat base and folding the 60:40 split seat backs forward to form a completely flat luggage space.

Maruti designers revealed balancing adequate boot space and a roomy cabin was a challenge for them. What’s good is that space in the back is also decent with sufficient knee room and plenty of headroom. Rear seat comfort is good and the inclusion of a fold-out centre armrest also helps here. And there’s a coat hook too. Up front, you get a nice view from the well padded seats and a dashboard that is smart in its own right. The dash features a slightly raised platform for the upper portion of the centre console (that hosts the infotainment system) and also comes with twin gloveboxes, the lower one being cooled. Silver highlights and glossy black plastics do add some colour to the dash, and what’s more, the instrument cluster also gets selectable colours for the backlighting. There are, however, lots of bits shared with other Marutis like the steering and power window switches.

The Brezza will be available in six variants with top-end ZDi+ cars offered with Maruti’s Smartplay touchscreen infotainment unit. The system supports Apple CarPlay while Android compatibility is also being worked on. Top-spec cars will also get push button start, reverse camera, cruise control, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, power folding mirrors and dual airbags and ABS. A driver-side airbag will be standard fit on the base LDi and VDi models but buyers will have the option to purchase a safety package that brings with it a passenger airbag and anti-lock brakes. Commendably, the Brezza is already certified for offset and side impact norms that come into effect in India in 2017.

The Brezza will be launched with a single engine option – the ubiquitous DDiS200 unit. The Fiat-developed four-cylinder, 1.3-litre turbo-diesel engine produces 89bhp and a strong 20.4kgm and should give the Brezza sufficient go. The engine will come mated to a five-speed manual gearbox though an AMT version could be on the cards as well. Brezza project leader CV Raman has confirmed a petrol version is being worked on too but did not reveal which engine would find use here. Likely options include Maruti’s 1.2-litre K12 engine or even the three-cylinder, 110bhp, 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbo-petrol that would be a direct rival for Ford’s EcoBoost motor.

The Brezza’s suspension comprises front MacPherson struts and a torsion beam at the rear but what’s noteworthy is that ground clearance is an impressive 198mm. Base and middle-spec versions will get 15-inch tyres while top-end models will get 215/60 R16 tyres as standard.

The Vitara Brezza is available through Maruti’s mainstream dealerships, not the premium Nexa ones. Prices start at Rs 6.99 lakh for the base LDi version, which undercuts the Ford EcoSport diesel by a sizeable margin. Even the fully-loaded ZDi+ that has been priced at Rs 9.68 lakh seems good value. On paper, the attractive price pretty much seals the deal for the Brezza, which seems to offer everything a compact SUV buyer is looking for. We will bring you our detailed first drive impression in the days to come. At the moment, it looks like the Vitara Brezza is all set to fly out of Maruti showrooms.

Maruti Vitara Brezza
Price Rs 6.99 - 9.68 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
Length 3995mm
Width 1790mm
Height  1640mm
Wheelbase 2500mm
Ground clearance 198mm
Engine  4 cyls, 1248cc, turbo-diesel
Power 89bhp at 4000rpm
Torque 20.4kgm at 1750rpm
Gearbox  5-speed manual
Suspension (f/r) Independent, MacPherson struts/non-independent, torsion beam