[hrishik]

This is disappointing to be honest. MSIL is demonstrating a marked lack of creativity and ambition with its latest vehicles. A new model is a new chance for an automobile company to demonstrate its design and engineering philosophy as well as laying down markers for the future. What MSIL is telling us through models like the Brezza is that they care about nothing but sales and profit, everything else be damned. There is nothing premium or individual about the Brezza or the Baleno or the S-Cross. It is as if a designer in some dark dingy corner is tasked with coming up with new body shell designs that are flavour of the month in the car market and everything else is just picked up and bolted on from old stock at the factory. I am sure I will be pooh poohed for saying this, but MSIL is not planning and investing for the future and that will be their undoing over the next couple of decades.

[amitayu]

THIS. WILL. SELL.

That is all MSL is looking for, that is what makes MSL the largest company in this country, that is what MSL is all about.

Many found the ecosport to be ungainly as well. I for one find sub 4 meter SUV-ish cars to be disproportionate. However, that has not stopped people from lapping up ecosport.

Even when the Duster was released, many lamented about the cheapo interiors and the aged Logan platform it was build on. But it too set the sales chart on fire.

This one ticks the right boxes, and the dual tone factory set option is a novelty for the Indian middle-class. I expect to see more of them on the roads, and perhaps other manufacturers too will follow suit very soon.

[sunsetorange]

Originally Posted by adg_andy

One question? What does one do with the 12v Socket in the boot? If I have to charge my tablet while having a look at it, do I need to sit inside the boot?

You could use it to power those vacuum cleaners when cleaning the boot or the air pumps to inflate the tyres.

[heavenlybull]

This is the best designed Maruti till date in my opinion, save for the over sized wheel arches and the chrome treatment at the front and back. Even the 16 inches wheels look puny in those massive wheel arches and spoil the looks a bit.

But man this is going to sell like hot cakes from day one. Its got almost everything people want and SUVs are hot these days. Ecosport is in deep trouble when this goes on sale. Maruti must introduce petrol options ASAP as there is significant demand for petrol these days (also goes for S-Cross).

[procrj]

Maruti seems to have done a lot of reverse engineering from the Creta/Ecosport to crate a well rounded product. TUV/Ecosport/S Cross/Creta - all of these will be affected by the brezza from the market leader as long as they price it right! Doesn't matter if the design is conservative or if it has the National engine with its VGT, people will flock to the "S" badge and this will set the charts of fire. Once again MSIL shows why its the market leader - you dont need to create a new product with new features & USP - just use the existing hits to modify the platform and add features that the 'crowd' will want

[swiftnfurious]

For those who like a bit of bling, there is "mood lighting" for the console too. I think it's limited to the speedo console alone and doesn't extent to the door pads / dashboard (like Punto / XUV etc).

Details from : www.marutisuzuki.com/vitarabrezza.aspx

Please click on the image to see full resolution. The lighting looks better than the thumbnail pic.

[subhro1988]

Hats off to you guys for an awesome review within 10 hours of the launch. This car will sell. MSL knows the current demand situation and has hit the sweet spot. Two people in my office were bowled over by the product and is postponing their purchase decision at the moment.

But with planned production of 5000 units/month, expect high waiting periods in the initial days of launch.

[Night Raven]

Thank you so much for the quick mini review. Just putting a few queries that came in to my mind while going through the pics.

1.Are the 16 inch 215 section wheels standard on all variants? Won't it look even worse if the lower variants are given smaller sized wheels? Also, won't it be an overkill to put 215 section tyres on this engine?
2. What is the mechanism to open the hatch? Couldn't find any request sensor in the picture.
3. Is there any recline adjustment for the rear seat like in ecosport?
Finally one newbie question. The suspension travel looked a little long at least in pics. Won't it affect the handling a bit?

[The Dude]

Team-BHP is the best! I will say it now. I was expecting this kinda a thread going up later, like a day after the launch. This sincerely surprised me. Now, coming to the car. It looks really nice IMO, or that is just me comparing it with the KUV (). Taking the Ecosport as a role model seems to be a good idea. If Maruti is not going to get better quality plastics and better build quality, I'll give it a miss. A petroleum auto box would be nice to have on this car IMO.

[Sebzgeo89]

A very nice looking compact SUV indeed except for the XL sized wheel arches, which somewhat ruins the side profile in my opinion. Also feel they could have just gone with the same front grill on the international Vitara. All in all this is going to be a smash and grab hit.

[Ashdel]

I think this vehicle has all the right ingredients to be a hit, however pricing will play a major role here.

Maruti, please don't spoil the game like what happened with S Cross. I guess they realized it and launched Baleno with correct pricing

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

Isn't this hook behind the driver's seat a safety hazard in case of a crash?

Is there a 'folding' kind of mechanism for this hook?

It does. The Autocar review video shows how to open and close the hook. I had posted the video on the previous Brezza thread.

Originally Posted by subhro1988

...But with planned production of 5000 units/month, expect high waiting periods in the initial days of launch.

It's written "minimum" 5000 units production. Am sure even Maruti would expect to produce at least 10K units a month and wouldn't mind a 6 month waiting period so that they can milk the product.

Originally Posted by Night Raven

...1.Are the 16 inch 215 section wheels standard on all variants? Won't it look even worse if the lower variants are given smaller sized wheels? Also, won't it be an overkill to put 215 section tyres on this engine?
2. What is the mechanism to open the hatch? Couldn't find any request sensor in the picture.
3. Is there any recline adjustment for the rear seat like in ecosport?
Finally one newbie question. The suspension travel looked a little long at least in pics. Won't it affect the handling a bit?

Originally Posted by Night Raven

...1.Are the 16 inch 215 section wheels standard on all variants? Won't it look even worse if the lower variants are given smaller sized wheels? Also, won't it be an overkill to put 215 section tyres on this engine?...

I expect the lower variants to come with a 15 inch steel wheel. Probably a 195 60 R15 profile or even a 185 65/R15 to keep in line with most of the other products.

Originally Posted by Night Raven

...2. What is the mechanism to open the hatch? Couldn't find any request sensor in the picture...

It should be operated via a lever near the driver's door.

[NPV]

Awesome report, superb eye for detail, thanks for sharing
Vid's perspective and comparison with the Ecosport on several points is very insightful.

What I liked (comparing with earlier Maruti cars from my experience):
1. No dual tone interiors, especially with beige!
2. Mirror adjustment switches (would have liked this to be on the door pad with the window switches instead of being near the fog lamp and headlamp level adjustment rotary switch)
3. Adjustable driver armrest
4. 60-40 rear split seat
5. Cubby holes on the sides of the boot (like S-Cross)
6. Space around the spare tyre
7. The spare cover/boot floor, much better than what my Dzire has!
8. Shaped space for the tools like wheel spanner, jack handle, jack (set into the top of the spare tyre)
9. USB and 12V socket in front near the gear lever console
10. Option on all variants to get dual Airbags + ABS

What I didn't like:
1. Archaic window switches on the driver door pad
2. Exhaust end can - will that be a problem from the GC perspective prone to underbody hits/scrapes ?
3. The Chrome garnish on tailgate, will be good without that and have that understated look (small change can do wonders or be disastrous sometimes)
4. Better sheet metal that gives a reassuring thud (this can only be a dream with most Maruti cars)
5. Steering that reminds me of the Celerio (no offense to Celerio owners)
6. Lack of soft-touch plastics - too much to expect in non-Nexa cars ?

Questions:
1. Does rear seat space/Boot have an additional 12V socket ?
2. Is MID the dual/single stalk operated type we've seen even on the S-Cross ?
3. The bag hook behind the driver seat looks nifty but could be a safety concern with kids / rear passengers not using seat belts ?

I guess about 50% of the extra bits (interiors, weird/missing stuff, etc) usually covered during an official review is already available here now, just that the car needs to be driven and the rest will be covered for the review

[dheepak10]

Originally Posted by GTO

Unique stacked arrangement for the turn signals + foglamps:
Attachment 1468056

I doubt the visibility of the indicators when fog lamps are on!!

Originally Posted by GTO

Attachment 1468208

A strange placement of handbrake towards the passenger!! .

The car looks pretty decent. The rear, as suspected earlier, is pretty average. Side-profile is distinctly Swift-ish.

[sandeepmdas]

Thanks GTO, vid and all others concerned. Great thread!

Originally Posted by adg_andy

My question was with its location. A mini refrigerator is understood in a proper SUV, not a mini SUV. For the remaining uses, I think it would be prudent to place it on the c pillar, so that people in the rear seats can access it easily.

Totally agree. The mini fridge, compressor, vacuum cleaner etc are sparingly used and in reality used by 10% of the total perspective buyers. A 12V socket connected with a dual USB adapter is ubiquitous. Even if a compressor or vacuum cleaner is being used, a middle row socket is more accessible in any given situation.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

It should be operated via a lever near the driver's door.

Maybe it has an electromagnetic lock. There must a button somewhere around the rear number plate.