Photo Credits: pg 2- car anchor
pic crdits: Ritesh Madhok
Most of you might be familiar with the XA Alpha concept shown by Maruti at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. It was the company’s answer to the growing SUV demand, but one that was meant for urban runabouts. Four years later, Maruti Suzuki has launched its first compact SUV, the Vitara Brezza, the first of all Maruti’s to have been developed ground up in India. It will compete with the other sub 4-metre SUVs like the Ford EcoSport and Mahindra TUV300.
If the XA Alpha concept was flashy, the Vitara Brezza looks a lot more sobered up. There is a thick H-shaped chrome grille with the Suzuki logo sitting at the centre. The lower part of the grille is completely blacked out with the black treatment extending into the fog lamp housing. The headlamps carry projector units and have Bull Horn LED light guides which provide an upmarket feel. From the sides, this sub 4-metre SUV looks extremely well proportioned with mildly squared out wheel arches and big 16-inch alloy wheels. Also, Maruti has given the Brezza a floating roof look which looks futuristic. The rear is garnished with a chrome strip just above the number plate and wraparound taillights with the Bull Horn treatment given here too.
Maruti has offered the Vitara Brezza for the first time with a dual tone paint job in this segment. This feature can be only had on the range topping ZDi+ variant with a white contrast roof on the Fiery Yellow and Cerulean Blue paint shades. On the other hand, the Blazing Red paint shade can be only had with a black contrast roof. All these options help the Brezza stand out and give it that customised look.
The Maruti Vitara Brezza has an uncluttered look to its dashboard. The instrument cluster looks unique with 5 preset mood lights and a central screen that doubles up as an infographic display for the rear parking sensors. Maruti has offered the Brezza with a 7-inch SmartPlay infotainment system that supports Apple Car Play and Voice Commands. The familiar looking steering wheel has buttons to control the infotainment system and the cruise control functions as well. There are dual storage compartments on the passenger side and even more storage spaces in the centre console. The seats up front are large and comfortable and visibility of the road ahead is excellent. The rear seats provide adequate legroom and headroom. Boot space at 328 litres is small by SUV standards, but you can always fold down the 60:40 split rear seat for added space.
The Vitara Brezza is powered only by the ubiquitous 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. There is a waiting game below the 2000 RPM mark after which the motor pulls forward strongly right up to a high 5000 RPM redline. The engine feels free revving and is fun when coupled to the smooth shifting gearbox. The suspension too feels well tuned and work silently all the time. It does not crash through potholes and feels pliant at any given speed. The SUV feels stable in a straightline and well insulated at high speeds.
Maruti has been recently updating its entire range of vehicles with safety features and it is no different in the Brezza’s case. All models are available with a driver side airbag as standard, while a passenger airbag and ABS can be added as optional extras even on the base LDi variant. The Vitara Brezza is also offered with features like push button start, auto headlights and rain sensing wipers.
Prices for the Vitara Brezza start at Rs. 7.07* lakhs for the base LDi variant and goes up to Rs. 9.73* lakhs for the ZDi+ variant (Prices ex-showroom, Goa).
*Prices as on 31/03/16
SPECIFICATIONS
Displacement 1248cc
Power & Torque 90 PS & 200 Nm
Fuel Efficiency 24.3 Km/L
Wheelbase 2500 mm
Kerb Weight 1170 Kg – 1195 Kg
