Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza: First Drive Review

The Maruti Vitara Brezza is one of the most popular cars in the sub-4m SUV segment. It was launched in 2016 and served almost for 4 years in a diesel avatar. But the latest BS6 emission norms forced the Indian maker to dump its diesel models to keep the prices in check. With this bold step, the company has replaced its renowned fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel engine with a petrol engine in Vitara Brezza. Along with this, the brand has also given it a mild makeover along with some new features.

So, is the 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza worth buying? And has its driving experience changed with the petrol engine? Read on to know in detail:- 

What's new on the styling front?

To give the petrol Vitara Brezza a different look, Maruti has made some cosmetic changes to the front profile of the car. However, the changes are very subtle and are hard to recognise at first glance. 

It gets new chrome grille and redesigned bumpers at both ends with faux skid plates. It also gets new LED fog lamps and double-barrel full-LED headlamps with integrated LED DRLs which also work as turn indicators.

The side profile comprises of a new set of 16-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, it gets an updated LED tail lamps and newly designed bumper as mentioned earlier. The automatic variant also gets a hybrid badge on the boot. 

Overall, the changes are very minor and not sufficient to call it a proper facelift update. It will be hard for many customers to acknowledge the difference on the 2020 Vitara Brezza. 

Let's have a look at its dimensions:- 

Interior & Features 

Inside the cabin, the 2020 Vitara Brezza remains unchanged, except the fact that it gets a new black fabric upholstery i.e. the updated Brezza is identical to its older version in terms of design, space, quality and comfort.

After four years of its launch, the interior of Vitara Brezza feels a bit old school now, especially in comparison to the other offerings in the segment like Ford Ecosport, Tata Nexon and Hyundai Venue. 

The quality of the material was always questionable since its launch and in the updated version, Maruti should have paid attention to it, but unfortunately, it has not been done. Why Maruti?

It uses plenty of hard plastics throughout the cabin. Unlike the Hyundai Venue and Mahindra XUV300, you won't get a premium sense inside the Brezza. Also, for the price-cutting purpose, it shares several parts from other Maruti Suzuki cars.

With 2020 update, Maruti has introduced a total of three new features inside the cabin, including an auto-dimming IRVM and an auto-folding ORVM which folds the side mirrors automatically when you lock the car, however, it doesn't open automatically when unlocked.

The third feature update is related to the infotainment system. The new Vitara Brezza gets Suzuki’s new SmartPlay Studio interface which now also supports cloud connectivity along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The size and design of the infotainment system remain the same as the previous model. The touch response of the infotainment is pretty nice and it doesn't lag which is appreciable. 

Apart from that, it doesn't get anything new inside the cabin. The prominent features include engine start/stop button, smart entry, automatic climate control, manually adjustable driver's seat height, semi-digital instrument cluster with multiple colours changing option, 6-speaker music system, leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear armrest, rear wiper & washer, rear defogger, etc. 

On the other hand, the safety kit comprises dual front airbag, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear parking sensors, seatbelt reminder and high-speed alert system as standard features across the variant line-up. The automatic variants of Vitara Brezza also get hill-hold assist function. 

In comparison to its rivals, it doesn't get features like sunroof, rear-AC vents, tyre pressure monitoring system, front parking sensor multiple airbags and the modern connected car technology which is in trends nowadays.

Space and Comfort 

One thing that you will really like about the Brezza is its seating comfort. The seats are soft and very supportive. One can get in his/her desired driving position with the help of the height-adjustable function of the driver seat. However, it's a mechanical unit, so you have to do it on your own. The tilt adjustment for the steering wheel and sliding centre armrest further adds more convenience. 

The rear seats are cushioned well too. It offers a sufficient amount of knee room, legroom and headroom for rear passengers. With 1790mm of width, the new Brezza is the third widest car in its segment after Mahindra XUV300 (1821mm) and Tata Nexon (1811mm). Hence, sitting three in the rear won't trouble you much. However, like most of the cars, the middle passenger has to compromise with no headrest and a high floor hump.

The side seats get adjustable headrest and in the absence of middle occupant, one can rest their arms on the middle centre armrest which can be folded back to the backrest to fit three. 

Having all-black upholstery can cause trouble in summers and the situation can be more hair-raising when you come to know that there are no dedicated AC vents in the second row. It also misses a rear power socket or a USB charging port. Hence, get ready to board in with your portable charger or with a long USB cable. 

Boot and Other Storage Spaces

Vitara Brezza offers 328 litres of cargo space which is quite sufficient to carry bags of four occupants for a weekend trip. However, other offerings in the segment like Nexon (350L), Venue (350L), and Ecosport (352L), offers better boot space except for the XUV300 which offers the least luggage space (260L).

The boot of Vitara Brezza can further be expanded by folding the rear seats in 60:40 when not in use.

Apart from this, there are plenty more utility spaces in Brezza's cabin which really adds to the convenience. There are twin gloveboxes on the dash, sunglass holder, storage under the centre armrest, big front door pockets, bottle holders in rear doors, two cupholders in centre console tunnel as well the tiny spaces to place mobile and other stuff. There is also a tiny space below the steering wheel. For the rear occupant, it offers two cup holders on the rear armrest, seatback pockets, coat hooks and a rear parcel tray. 

Ergonomics & Visibility 

The ergonomics on Vitara Brezza are quite good and all the controls and switches fall to hand effortlessly. Also, the visibility up is fantastic thanks to the wide windows and A-pilar's excellent angle. The rear too gets a quarter glass panel which gives the cabin an airy sense to kill the claustrophobic feel. 

However, if the small black section between A-pillar and the front window had been positioned optimally, the visibility of the outside world would have been improved a great deal. 

Engine & Performance

The biggest changes on the 2020 Vitara Brezza lies under the hood. As mentioned earlier, Maruti has replaced its diesel engine with a 1.5-litre petrol motor that also powers many other Maruti offerings like Ciaz, XL6, and Ertiga. The same engine has also been provided with the new S-Cross Petrol.

This engine develops a maximum power output of 105PS and 138Nm of peak torque. It also carries the same gearbox options like the Ciaz: a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic.

The engine performs really well. It is quite smooth & refined. You won't hear much noise as you start the car. It picks up without any struggle thanks to its light clutch and good initial range. It can easily be in 2nd gear all the time for city commuting without any big trouble. However, in the mid-range, you will certainly feel a lag.  Post the lag, the SUV simply flies.

It cruises in a relaxed manner on highway speeds. But to accelerate fast, it takes a second or two. Hence, while overtaking, you will need to downshift. 

Maruti claims a 17.03kmpl of ARAI mileage with this particular petrol-manual combination. But in real-life conditions, it will offer you something around 12-13kmpl in city conditions and around 16kmpl on highways. Coming from a Maruti car, these figures have not really impressed us. But to compensate this, the company has offered mild-hybrid systems with the SUV’s automatic gearbox variants. With that said, Maruti claims a fuel efficiency of 18.76kmpl on the hybrid trim. Though, we can only confirm that once we get our hands on it.   

Ride Quality And Handling

The new Vitara Brezza offers good ride quality. Maruti has tuned its suspension as per the Indian road conditions. It absorbs the unevenness of the roads easily. You will feel that the bouncing movements inside the cabin have also been reduced slightly. The bumps, however, have not vanished.

Furthermore, The engine noise has also been given a check by the automaker. The SUV now feels relaxed and composed at even the three-digit speeds.

As far as the handling is concerned, the steering wheel gives you just the right amount of feedback at both city and highways speeds. Braking also feels accurate in various situations.

Variants

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza is available in four trims: LXi, VXi, ZXI and ZXi+. Their pricing is as follows:- 

*All prices are ex-showroom Delhi.

Pros and Cons Of Maruti Vitara Brezza Petrol

Pros-

• Refine petrol engine
• Spacious cabin.
• Good ride quality.
• Wide sales and service network of Maruti Suzuki.

Cons:-

• Absence of features like rear-AC vents, rear charging socket, side and curtain airbags and sunroof. 
• Material quality is not top-notch. 
• No option of a diesel engine. 

Author's Take

Compared to the older diesel model, the new Brezza is more refined and smooth in nature. It also gets the option of a torque converter automatic gearbox instead of the old AMT transmission. However, the changes in terms of design and features are very minor. When compared to its rivals, the new Brezza lags in terms of features and feels a bit outdated on the styling front. Also, low fuel efficiency makes the compact SUV a tough buy. Overall, even though the new Vitara Brezza is a decent offering, it could’ve better in many ways. It would be better for you to go for S-Cross by increasing your budget every so slightly.