Maruti Suzuki is currently in the final stages of readying a petrol-powered Vitara Brezza for the Indian market. The current-gen Vitara Brezza SUV has been on sale since 2016, with just a single diesel engine option mated to either a 5-speed manual or an AMT gearbox.
We reported a few months ago about Maruti developing a new petrol-powered Vitara Brezza, and today we can confirm that the model will see its market launch in February next year, mostly likely at the upcoming Auto Expo 2020. For those who don't know, the Vitara Brezza had made its world premiere at the 2016 Auto Expo in New Delhi. While the model has been a sales sensation since its launch, it has seen the numbers dwindle in the last few months due to an overall market slowdown and also because of newer rivals like the Hyundai Venue and the Mahindra XUV300, both of which are also available with petrol engines.
According to sources, the Vitara Brezza SUV is expected to get the BS6-compliant K15B 1.5-litre petrol engine that made its debut in the Ciaz last year, and is now available in the Ertiga and will also see duty in the upcoming XL6. This motor develops 105hp and 138Nm of torque and also comes with Maruti Suzuki's Smart Hybrid system – which comprises an integrated starter generator and dual-battery setup – that will add to fuel savings. Interestingly, the use of the 1.5-litre petrol engine would mean the Brezza won't qualify for the excise duty sops extended to cars under 4m in length and with engine capacities under 1,200cc.
The Vitara Brezza 1.5 petrol will come with a 5-speed manual gearbox at first, with Maruti Suzuki introducing a 4-speed automatic transmission (the same torque converter unit from the Ciaz 1.5 petrol) at a later stage. Though there is no news on whether the Vitara Brezza will see cosmetic changes, we think that it is a possibility, as the model will be four years old in February 2020. The new Vitara Brezza 1.5 petrol will rival the likes of the recently launched Hyundai Venue (83hp, 1.2 petrol and 120hp, 1.0 turbo-petrol), the Mahindra XUV300 (110hp, 1.2 turbo-petrol), the Ford EcoSport (123hp, 1.5 petrol and 125hp, 1.0 turbo-petrol) and the Tata Nexon (110hp, 1.2 turbo-petrol.
The Vitara Brezza diesel, with the current 1.3-litre unit, will soldier on till the BS6 norm deadline. Maruti Suzuki had announced in April last year that the brand will stop selling diesel-powered cars from April 1, 2020. However, there is a possibility that the recently launched 1.5-litre diesel engine that’s available in some Maruti models could make a comeback in BS6 form a little later.
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