The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza has been the undisputed king of the subcompact SUV segment for almost half a decade. However, with the hike in the SUV trend and people looking for subcompact SUVs increasing, there are more manufacturers now in the game and each looking to up the ante. The Vitara Brezza, then, needed to offer something more, and with the new petrol engine, the company has done exactly that. This of course means, that there will be no diesel variant on offer and now the Vitara Brezza comes with a Ciaz sourced mild-hybrid 1.5-litre petrol engine. That’s not all though, there are a lot of features on offer and that makes it a better value proposition.
Also Read: 2020 Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Petrol Facelift Launched In India
We give you a realistic view about how the Vitara Brezza matches upto its existing rivals in the market, not just in terms of specifications and dimensions but also in terms of pricing.
Exterior And Dimensions
| Dimensions | Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Facelift | Hyundai Venue | Mahindra XUV300 | Tata Nexon Facelift | Ford Ecosport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 3995 mm | 3995 mm | 3990 mm | 3994 mm | 3998 mm |
| Width | 1790 mm | 1770 mm | 1820 mm | 1811 mm | 1765 mm |
| Height | 1640 mm | 1590 mm | 1620 mm | 1607 mm | 1647 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2500 mm | 2500 mm | 2620 mm | 2498 mm | 2519 mm |
The updated Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza petrol gets an refreshed face with new grille, and restyled bumper
The facelift has given subtle styling updates to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and so it isn’t a whole lot different to look at. The boxy silhouette and squared proportions are retained and up front the new grille with bolder chrome slats comes as the most prominent design update, flanked by new double-barrel projector-beam headlamps integrating sleek LED DRLS. A detailed walk around will make you notice other styling updates like bigger side curtains, chunkier silver skid plates both at the front and rear, LED tail lamps and new 17-inch machined alloy wheels.
The Hyundai Venue is based on the Carlino concept and retains the tall stance.
The Hyundai Venue that had outperformed the Vitara Brezza to claim the top spot, sticks to the Carlino design concept it is based on. It retains the quadrate proportions, typical of an SUV, and has an identical silhouette and a tall stance. Moreover, the wide cascade grille and upright face adds a sense of boldness to its face.
The Mahindra XUV300 borrows design cues from the Mahindra XUV500.The Mahindra XUV300 comes closest in appearance to the Vitara Brezza, with similar straight and squared wheel arches. However, it also takes inspiration from its Cheetah inspired elder sibling- the Mahindra XUV500 and you see similar design patterns on the haunches. That said, one complain we always had with this design is that it looks disproportionate with the tail being axed to fit under the sub-four metre category.
The Tata Nexon facelift gets a more rugged styling than the older model, similar to the Nexon EV
The Tata Nexon by all means is the most radical looker of the lot and the facelift has made it look even swankier. The new facelifted model adorns Tata’s latest IMPACT 2.0 design language and the face looks slightly angular sporting the new upright grille with that beefy black bar in the middle. The bumper has been reworked and includes a skid plate, while fog lamps get new housing and include the C-shaped chrome elements. There are also new 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels and headlamps have been revised as well along with new LED daytime running lights.
Ford EcoSport started the subcompact SUV segment in India.
The Ford Ecosport is the pioneer of the segment and still it’s hard to find fault with the design. It maintains just the right design balance between of a SUVish crossover without being on either of the extreme ends. The tall stance also make it looks butch yet urban.
As far as dimensions go, the Hyundai Venue is closest to the Vitara Brezza in overall dimensions and has the same length and wheelbase. The Mahindra XUV300 gets the longest wheelbase in the segment at 2620 mm, which is substantially larger than the Ford EcoSport’s 2519 mm, the second-longest wheelbase here.
Features
| Touchscreen | Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Facelift | Hyundai Venue | Mahindra XUV300 | Tata Nexon Facelift | Ford Ecosport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 7.0-inch | 8.4-inch | 7.0-inch | 7.0-inch | 9.0-inch |
2020 Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza gets a refreshed cabin with an updated infotainment system
The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza remains identical in terms of features, save for LED DRLs and the latest 7.0-inch Smartplay Studio 2.0 infotainment system that offers a new interface and smartphone connectivity. That said, we were expecting addition of a sunroof in the facelifted model which would have got it right there with its rivals in the features department.
The Hyundai Venue is the only connected subcomapct SUV in India.
It’s really difficult to beat Hyundai when it comes to features and creature comfort and Venue gets some brownie points being the only connected car in the segment. It comes with a bundle of segment-first features like SOS alert, Indian-accented English voice assist system, remote engine-start and climate control operation among others. The Hyundai Venue also comes equipped with an in-built eSIM card, powered by Idea-Vodafone. Hyundai will provide free data to the owners up to the warranty period of the car after which the SIM can be recharged with regular data packs. Other segment-first comfort features include wireless charging, air purifier, 8.4-inch HD display screen, eco-coating, Arkamys sound system and wheel air curtains.
Mahindra XUV300 has a long feature list and gets engine performance modes as well.
The Mahindra XUV 300 also offers a long feature list. This includes front and rear disc brakes, dual-zone automatic climate control system, projector headlamps, front and rear parking sensors, reverse parking camera, heated wing mirrors, idle stop/start system, multi-function steering wheel, cruise control, touchscreen infotainment system with seven speakers, sunroof, and engine performance modes among others.
In comparison, the Tata Nexon is equipped with projector headlamps with LED DRLs, touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multi-function steering wheel, seven speaker audio system, multi-drive modes and automatic climate control.
The Ford EcoSport gets the largest touchscreen in the segment.
The Ford EcoSport too is up to the task in the features department and its 9.0-inch Microsoft-SYNC enabled touchscreen definitely adds up to the upmarket quotient of the cabin. Its feels premium to look at and is intuitive enough in operation. The graphics are sizeable and clear which means the driver doesn’t really need to take his eyes off the road while driving, it offers the best rear camera view and of course you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto even with this one. Then, the Ecosport has also been updated with sunroof which Indian buyers love.
Powertrains
| Specification | Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Facelift | Hyundai Venue | Mahindra XUV300 | Tata Nexon Facelift | Ford Ecosport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 1.5 L mild-hybrid | 1.2 L / 1.0 L | 1.2 L | 1.2 L | 1.5 L |
| No. of Cylinders | 4 | 4 / 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Max Power | 102 bhp | 82 bhp / 118 bhp | 110 bhp | 108 bhp | 123 bhp |
| Peak Torque | 134 Nm | 114 Nm / 172 Nm | 200 Nm | 170 Nm | 170 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT / 5-Speed AMT | 5-Speed MT / 6-Speed MT, 7-Speed Dual Clutch | 6-Speed MT | 6-Speed MT /AMT | 5-Speed MT / 6-Speed AT |
The Ciaz sourced mild-hybrid powertrain in the Vitara Brezza definitely comes to its advantage in saving fuel and reducing emission. None of the competitors offer their subcompact SUVs with a hybrid powertrain, giving the Brezza an edge here. The 1.5-litre SHVS engine coupled with an electric motor puts out 102 bhp at 6000 rpm and 134 Nm of peak torque at 4400 rpm and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission while a four-speed torque converter automatic transmission is optional on some variants. It still is one of the most humble powertrains of the lot but that no way means, the Vitara Brezza is the slowest and credit goes to the supremely light and agile Heartect platform.
The Hyundai Venue comes with two petrol engine options- a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged motor and the i20 sourced 1.2-litre, four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine on base variants. The 1.2-litre motor at 82 bhp and 114 Nm of peak torque is the most humble of the lot and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission as standard.
The 1.5-litre dragon engine in the Ford Ecosport remains the most powerful engine, by a margin though, belting out 123 bhp and 170 Nm of peak torque. The 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo motor in the Venue is mated to an optional seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox which makes for a smoother drive and to an extent wipes off the bottom end lag which is typical of a 1.0-litre, turbocharged engine. At 118 bhp and 172 Nm of peak torque it’s the second most powerful mill on offer. The Tata Nexon is powered by the 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol motor which put out 108 bhp and 170 Nm of peak torque and stands fourth in terms of power output after the Ford Ecosport, Mahindra XUV300 and Hyundai Venue. The engine on the Nexon is mated to a either a six-speed manual or AMT gearbox.
Safety
In terms of safety, the Venue and Ecosport get six-airbags while the XUV300 gets an edge being equipped with seven airbags in the top-end variant. The Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon come with front airbags only. Impressively, the Nexon and XUV300 have also scored a five-star rating at the GNCAP crash test. Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) are standard in all of them.
Pricing
| Model | Petrol Manual | Petrol Automatic |
|---|---|---|
| Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza | ₹ 7.34 lakh – ₹ 9.98 lakh | ₹ 9.75 lakh – ₹ 11.40 lakh |
| Mahindra XUV300 | ₹ 8.30 lakh – ₹ 11.84 lakh | NA |
| Tata Nexon | ₹ 6.95 lakh – ₹ 10.60 lakh | ₹ 8.30 lakh – ₹ 11.20 lakh |
| Hyundai Venue | ₹ 6.55 lakh – ₹ 10.65 lakh | ₹ 9.40 lakh – ₹ 11.40 lakh |
| Ford EcoSport | ₹ 8.04 lakh – ₹ 11.08 lakh | ₹ 11.43 lakh |
In terms of pricing, the lower variants of the Hyundai Venue is the most affordable offering here, but there is catch. Those variants can only be had with the 1.2-litre petrol engine which is the most humble mill of the lot. In manual variants, the Vitara Brezza still has the cost advantage starting at ₹ 7.34 lakh and topping at just ₹ 9.98 lakh. The Tata Nexon for sure is the most affordable offering starting at ₹ 6.95 lakh but the prices go all the way up to ₹ 10.60 lakh for the range topping trim. The Mahindra XUV300 and Ford Ecosport remain at the expensive end of the price band.
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The Mahindra XUV300 is the only model that doesn’t get an automatic transmission in the petrol iteration while an AMT gearbox is on offer in the diesel variant. The Tata Nexon still is the most affordable automatic here starting at ₹ 8.30 lakh while the Vitara Brezza Automatic costs around ₹ 35,000 more, variant to variant. The Hyundai Venue and Ford Ecosport remain on the expensive side here but offer smoother dual-clutch transmission and torque convertor gearbox, respectively.
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