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Old 16th March 2020, 10:44   #1
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2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

The Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift is on sale in India at a price of between Rs. 7.34 - 11.40 lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you’ll like:

• A well-rounded Compact SUV with mature styling & mass-market appeal
• Competent 1.5L petrol offers excellent driveability & practicality
• Smooth torque-converter AT replaces the jerky old AMT. Gets SHVS tech
• Well-mannered suspension riding on big 215/60 R16 tyres. Good ground clearance as well
• Decent cabin space for a sub-4 meter car. Lots of storage & a powerful air-con too
• Features such as auto LED headlamps, auto wipers, cruise control, 7" touchscreen ICE etc.
• Dual airbags & ABS are standard. The pre-facelift version received a 4-star GNCAP safety rating
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won’t:

• No diesel option! Maruti’s BS6 1.5L diesel engine is still some time away
• This 1.5L petrol motor is uninvolving to drive. Enthusiasts, look elsewhere
• 4-speed Automatic gearbox feels old & outdated. No manual mode or paddle shifters either
• With the new 1.5L petrol, the car has lost its relative VFM positioning in the segment
• AT option commands a steep Rs. 1.4 lakh ex-showroom premium!
• Ordinary interior quality and design. The game has moved on with newer competitors
• Missing features by 2020 standards (6 airbags, sunroof, leather seats etc.)
• Boot has a practical layout, but is still the 2nd smallest in the segment @ 328 liters

This review has been jointly compiled with blackwasp. Thanks to him for the expert observations and photography!

Last edited by GTO : 16th March 2020 at 10:54.
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Old 16th March 2020, 10:48   #2
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Since the Maruti Vitara Brezza has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the 2020 facelift. To read the full Official Review, click here.


Last edited by GTO : 16th March 2020 at 10:54.
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Old 16th March 2020, 10:49   #3
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The Vitara Brezza was first introduced at the 2016 Auto Expo as Maruti’s first car to be conceived, designed and developed in India. The model went on to become an instant success with sales of more than 5 lakh units till date.

Fierce competition came in later from the likes of the Tata Nexon, Honda WR-V, Mahindra XUV300 and the Hyundai Venue - but the Maruti remained at the top of the sales charts consistently, month after month. Competition is only going to increase with the upcoming Kia Sonet, while the refreshed Nexon is also trying to have a slice of this pie. To say this is a crucial product for the company, would be an understatement!

Built on Suzuki's global C-platform, the Vitara Brezza was always considered a decent (but not class-leading) product and made good use of India’s 'national engine' - the Fiat-sourced 1.3L DDiS diesel. A 1.0L BoosterJet turbo-petrol version was expected, but never saw the light of day. Come BS6 emission norms, Maruti-Suzuki decided to move away from oil burners - axing the 1.3L DDiS as well as the in-house 1.5L diesel (temporarily), leaving them with a petrol-only portfolio! What better time for a facelift then? Note: The Vitara Brezza 1.5L diesel will be launched once Maruti has the BS6 version of the engine ready.

Although the facelift comes a full 4 years since its launch, Maruti has played it safe with minor cosmetic enhancements, a few additional features and the BS6 compliant K15 1.5L petrol engine. This facelift also comes with Maruti's SHVS, but only on the 4-speed torque converter AT.

In terms of pricing, the 1.5L petrol engine disqualifies the Vitara Brezza from the tax slabs enjoyed by the 1.3L diesel engine and as a result, it seems to have lost its earlier VFM market positioning. The new petrol variant is priced cheaper by around Rs. 500 - 48,000 than the outgoing diesel, depending on the variants, whereas the petrol automatic SHVS is priced between Rs. 59,000 - 89,000 over the equivalent diesel AMT variants of the outgoing car. Some premium for the torque-converter AT over the AMT was expected, but this is too high. The steep Rs. 1.4 lakh premium commanded by the AT over the MT becomes even worse in all the states where the tax slab above Rs. 10L ex-showroom increases the on-road price significantly (by over Rs. 2 lakhs)! The Ford EcoSport Titanium+ AT with a superb 1.5L petrol engine, superior 6-speed torque converter gearbox and features like paddle shifters, curtain airbags, sunroof, etc. can be had for similar money as the ZXi+ AT dual-tone. The automatic is overpriced even when compared to Maruti's own product lineup. Get this - you can have the top-end Ciaz petrol automatic SHVS for a few thousands lesser than the ZXi+ automatic, while the XL6 in the top-end petrol automatic SHVS trim costs merely Rs. 11,000 more than the ZXi+ AT dual-tone !

2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review-brezza-comparo.png

Safety features such as the Suzuki TECT body structure, dual airbags, ABS + EBD, seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters, ISOFIX child seat anchors and reverse parking sensors are standard across the range. Maruti claims full frontal impact compliance, front offset impact compliance, side-impact compliance and also pedestrian impact compliance as required within the ambit of the Indian government's regulations. In fact, the Vitara Brezza is also the only car from the Maruti-Suzuki stable to be rated 4-stars by the Global NCAP. Automatic variants also get hill-hold. Why no ESP on the automatic variants at least, Maruti? When the same is present in cars like the Ciaz and XL6??!!

Other new features include automatic LED projector headlamps with auto levelling, dual function LED DRLs, LED foglamps and part LED tail-lamps. Diamond cut alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and the updated Smartplay Studio head-unit also attempt to provide a more premium feel to the product. Maruti has missed an opportunity here for a true top-end variant with curtain airbags, sunroof, leather seats, connectivity features & more. The segment has truly moved on since the Vitara Brezza first hit the market, and even the updated feature set, is no match to the top-end variants of competing cars.

The facelift is available in 6 body colours, along with 3 dual-tone paint options. Blazing Red has given way to Sizzling Red, Cerulean Blue has been replaced with Torque Blue, and Fiery Yellow has been discontinued and compensated with Autumn Orange. Pearl Arctic White, Premium Silver and Granite Grey options continue unchanged, whereas the dual-tone options are Sizzling Red with a Midnight Black roof, Torque Blue with a Midnight Black roof, and Granite Grey with an Autumn Orange Roof (cheesy combo IMHO).

So, what's new on the outside?

The front end looks mature, but the chrome radiator grille is too much! It looks like an after-market fitment from your neighbourhood accessory store:


Except for the new diamond-cut alloy wheels, there are no changes to the side profile. Dual-tone paint shade helps to mask the ageing side profile (it looks very boring in the single-colour body):


The only changes at the rear are the reworked faux skid plate and new LED tail-lamps:


Except for the base variant, all others are equipped with automatic dual LED projector headlamps, along with dual function LED daytime running lights (DRLs). Also notice the chrome trim running on top of the cluster. LXi variant gets halogen projector headlamps with LED light guides:


With all the lights in action. DRLs are on all the time, till the main headlamps are switched on, and they also act as the turn indicators. The headlamps don't get the useful 'follow-me-home' and 'lead-me-to-vehicle' features though:


Powerful LED projector headlamps illuminate the road very well:


High beam is adequate, though not as impressive as the low beam:


DRLs are bright & prominent, even during the day. Lends good presence:


The prominent chrome grille of the original has been replaced with an even bolder 4-slat grille, as per the new Suzuki design language for their SUV'ish vehicles like the Jimny, and even the new Ignis. We feel the chrome is excessive. Do note though that the slats are closed indentations on the bar in this application. A prominent black stripe runs through the center. The new grille should be well accepted in the mass market, where fake Jeep grilles & chrome add-ons are a popular after-market accessory for the Vitara Brezza:


With the indicator moved into the headlamp assembly, the round LED foglamp of the ZXi+ variant is housed independently in the bumper:


The LED foglamps in action:


The integrated faux bull bar is finished in matt silver on the ZXi and ZXi+ variants. Other grades get it in black. The fake skid plate is not prominent with the black finish, though Suzuki provides accessories to jazz up the same:


Mirrors now get auto-retracting functionality on locking / unlocking. Only the ZXi+ variants get ORVM covers to match the shade of the roof in the case of a dual-tone car, whereas all the other variants make do with body-coloured ORVMs:


A closer look at the new diamond-cut alloy wheels. Looks better than the conservative design of the original IMHO. The ZXi / ZXi+ variants ride on 215/60 rubber (MRF Wanderers on our test car), while the wheels on the lower variants are shod with 205/60 section tyres, all on 16-inch rims. A rare Maruti car where the lower variants are not under-tyred!


Two-part tail lamps are functional and not just for show. They get a fresh new design:


Tail lamp bulges outside the body line. Also, do check out the design element on the sides:


Boxy, thick and large LED light guides lend some more visual presence to the Vitara Brezza, compared to the 'Bull Horn' LED light guides of the outgoing version:


With all the lights in action. The outer C-shaped LED guide glows brighter for the brake warning lamp:


Four rear parking sensors are provided. The rear bumper has a faux skid plate as well, redesigned and more subtle now. No rear foglamps, just reflectors:


Gets three new colours. Along with the Sizzling Red of our test car, Torque Blue shown below replaces the earlier Cerulean Blue:


Although we didn't have a media car in the new Autumn Orange paint shade, here is a closer look at the colour:


Sizzling Red and Torque Blue shades are available with a black roof dual-tone option. The third dual-tone option is the Granite Grey with an Autumn Orange roof. Strange colour combo:


This is the Automatic variant. As is the norm with new Maruti Suzuki products, the Vitara Brezza gets very subtle branding. There are no company or variant details mentioned, and even the model name is embossed on the chrome bar:


'Smart Hybrid' logo is the only differentiator for the automatic variants:


The hideous-looking exhaust end can, which was a sore point with the car, has now been painted black to conceal it better from view. Cheap & effective way, we say!

Last edited by CrAzY dRiVeR : 7th April 2020 at 23:43. Reason: Car colours corrected.
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Old 16th March 2020, 10:49   #4
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So, what's new on the inside?

Typical "blink and you'll miss it" changes to the interior. The Vitara Brezza continues with the simple, user-friendly interiors finished fully in black. Although the quality is just acceptable, there is simply no 'wow' or premium factor. Competition has upped the game in the last four years since the Vitara Brezza has been in the market, and Maruti hasn't really used this opportunity to play catch up:


The steering wheel now comes with leather wrapping in the ZXi+ variant:


Instrument cluster remains the same. Maruti should have used the facelift to bring in the sweet-looking MID from the Baleno:


The only major difference - the automatic variants with SHVS now get very small indicators for the energy flow system (on top):


The energy flow system shows you where the energy to propel the car is being drawn from, and if the battery for the Smart Hybrid system is being charged:


In the AT, the button for the parking sensor off has been replaced by one for the engine idle start / stop. This new one is definitely needed, while the old one was pointless IMHO:


The manual variants get a blank switch! No (pointless) button to switch off the parking sensors as was the case with the pre-facelift:


The doorpads are identical, save for one difference. If you take a close look, you'll notice it has this new funky design on the trim (closer look at the pattern here):


IRVM is now equipped with auto-dimming functionality. However, it is available only on the ZXi+ variant:


Not that it makes a difference to anyone (except the most eagle-eyed BHPians ), but the cover for the USB slot has been changed now and looks slightly better than the original:


The brushed silver finish of the dashboard trim gives way to this funky pattern. The car continues with the dual gloveboxes - an upper cooled glovebox with a partially damped effect, and the conventional illuminated glovebox underneath:


A closer look at the pattern. Personally, I am not a fan of all the different patterns present everywhere on the dashboard, although it isn't something that you would notice in the long run:


Lithium-ion battery for the SHVS system is located below the front passenger seat (automatic variants only). Tall passengers at the rear won't be able to stretch their legs below the front passenger's seat. But then again, the Vitara Brezza always had an uneven floor pan below the seats, which wasn't a comfortable experience to begin with!


No major changes at the rear, except for the addition of ISOFIX:


ISOFIX is standard on all variants of the Vitara Brezza:

Last edited by CrAzY dRiVeR : 16th March 2020 at 12:05.
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Old 16th March 2020, 10:49   #5
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In-Car Entertainment

The Vitara Brezza facelift now gets the 7" capacitive touchscreen head-unit, dubbed 'SmartPlay Studio', which is shared with other newer cars from the Maruti-Suzuki stable (such as the XL6). The touchscreen console & SmartPlay studio app have been described in detail here.

The lower LXi / VXi variants get a conventional CD player (who the hell uses a CD today???) with USB connectivity, AUX and Bluetooth. While the touchscreen itself is nice, sound quality is strictly average and Maruti should have provided better speakers at this price point. All four doors are equipped with speakers, whereas only the ZXi+ variant gets two additional tweeters at the front. Also, do note that a reverse parking camera is only available on the top-end ZXi+ version, whereas parking sensors come standard on all variants (as mandated by law).




Last edited by GTO : 16th March 2020 at 10:52.
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Old 16th March 2020, 10:49   #6
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Driving the 1.5L Petrol MT

Four years after launch, the Vitara Brezza finally receives a petrol engine - the 1,462cc, 4-cylinder K15 that puts out 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. This petrol motor will be the only option available until Maruti is ready with its BS6-compliant 1.5L diesel. The petrol engine is shared with the Ciaz & Ertiga and just like those cars, the service interval is set at 10,000 km / 1 year:


While the power figure is higher than the outgoing car's 1.3L 89 BHP diesel engine, it is of no match to some of the modern petrol competition - like the Tata Nexon 1.2L's 118 BHP, the Ford EcoSport 1.5L's 121 BHP, the Hyundai Venue 1.0L's 118 BHP and the Mahindra XUV300 1.2L's 109 BHP! Customers will also have to forget that characteristic mid-range punch and excellent fuel efficiency of the old Vitara Brezza diesel. To its credit though, the competition is moving away from 4-cylinder petrol engines in this segment, and the Maruti probably has the best of the remaining few. Still, we can tell you upfront = if you are a driving enthusiast, the competition offers better options.

With the switch to petrol, the Vitara Brezza's weight has gone down by 40 kg to 1,110 for the manual and 1,125 kilos for the automatic version. The car's power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios are 93 BHP / ton and 124 Nm / ton.

The engine fires up with very little noise and without transmitting any vibrations to the cabin. At idle, it is silent. Press the clutch and you'll find that it has a light action with a short travel range. All the better for city driving. As if to match that, the gear shifter is light & smooth to use as well.

Release the clutch gradually and the car moves forward without any throttle input. You can even pull away from a standstill in 2nd gear, albeit with some extra accelerator input! Throttle response is quite satisfactory. Power comes in smooth & seamless. Low-speed driveability is good and in the lower gears, the car can pull reasonably well at anything over 1,000 rpm, though it is comfortable post 1,300 rpm. The way the engine is tuned makes the Vitara Brezza a practical car to drive in urban surroundings. What's more, the 1.5L is refined at low revs (although it is not as refined as the smaller 1.2L K-series motor).

Out on the open road, the car feels adequately quick, but far from being really fast. Simply no comparison to some turbo-petrols in the segment. The Vitara Brezza 1.5L is also more of a 'cruiser' rather than a 'racer'. Power delivery is linear and there is enough performance available to get the job done. When pushed, the engine revs to 6,300 rpm. And with a full load of passengers & cargo, you will need to work it hard at times. The Vitara Brezza is more suited to a sedate driving style & can comfortably cruise at 100 - 120 kmph all day long when you want to go touring.

We feel that the rev limit of 6,300 rpm is very conservative. Sometimes, in the middle of overtaking manoeuvres, you have to shift up. For the sake of comparison, we'll mention that many other 1.5L petrols touch 7,000 rpm and are much more revv-happy too. The best way to sum up this engine is that it's 'adequate' & 'practical'.

Coming to NVH levels, the engine is silent while idling and acceptably refined at low revs. However, it is audible above 2,000 rpm. You can always hear the motor when you are accelerating. It starts getting loud post 3,500 rpm, and a lot more so after 4,500 rpm. At higher speeds, there is a fair amount of wind & road noise that filters into the cabin.

In the area of fuel economy, the Vitara Brezza MT carries an ARAI rating of 17.03 km/l.

The ZXi and ZXi+ variants are equipped with cruise control, while ABS + EBD are standard on all variants. The handling, steering and braking of the facelift are similar to the outgoing car's.

1,462cc, 4-cylinder petrol develops 103 BHP and 138 Nm of torque. An engine for the mass market / sedate drivers, but not enthusiasts. Also notice that it doesn't get an engine cover!


Petrol gets an insulation sheet under the bonnet:


Partial protective cladding underneath (doesn't even cover the oil sump). Still, the excellent ground clearance means we aren't that worried:


Blackwasp's attention-to-detail trumps Maruti's! This drain hose (guess the A/C drain from the dashboard?) drips water, which could make it a rust magnet for the bolt below. Needs to be routed elsewhere:


Padded dead pedal, light controls, well-spaced A-B-C pedals and a wide footwell mean your feet will be happy. Both footwells are illuminated:

Last edited by GTO : 16th March 2020 at 10:51.
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Old 16th March 2020, 10:49   #7
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Driving the 1.5L Petrol Automatic

Maruti is offering a 4-speed AT as an option on all variants, except the base. Pretty cool. Variant to variant, the AT is priced Rs. 1.4 lakh more than the MT, thanks to the additional SHVS hardware present only on the automatic variants. That is a steep premium, but this will be our pick over the jerky outgoing AMT any day, any time.

This old & outdated 4-speed torque converter is certainly no match for the 6-speeder found in the EcoSport or the fast DCT of the Venue, yet it is far superior to the AMT-equipped competition. It's good enough to get the car from point A to point B with minimum fuss & effort. The only talking point of this AT is the convenience it provides, and not much else. If you buy a Vitara Brezza AT, enjoy the ease of driving that the slushbox offers and keep any performance-cravings aside. Just like we said for the engine, the AT gearbox is 'adequate'.

With your foot on the brake pedal, press the start button and the 1.5L engine comes to life. As with the MT, starting up is a silent affair with no vibrations felt inside the cabin.

The car moves off the line very smoothly upon releasing the brake pedal. It'll crawl at ~5 km/h without accelerator input (useful in bumper-to-bumper traffic). Once you are on the move, the AT is smooth and free of jerks. Drive the Vitara Brezza in a sedate manner and the gearshifts are butter-smooth. Other than a driver who listens to the engine, the occupants of the car are not even likely to realize the gear changes. With a light foot, upshifts are seen at 1,700 - 1,800 rpm. It's an upshift-friendly transmission that's tuned for efficiency.

This AT is not as quick-shifting as a DCT or even the 6-speed torque converter of the EcoSport. There is some delay before a downshift is executed upon kickdown. Further, when the speeds are continuously changing, the transmission does get confused. Aggressive use of the throttle will see the Brezza AT hunting for gears. Therefore, it is best to drive with gradual accelerator inputs. Coming to the shift quality, it is noticeable only in situations when you drive hard, but is never excessively jerky.

On the open road, the Vitara Brezza is a fair cruiser. Throttle response is acceptable, while the power delivery is linear; the transmission gets the job done. The car can cruise at 100 - 120 km/h all day long. However, the motor is not strong higher up in the rev range and does get buzzy. The transmission will shift up once you hit 6,000 rpm.

A button on the right side of the gear knob enables the driver to disengage the overdrive gear (4th). This is an outdated feature that we remember from the 80s & 90s (that's probably how old the gearbox is too). The overdrive keeps the gearbox in 4th, at low revs while cruising. Disengaging it sees the revs shoot up as the gearbox shifts down to 3rd. However, this can come in handy when overtaking slow-moving traffic on undivided highways as 4th is very tall and the AT always needs a downshift to 3rd to overtake. Better to keep it in 3rd (via the 'overdrive off' button) until you are done with overtaking. It will also help on continuously undulating roads where the gearbox will otherwise constantly shift between 3rd <-> 4th.

Maruti hasn't provided paddle shifters, a 'sport' mode or even manual mode. What it does have are "L" and "2" modes. In the former, the engine will stay in the lowest gear (1st). It is best to use this on steep ascents or descents. In the "2" mode, the engine will only use the initial 2 gears of the car (never going up to 3rd). This can be used on inclines & declines that are less severe.

Just like the MT, the AT gets cruise control. Additionally, the AT has hill-hold as well, although ESP is strangely given a miss! Other cars from the Maruti stable sharing the 1.5 petrol and 4-speed AT combination get ESP, at least on the automatic variants. This cost-cutting isn't cool Maruti, and especially not so on a car that has done well in the crash tests.

Smart Hybrid system:

Maruti's Smart Hybrid tech has found its way into the Vitara Brezza AT. It uses a dual battery setup, with a conventional lead-acid battery in the engine bay and a lithium-ion battery sitting under the front passenger's seat.

This Smart Hybrid system is at best a very mild hybrid, and not a proper one like say, the ones seen in higher-end Toyotas. It essentially employs an integrated starter generator (ISG), whose primary objective is to enhance fuel-efficiency & reduce emissions. The ISG replaces both, the conventional starter and alternator. It allows for greater electrical generation capacity.

Most of the FE improvements come from the idling start / stop system. This system switches the engine off when the car comes to a standstill. While this might enhance fuel economy, it can get irritating. The system is a bit intrusive in the Vitara Brezza and cuts off the power within two seconds of coming to a standstill, even in 'D'. Sure can take new owners by surprise, switching off the engine in unexpected situations. For example, at one point during the shoot, I was planning to get off the road into an empty land. I came to a halt in D and while I was rechecking the road boulders for a second before taking the left turn, the engine was already off! Fires up the second you release the brake pedal, which is again not ideal as it also starts moving forward immediately.

Yep, there is a button to disable the annoying feature. The conventional lead-acid battery in the engine bay is used by the idling start / stop system.

The system also includes brake energy regeneration. In this, when the brakes are applied, the kinetic energy generated is converted into electric energy. This electric energy is stored in both the batteries. The Li-ion battery assists the engine by providing a little extra torque when the car needs to accelerate quickly. Do note that the batteries get charged even while the vehicle is coasting. While cruising, the electricity stored in the batteries is supplied to the various electrical components.

The ARAI-certified FE of the Vitara Brezza AT is 18.76 km/l, which is over a km/l higher than the 17.03 km/l of the MT. It's all down to the start-stop system without which, the FE figures are mediocre at best.

Simple, yet elegant gear shifter is shared with other Maruti cars. The knob has a perforated design pattern on the sides & front:


Pedals in the AT are shared with other Maruti cars. Lots of space in the footwell. The padded dead pedal is a comfortable place to rest your left foot:


The gearbox is an old school 4-speed torque converter with an "L" mode:


A feature from the 80s & 90s which shows just how old this gearbox is. Press the 'overdrive off' button and the car won't engage 4th (top gear = 3rd). Useful when overtaking, or even preparing the car for overtaking before the actual move. The AT doesn't have a manual mode, but you can use this to command a downshift from 4th to 3rd:


Point to note = this Exide Conservo battery is used on the SHVS variants. Replacing it with some other make will disable the hybrid system:


Sticker underneath the bonnet tells you about the placement of the lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries. It claims that the Li-ion battery can also be used for vehicle start:


Disclaimer : Maruti invited Team-BHP for the Vitara Brezza test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

Last edited by CrAzY dRiVeR : 16th March 2020 at 11:43.
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Old 16th March 2020, 11:00   #8
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Official Reviews Section. Thanks for sharing, Crazy Driver & Blackwasp! An absolutely top-class review . Great to see a petrol engine finally making its way to the Vitara Brezza. I loved its driveability. Eagerly looking forward to Maruti's superb 1.5L diesel entering this engine bay soon.

Rating thread 5 stars .
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Old 16th March 2020, 11:40   #9
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

Once again another great review. Well deserved 5* thread.

I always wonder who will go though such a lengthy review only later to realize people like us will do. Thanks for putting so much effort to bring the truth out and give unbiased review.

Hey @CrAzY dRiVeR, in the "Driving the 1.5L Petrol Automatic" section, you have mentioned in one instance as Ciaz AT instead of Brezza AT. Please change it. Just can't resist to point it out in a great review.

I TD the Ecosport and I'm sure as hell not going to touch Brezza Petrol as it is nowhere near the EcoSport in terms of anything. I still wonder how Maruti goes on about to make such decisions!

Last edited by Aditya : 19th July 2020 at 16:15. Reason: Typo edited
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Old 16th March 2020, 12:19   #10
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR View Post
Driving the 1.5L Petrol MT
Some questions please.

1. How was the drive experience and NVH of the car when cruising at 100 and 120 KMPH? Was it bearable? I have read many owners complaining about unbearable noise after 100KMPH in Ertiga and Ciaz threads.

2. Also, how long was this test drive and what kind of mileage did you notice in the manual variant?
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Old 16th March 2020, 12:20   #11
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

There isnt anything special with the car. But then I like its mature, non polarizing design. I am looking for a city drive and interested in smooth driving experience of petrol with AT. I know there are other mini SUVs. But I like this for not being showy Service interval at 10000 km should be really cheap.

Can they increase the li-ion battery size transparently without changing any driving software to increase the efficiency and range ? Also, with some after market maps to the engine which I think is operating with minimum stress, it should be able to see good improvements.
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Old 16th March 2020, 12:52   #12
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

What an un-special car.. With the competition there is some drama, some expectation of premiumness. But this Brezza with its same old dated interiors is an eyesore. When I was scouting for my CSUV, Brezza was at the top of the list due to its "M" / "S" badge. However I could not bring myself to buy this given the pain full interiors and really wierd Diesel / AMT combo with a weak bottom end. Fast forward to the facelift, there is not a whole lot of change. I am sure this will still out-sell everything in our market in the segment though Maruti couldn't have made this even more boring..
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Old 16th March 2020, 12:53   #13
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR View Post
Pedals in the AT are shared with other Maruti cars. Lots of space in the footwell. The padded dead pedal is a comfortable place to rest your left foot
I have slowly mastered left foot braking while driving my Swift AMT, much better than resting your left foot and engaging the right foot all the time! Feels much more balanced as well. Using only the right foot is especially tiring if one commutes 80-100 kms daily.
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Old 16th March 2020, 13:10   #14
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

A good car, not a great car, if you want a fun to drive automatic, go for the Ford EcoSport 1.5 AT or the Hyundai Venue DCT. The Vitara Brezza simply blends in with its rivals, rather than distinguishing itself from them. It's a pity Maruti didn't take the effort to update the interior, as it severely lags behind in terms of quality and design.
And what's with the newer Suzuki models? They're all pretty pricey for what they offer.

By the way @CrAzY dRiVeR, I still use CDs.
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Old 16th March 2020, 13:17   #15
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Re: 2020 Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift 1.5L Petrol : Official Review

I am looking for a second car primarily for city. I would be buying Brezza petrol MT because of the following reasons -

1. Good rear headroom for easy fitting/removal of child seat.
2. Good low end for in-city driveability.
3. Rare Maruti with 4* crash test rating.
4. Peace of mind with Maruti's service and spares.
5. Good resale value.

I had to drop Nexon because of limited rear headroom.
And dropped EcoSport because of better visibility in Brezza and Maruti's 1.5 felt better to drive and superior to EcoSport's.
I personally do not like Hyundai, so Venue was not considered.
XUV300 is expensive.

I feel Brezza is majorly lacking in 2 main areas that matter to me -
1. Poor interiors.
2. Poor mid-range of the 1.5ltr engine.

PS: Still prefer MT over AT. So considering only MT options.

Last edited by ank.nsit : 16th March 2020 at 13:20.
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