[mountaineer]

Fire in the Mountain : My Red & Black Vitara Brezza



Disclaimer,Acknowledgements and Credits
1. I am writing this Ownership report after spending more than 1 year and 17K Km with my Vitara Brezza ZDI+ Dual Color Red and Black. Please note this will not be a comprehensive report, it will just be a short story based on my experiences and experiments with the car. I feel i am not qualified enough to write on the diesel engine part as this is my first stint but i will try my best to share my observations.Should i hurt any feeling or sentiments it will be purely coincidental and non intentional.

2. There is a very long list of BHPians whom i want to thank for playing a part in my journey till date.I have prepared a list of all the folks whom i wanted to thank but the list became so long i thought it better not to publish. From the Core of my heart i would like to thank all the Team BHP Members,Support and Staff not just for coaxing me to buy this car but also to help me increase my knowledge and sharpen my skill set.I am also thankful to my family my wife and my daughter for always supporting me in my endeavors.

3. I am proud to acknowledge the fact that this forum is transparent and unbiased platform and i will try to bring this out in my hand writing.

4. There will be times when i will be drawing comparisons with my previous car, Kindly bear with me.
Here we go



INDEX
Chapter 1: My Last car and Requirement Specifications
Chapter 2: Review of Literature and The final Contenders
Chapter 3: Enter the Brezza : The Pre-ownership Experiences
Chapter 4: The Big battle :Heart vs the Mind
Chapter 5: The Buying Experience
Chapter 6: The Eye Balls
Chapter 7: Reflections and Expressions : My experiments and experience with the Car
Chapter 8: Additions and Modifications
The Frequently asked Questions

[mountaineer]

Chapter 1: My Last car and Requirement Specifications

I bought a Ritz Zxi in June 2009 which did a great job and I was extremely happy with it.I drove it to most corners of North India from Kashmir to Rajasthan and Uttrakhand to Punjab.The car was very comfortable,practical,useful and never broke down any where.I had decided to change the car after 5 years or 75K Km. The time came in Year 2014 and my hunt started.Coming from a car like Ritz it is difficult to settle in driving seat of any car which has low seating and is not as practical and spacious. I can promise you it becomes a bit difficult to find a suitable car in the same bracket.



Requirement Specifications :- A Suitable car

1. Higher Ground Clearance and Seating stance with good visibility.
2. Small car with SUV looks,easily maneuverable (south of 4 mts was benchmark)
3. Budget around Rs 1 Million ( I started with 0.8 Mil and i had been increasing it by Rs 50K every 6 months since 2014)
4. Practical car with a roomy interior(class Benchmark again RITZ)
5. Standard Safety features from my RITZ(ABS,EBD,AirBags) should be available and more the merrier.
6. Should be fueled by Petrol (This was important for me as my driving experience was limited to petrol only cars)
7. AWD - good but not a must.
8. Availability of Spare and Service all around.

My requirement were very simple.

[mountaineer]

Chapter 2: Review of Literature and The final Contenders

Terabytes of information is available on TBHP forum and it is very easy to find all the valuable and important information about any car and reject it. My last car was bought after positive feedback from the group and this time would not be any different.The following cars were researched,tried,tested and finally declined.

1. Premier RIO :- This was the first car i got impressed with and there was one running in town. I saw the vehicle from inside and also did a little bit of research but found the car to be too Small and cramped.Also after sale issues were a concern and there was something wrong with the design. May be the face or the size but somehow it did not fit into my plan. I rejected it but for sure this was the car which made me look for Soft off-roaders.

2. Duster :- This is the car which really brought in the Small SUV in vogue. I was impressed but size of car was just a bit longer to my liking and the interior was not great. The the car did not have an AWD at that time and finally I rejected the car with a heavy heart.

3. Creta :- How much I waited for the car and when finally it arrived I was blown over by the design and looks. This car was impressive and I did not have much to complain.The Creta topic was very hot in the TBHP forum and finally when the car was launched the top model was way above my reach.Toyed with the idea,got a TD and found the car to be great.The top model of Creta was priced similar to Duster AWD and this made me reconsider Duster but in the end dropped both.Probably due to the size and cost.

4. Ecosport :- When Ecosport was launched i had followed it very religiously and there was a lot of Buzz all around. The design of the car is great and the product impressed me. It was launched at a mouth watering price and i had wanted to own a Eco-boost Petrol. The waiting period become very long by the time i decided and slowly i started developing negative impression by reading user experiences.
Finally i had following issues :-

1. Placement of Spare Wheel was not OK to me and I think the boot door opening is on the wrong side.(as if car is not made for Indian Market)
2. I started feeling that car is not very roomy (this is my personal opinion, it felt similar/comparable to my RITZ).
3. The Spare wheel makes the car longer and it becomes a larger car to manoeuvre and also makes parking in tight spots slightly more difficult.
4. I was also worried about availability and cost of After sales and Spare.

[mountaineer]

Chapter 3: Enter the Brezza : The Pre-ownership Experiences

I was still looking for a new car and by Dec'15 the Vitara Brezza (aka YBA) thread started to become very hot and it was soon clear that car is coming in Diesel Engine only. I was heartbroken and it was hard for me to comprehend the situation as I was waiting for Petrol Engine. Soon i started my research on Diesel Motors and to my dismay found that Diesels are equally good. I thought, I will wait and see the car first and then decide. Car was unveiled in Auto Expo and earned a lot of eye balls and people bestowed it with lot of respect. Suzuki took another month to officially unveil the car and then wait for the demo car started.

Booking process :- On 9th March Bookings were officially started by local Dealer (Goyal Motors) and Sales team Lead was kind enough to reach my office and collect the Booking amount (Rs 21K Cash). The wait for the car started and meanwhile i was surfing and reading all the information available on the Internet about the car. Soon i had read all the articles a number of times.The car i booked was a ZDI+ trim Dual Red Black color. I was bowled over by the exterior looks of car even though i had not seen the car in flesh.

The TD of the car :-
On 16th March i happen to visit Chandigarh and there in a local Dealership(Modern) i had The First Meeting with Vitara Brezza.
There was a batch of five cars at the dealership, The one in Mustard Yellow was the TD vehicle and was having accessories installed(body graphics,seat covers,side molding, leather steering cover etc). The car seemed much bigger than what it was on paper and was surely a treat to watch.

The TD Process :- The guys at the dealership were very eager to flaunt the car and TD was offered with ease.
It was not a very long drive but following were my impressions which lasted for a long time.
1. Car is easy to Drive due to light steering,light Clutch,Easy gears, Great visibility and high seating position.
2. Suspension, i was not very sure as could not test for long but size and space of the car was wonderful.
3. The design of the car was really impressive and car was surely a looker.

The negative points from TD were :-
1. Noise of the Engine really bugged me.
2. The interior plastics were not great and they were not appropriate for a Rs 1 Mil car.
3. At the first look and feel the seats without cover were not welcome and demo car with Seat cover seemed better.( Though i changed my perception later on)

By the end of Test Drive i made up my mind to buy and the wait for the car started.

The first time i saw Brezza in Flesh

[mountaineer]

Chapter 4: The Big battle : Heart vs the Mind - ECOSPORT Titanium + Vs Vitara Brezza ZDI+ Dual

On 11th Mar Ford announced Rs 1 Lac price cut for ECOSPORT and suddenly Brezza started to feel like a costly car.The Value for Money factor had suddenly vanished and competition got tougher.I was in double minds and called up the nearby Ford dealership and he was eager enough to send a TD card the very next morning.
I drove the car around local roads and also tried on inclines and rough patches. No problem at all and I had no reason not to buy the car. Head to head i felt Ecosport was better or at least at par with Brezza.

Carefully i did analysis on the two cars and reached to the following conclusion.



This situation was similar to when i made a choice between Ritz and Swift 8 years ago. At that time i has opted for a practical car which was VFM and had a breakthrough design. This time again it was the mind which wins the battle and i bade farewell to Ecosport though with a heavy heart.

[mountaineer]

Chapter 5: The Buying Experience

The Sales Manager of Dealership was very helpful and gave me all the support in the entire process.Right from reaching my office to collect the Booking amount on 9th Mar till the time of Delivery on 28th Mar he was involved in every nitty-gritty aspect of my car buying process. For me his support made the car buying experience a very smooth and memorable one.

The Car arrived in town on 25th March and i got intimation from the Dealership. I went to see the car and was told that local launch will happen on 27th and i can get the delivery on 28th Mar. The wait for next three days was very long and cruel.

I did a PDI using the TBHP checklist on the 25th Mar. Tyre Pressure was 55, got it corrected.Rest all was OK.

A small ceremony was held on 27th Mar in which car was formally launched at dealer facility.The Sales Manager helped me with another Test Drive on 27th Mar after the car was officially launched. It was first time i drove the car on the local roads. It was a short drive and I was happy with the car and along with me my wife and daughter also were pleased with the car.

I had all the Loan formalities already completed with SBI and on 28th morning the money was transferred and meanwhile the car was made ready for the delivery.

We went to get the car in the afternoon and i did another round of PDI after car was cleaned and made ready for delivery.

The Dealership was pushing to get all the accessories fitted but i wanted only handful few to be installed.I got Mud flap set,Wheel Arc Cladding,Front Upper Grille Chrome and Floor mats.Seat Covers and Spare Alloy were not available.

Car Insurance
There was a little bone of contention due to Car Insurance.Dealership wanted me to take insurance from Maruti Insurance but i wanted to get it done through my regular insurance agency so that i could get NCB transferred from my previous car. After much of discussions which lead to arguments I finally gave in on the condition that my NCB from previous car was transferred. The final insurance quote was Rs 17276/-(Zero Dep) and 50% NCB on IDV of Rs 9.3 Lacs.

A little ceremony was held in the Dealership and Car was handed over to us by Sales GM.We exchanged gifts and sweets and drove off.We headed to en route temple for small Pooja and it was late evening by the time we reached back home.

[mountaineer]

Chapter 6: The Eye Balls

Since this was the first car in the town so many people were keen and wanted to look and feel the car. I was more than happy to give all the available information. I almost felt like an Ambassador of Brezza and at times I was amazed by the attention i got on the road. This continued for few weeks till the next batch of cars arrived on the road.

I was basking in the glory of being an early bird and enjoyed the feel and drive of the new car. People had a lot of frequent questions which i answered very diligently and openly. Lot of times i saw people admiring the car parked in driveways.People were really interested in the car and till date no one has given me any negative remark about the car.




Following photos clicked one Year later in May'17

[mountaineer]

Chapter 7: Reflections and Expressions : My experiments and experience with the Car
The Car :- Facts and figures
Make: Maruti Suzuki Model: Vitara Brezza Trim: ZDI+ Dual Color: Blazing Red + Midnight Black
Date of Booking :- 9th Mar 2016
Date on Delivery :- 28th Mar 2016 (First car delivered in town)
ODO reading on First Anniversary (28th Mar 2017) :- 13303 Km

Total On Road Cost of Car :- Rs 1045461/-
Cost on Invoice :- Rs 979507/-
Extended Warranty :- Rs 13975/- (4 years / 80000 Km)
Insurance Premium : Rs 17276/-. Maruti Insurance (50% NCB shifted from my old car RITZ)
Second Year Premium :- 16765 (with RTI)
Cost of Registration :- 25833/-
Cost of Accessories :- Rs 8870/-
No of Services :- 3
Amount spent on Services till date :- Rs 6056/-



Usage pattern:
I drive about 30 Km daily on paved town roads on weekdays in moderate and slow moving traffic.Being travel hungry i drive around 100 Kms in weekend to nearby gateway trips again on paved and sometimes unpaved hill roads. An average monthly trip to Chandigarh is a must. A long drive every quarter which is intra-state or inter state and in winters we go to plains for long drives.I covered around 13K Km in first year which breaks down to 1000 Km per month.

Exterior of the car :
The size and design of the car is such cleverly and marvelously done that it feel much longer , wider and larger than what it really is. I think in Four meters this is one of the best designs on the road in recent times.The front face of the car is what gives its that SUVish look and this car's rear is also designed quite well.My old Ritz suffered from not being taken very well due to rear design which boomeranged. From the side profile we can make out that car is not very long but its height somehow compensates for the length. The fact that car is wide also makes the car look large and proportionate.Well i like to call it a big car in the small league. Paint quality is good and still seems like new in my car after one year and four extreme weathers.



Interior of the car :-
1. Cabin Space is class leading.
2. Practical and usable.
3. Lot of place and space for tucking your nitty-gritty
4. Black interiors may not be very pleasing but does not offend and seems simple
Overall i would say that interiors are good but yes there is room for improvement and there are many cars in this cost bracket have much improved interiors.You will feel that cost cutting is an important aspect.

Seating arrangement :-
1. Seats are of comfortable size and designed for you to be seated for long.
2. Side Bolstering of the seats is a real boon at the time of cornering.I use to face issue in my Ritz but in Brezza the seats are a real support.
3. The car does not come with seat covers and i have kept it as such after heading to advice by team BHP members. I think this was a very good idea as the seat covers are not able to replicate the seat bolstering.Plan to add seat covers soon.
4. Rear seat bench is able to seat three comfortably and even four are able to squeeze in thanks to increased width.Few cars in the league today are able to boast this width.

Seating Position :-
1. High and upright seating position is great. Anybody like me who drove a RITZ before would be comfortable and at home only with such an arrangement.
2. Bonet is visible while driving and the view is commanding even better than a Gypsy.
3. People talk a lot about the A Pillar (most cars) blocking the view and creating a blind spot.Sorry and please pardon me if i am being unreasonable but while driving in hills and on winding roads there are always blind spots/curves and you get used to it.The A pillars are made thick for safety purpose so i think we should be accommodating and happy to have these tree trunks guarding us.
4.The space in the foot well is welcome and the dead pedal is more of a boon. I drove RITZ after spending few months in Vitara Brezza and could easily differentiate between the two and found my feet feeling cramped for space.
5. Leg room for back benchers is also decent if not class leading.If front benchers are of average height the space in the back is Business Class.
6. Some people feel that under thigh support in back seats is not enough but sorry i do not agree and feel it is OK.

Boot :-
Size of boot is not class leading but is practically OK and able to hold our weekend luggage. It is possible to fold one seat in case of requirement and there is always a possibility to go ahead and get a roof carrier. The spare wheel and tools are placed very neatly and help in making the car rattle free. The 12V charging point is useful and helpful.

The Motor :-
Well what should i say, just one year ago i was not interested in buying a diesel car and had no experience of diesel motor. I was apprehensive to say the least and was hell bent against owning a diesel car.I have been guilty of discouraging a couple of friends from buying a diesel in the past and I am sorry to confess i was wrong.Since i am still work in progress on a diesel car and have just 17K driving experience and so i may not be able to give a very detailed and comprehensive explanation.

I have following highlights to point out.
1. You should have PATIENCE with a diesel car and need to build the TORQUE and then you can really ENJOY the ride.
2. This engine is very reliable and can really pull in any road condition and situation.Have never faced any issue in difficult inclines and bad roads i have driven.
3. I was worried about engine starting issue at 4000 mts above sea level on an early Cold morning. But the car seemed to be more than ready for the challenge and was able to easily start in the first ignition. In past i have heard that few diesel engine cars feel difficulty in starting early cold mornings on heights and so lot of Drivers in Hilly regions are not very comfortable with Diesel cars.
3. I don't like the NOISE and clatter of the motor. The clatter of car when idle is very loud and changes to soft but noticeable grumble when riding on road. Music system has to remain constantly switched on to suppress the clatter and distract the mind. I really wish if the NOISE could have been low.
4. The cost of fuel makes the ownership cheaper by at least Rs 1.5 per Km and this i take it as a consolation for loud Engine Clatter.
5. I am not a very spirited Driver but i enjoy more driving the car at RPM more than 2K. I like that rush of blood and eagerness to run.

Suspension and Handling :-
1.The suspension of the car is sturdy and able to absorb the bumps quite easily.There has been few instances of thud under the car but the car feels quite solid to drive.
2.Car is stable and you can push it hard. I have experience with RITZ where on inclined road and corners it is eager to go on three tyres if driven hard. I have tested Brezza at same place but no problem at all.It is like bring it on.
3. The ABS kicks in a bit early but works good.
4. Driving on a slippery condition like snow and ice the car seems much more stable than many other cars.This is my experience and other users may have a different take.



Rattles in Maruti :- This is a topic which needs to been touched. I have had experience of Gypsy,Maruti 800,Ritz and now Brezza. No car till Brezza was free from Rattles. It was like if there are no rattles how can it be a Maruti. But not this car i am still waiting but no rattles till date. I think we can proudly proclaim that this is my first Rattle free car (till date).

Dead Pedal :- This is kind of a blessing and really helps to rest your foot. It also doubles up to give you Restraint support and confidence while getting thrown on cornering. The dead pedal along with seat bolstering really helps you while pushing the car on those corners and winding roads.

Steering :- Steering is Simple and functional and nothing much to write home. I don't have any complaints though having thumb impressions would have helped in making the grip better as i need to steer very often. My friend who drives a Ecosport complains that on winding road section the Steering wheel doesn't come back to original position smoothly on its own after the turn has been negotiated. It needs to be guided back unlike Ecosport. Actually one day he was driving on a winding road section and speed was around 50 Kmph and after every turns we felt a little jerk.I gave him ugly glance and he told me that after he negotiates the turn in his Ecosport he just leaves the steering and it comes back to correct position smoothly on its own. In Brezza if he leaves the steering wheel just like Ecosport it give a jerk and then comes back to original position.I don't know if this is Normal or good or bad or wrong. Someone please comment.



Safety Features :- The car is fairly safe even though having 6 Airbags would have been good as the competition is offering. The car is not as heavily built as a Ecosport and doors are not as thick and heavy but i have no complaints as such.

Plastic quality :- Everybody has commented about the plastic quality being cheap and not up to the mark. I would just like to say that design is different and yes there could have been an improvement. On second thought the color combination and texture felt design makes the car look sober and pleasant and i have started to like the same. If you can't help it you better be a part of it.

Gear Lever :- Placement of lever is changed as compared to my old car so took me some time to adjust. The Gears are slick and fit in quite eagerly and comfortably.

Tyres : Car stock shoes are a 215/60 Apollo on 16" alloys and they look slightly Muscular. I also like the squarish wheel arches which try to enable the SUV look of the car.I am not happy about the car not having a spare alloy. My Ritz came with a spare alloy but due to cost cutting Maruti now gives a Steel one.I planned to buy a spare alloy but was not available at the time of delivery and now i have dropped the idea. However like to mention the spare wheel has not been used till date. I do check the air pressure often and surely before a long drive.I get the wheel rotation done as per the routine and No puncture till date gives me a feeling that tyres are reliable. Ride quality is OK but i am sure there will be improvement when i upgrade to the next change.



Rear View Mirror and Rear Camera :- Manual rear view mirror is OK for me as i don't do much of night driving. Rear Camera is another boon for drivers and i am really thankful for it. It helps you to park car in very tight spots and saves you from not rubbing the car from behind.The side view mirrors could have been larger and would be great to have Convex area/attachment for increasing the field of view.



Smart key : I feel it is a smart device and a useful tool worth flashing. I was worried if the request sensor on the Doors would last one year but all is OK. Only point i noted is that if you have mobile phone and smart key in the same pocket the smart key will not work due to interference from mobile.

Smart Play is a welcome change in this car and helps to enhance the look of the dashboard. Time is soon coming for Connected cars and V to X connectivity will really change the way we drive our cars.

The Navigation system is basic and only plus is that it can be used without Internet. I have used it a number of time while traveling in unconnected areas.The interface is basic and number of years old,I wish they upgrade and improve the maps.

The music system is great and does the job pretty well. There are various connectivity options and it is good Video doesn't play if the car is not stationery. I have once tried connecting a iphone and Apple car play works great but we missed Android Auto which is available now.

Bluetooth connectivity is so very useful and i consider it to be another safety feature of the car.I wish we could use more than one device at once.

Air Con :- I have not used the AC a lot but i can say it does the work pretty well. I have used the heater a number of times and i am satisfied with it. The switches are sleek and Auto Climate function is easy to use. I like to point out that the blower make a lot of noise and is surely another room for improvement.

Instrument cluster : Simple and functional design from old school.Could have added a futuristic look but i am OK with it. I use the Blue color MID and have tried using white also.Squarish round Dials look good and the information provided like FE,Gear shift indicator, Range,Trip meter is useful.





Electronic fuel gauge : I don't like the Electronic fuel gauge as it it does not give the clear picture of the actual fuel condition in the tank.I would prefer an analog fuel gauge as it gives a more accurate information. The Ritz also had the same problem and it is carried forward.

Start/Stop Push button :- The Push button starter is considered a futuristic device in our cars but i sometimes wonder that many years ago the Buses/Trucks also had push button start.To fire the motor we need to press the Clutch. As you switch on the ignition without the clutch depressed there is a humming sound which remains for around 20 sec and then dies out. This is the sound of Heater which i am told should be allowed to complete one cycle before we fire the motor.

Glove Box :- The Cooled glove box has a different kind of design and opens towards top and the lid has a push button to open. Seems good but execution is not great as you need to pull it to open completely. Has an AC vent for cooling, i have not used it much for cooling but the size is OK.The standard glove box has a lamp which is welcome.Storage under the co-driver seat is large as compared to Ritz and is quite useful and i store my Laptop sometimes.

Power Windows :- The powered window roll up faster as compared to Ritz but gives a squeaky noise while hitting the top.One touch up/down and anti pinch feature should be included for all the windows and not just the Driver.

Cruise control :
Wow what a feature for long drives and clear roads. I have used it few times and helps the driver to relax, suddenly you start feeling that car is running in lower speed maybe because your feet is off the Accelerator pedal.Can be used in spots where speed cameras are installed and also to limit your speed and avoiding high speed driving.

I have one thing to add, while driving with Cruise control on and on a slightly inclined road some time the vehicle gains speed which is more than what you have set for Cruise. This happened to me two times when i has set a speed at 70 Kmph and while going down on an incline the speed on the speedometer was around 74 Kmph. I used the button on steering to reduce the speed and it obeyed OK but i am sure the car had gained speed in excess of what i had set for Cruise.

[mountaineer]

Chapter 8: Additions and Modifications

Initially I had planned not to make any modifications to the car in any way till the time Car is in Warranty.I had maintained this status quo in my Ritz. This i want to follow as Brezza being a fresh car from Maruti and by no means i wish to land in a situation wherein Warranty is void due to such and such modifications.

I have had discussion with various people in Maruti Dealership , Workshop and few experts and now i am planning to start working on Add and Mods from second Year onward.

I want to make few changes but i wonder if they will make the warranty void:

1.I have seen a bull guard on few cars and i like it.
2.I want to install an Electric Recovery winch.
3.I want to cut out a Sun roof in the car.
4.I have recently added a Dashcam to the car thanks to teambhp support.
5.I want to add extremely comfortable Seat Covers only once i am satisfied that bolstering of Seats can be replicated.
6.Engine remap :- I think this may not be a good idea now but some day i will definitely try it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this car fit to be driven in Hills ?
Analyze this :- Just imagine you are going to Climb an incline which you are aware from your driving experience is a 2nd Gear drive. You slot the car in first,start climbing and then when you reach one third of the incline and car is in the desired Speed and RPM you slot the 2nd Gear. You are sure that the car will easily glide you past the incline and suddenly you feel a flow of surplus energy has hit you and making the car gain speed and start getting ready for 3rd Gear. You already know from your petrol car experience that this climb is strictly 2nd Gear so you don't have the guts to slot the third.
By then the car starts to beg for third and also the engine starts to get louder.The indicator on the instrument cluster is also suggesting to shift.

Finally you decide to slow down the car by decreasing the throttle. The car easily zooms past the incline even with muted throttle. You get a great feeling about the power of the engine and wonder how you had spare power with you which you didn't choose to exercise to the fullest.
I really wonder what feeling a 1.6 Scross driver gets in such a situation.

What is the Fuel Efficiency ? Kitna deti hai ?
I get around 18 Kmpl on the highways and 15 in town.

What do you like the most about the car ?
Looks and Space.

What will happen if the car is fitted with 1.6 Engine ?
May be this car can fly.

How is your experience with Dealership for After Sales Service ?
I have experience of three dealership for Service on the last three Service intervals
All the places i found that Maruti is very keen to make the customer very very comfortable. They are trying to do everything to make the customer feel that this is the best service possible.
1. They are doing great in Customer Service and relationship building(Lip service) but they need to invest more in the technical department and training their mechanics/engineers better. You ask them few bright questions and they will be uncomfortable and you can easily find that lack of training on the product and parts.
2. Its time Maruti separates Sales and Service and workshops for After Service Service should be different from the one dealing in new vehicles.

Is this a long car ? How long is it ?
The car is shorter than i20 and Ecosport

Which is the most favored color ?
First is Red (both red/black and pure red) and then is White. I thought Yellow and white will also be a great hit but don't see a lot of cars in this avatar.

What one thing you want Maruti to improve in the car ?
NVH

Do you wish to change to Petrol Engine ?
I don't know. But i would definitely like to check the petrol engine once.

Who should buy Vitara Brezza ? (My personal opinion)
1. You should have a basic subscription to Maruti Fan club (if not die hard)
2. You want to buy a car which is a Maruti product and can stand out in the Compact SUV market.
3. You are not very fussy with Diesel motor and the Clatter it offers for free.
4. You are looking to buy a car which is practical, spacious , has good design,fuel efficient and can be resold easily.
5. You are graduating from a smaller Maruti car and want to feel at home with another from the same mill (loyalty factor is high)
6. You want authorized repair center near you wherever you go.
7. You believe that a car which sells more will have low spare cost which is easily available. (eg Bumper/Fender of Swift will come at half the price from most car in the same bracket)

Who should not buy Vitara Brezza ?
1. You are very particular about Quality,Safety and material finish.
2. You are averse to herd mentality and want an product which stands out in crowd.
3. You strongly believe in power,refinement,exclusivity and have an aristocratic approach.
4. You give more importance to NVH levels than you would give to Fuel efficiency.
5. You believe a suitable CAR is one which is so well built that it doesn't need a repair center in every nook and corner of country.


Why didn't you buy a Ecosport ?
ICE,Space,Features and ASS

Which is the better car Ecosport or Brezza ?
Okay Good question. What is the next question.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

Very detailed ownership review. Rating 5 stars for - among other things - the SWOT analysis . This is the true value of Team-BHP...longer term ownership reports. While officially reviewing a new car, we can only know so much after spending 2 - 7 days with it. But an owner who spends his own money on the car & actually lives with it on a daily basis is the truest reviewer.

Going straight to our homepage. Congratulations on your car & thanks again!

[Reinhard]

This has to be one of the BEST reviews! Certainly for the VitaraBrezza. Very neutral approach & honest documentation. Rating 5 stars as thats the maximum available.

Loved your pictures from the travel. I like the car a lot too. Its the ONLY Maruti car that I have liked enough to think about owning. Its the only compact SUV (sub-4m), that actually is truely worthy of the "SUV" tag with all credentials in right place.
The TUV has its merits but I can never imagine a 3cyl diesel engine in an "SUV".

The 1.6 I think will never come as it will put it outside of the "sub 4m tax duty" and make it irrelevant to competition. The 1.6 will appear I guess if the "full" Vitara arrives. Sadly that I think also means the Brezza will never come with an AWD...Something it could very well have made use of given its dynamics, limited overhangs & good GC.

Wishing you unlimited safe & happy miles with the Fire in the Mountain.

[Self Driven]

Originally Posted by mountaineer

Who should not buy Vitara Brezza ?
[/b]1. You are very particular about Quality,Safety and material finish.
2. You are averse to herd mentality and want an product which stands out in crowd.
3. You strongly believe in power,refinement,exclusivity and have an aristocratic approach.
4. You give more importance to NVH levels than you would give to Fuel efficiency.
5. You believe a suitable CAR is one which is so well built that it doesn't need a repair center in every nook and corner of country.
[/ATTACH]

Congrats on the anniversary of your car. I bought the Ecosport and did have a look at the Brezza and decided against it for whatever you have mentioned above. It is very nice of you to be so true to your reasons for and against.

Wish you many more miles and years with your Red cherry

Cheers

[amit_shimla]

Hey Mr. Mountaineer, Some where at the very beginning your mentioned that you are not qualified enough for writing such a review and in my humble opinion it is an understatement to which most people would agree here with me. In-fact, it is a highly detailed review and I enjoyed every word of it especially the SWOT analysis. I believe you also reside in Shimla so how about having a meet and start the TBHP Shimla chapter.

[srivatsahg]

Honest and Beautiful ownership review

Must admit you have brilliantly detailed by pouring your heart out to the year-long association with your Brezza.

Wishing you the very best, safe and happy miles ahead with the Fire in the Mountain.

[PrasannaDhana]

Congrats on the purchase and the anniversary!

You had mentioned that service cost of Brezza was cheaper than Ecosport.
I own a 2 year old 41k run Ciaz ZDI, for which I have spent 45k on service alone. Just the routine services every 5000 km. In comparison, my friend who owns an Ecosport having the same mileage/ 2 year old, and has spent just 30k on routine maintenance and service.

Maruti still has the perception of being a manufacturer whose products are cheap to maintain, which in my experience (7 maruti cars ownership so far) is wrong. Marutis are costlier than Ford when it comes to service costs.

And as you have rightly said, maruti's DDIS 200 is fun to drive beyond 2000 rpm, and dead below that. Ecosport is much better when it comes to turbo lag.