[Omkar]

2022 Maruti Brezza Review

Maruti Brezza Pros

• Good-looking Compact SUV with improved road presence & mass appeal
• Well-rounded product. Takes a successful formula and improves upon it
• A competent BS6 petrol with Smart Hybrid tech and excellent fuel efficiency
• Smooth 6-speed torque-converter AT comes with paddle shifters
• Well-mannered suspension setup riding on 16-inch wheels and 215/60 section tyres
• Decent cabin space for a sub-4 meter car. Lots of storage & a powerful air-con too
• Now gets a sunroof, 360-degree camera, head-up display, rear A/C vents, wireless charging, ambient lighting, tilt & telescopic steering adjustment, connected car features etc
• Long feature list includes dual projector LED auto headlamps, LED DRLs & foglamps, auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control and a 9-inch touchscreen HU paired with an Arkamys sound system
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold assist and ISOFIX. Built on the same platform as the outgoing car, which had received a 4-star GNCAP safety rating
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences

Maruti Brezza Cons

• Feels more like a significant facelift rather than an all-new product
• No diesel option like its rivals! Petrol-only as of now. CNG may be offered in the future
• 1.5L petrol engine lacks outright grunt. Tuned for fuel-efficiency and suitable for relaxed cruising only
• Expensive! AT variants are priced higher than competitor turbo-petrols with more advanced transmissions
• AT option commands a stiff Rs. 1.5 lakh ex-showroom premium!
• Interior quality and fit & finish are underwhelming for the price. The game has moved on
• Short gearing of the 5-speed MT and lack of 6th cog results in an unusually busy engine at 100-120 km/h
• 328-litre boot is among the smallest in the segment
• Some missing features like ventilated seats, leather upholstery, TPMS, drive modes, auto wipers and front parking sensors

This review has been jointly compiled with CrAzY dRiVeR. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

The Vitara Brezza was introduced in 2016. It was Maruti's first car to be conceived, designed and developed in India. The car was positioned in the highly competitive sub-4 m SUV segment and took on the likes of Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, etc. It created a safe space for itself in the Indian market and consistently appeared in the top 10 monthly sales charts over the years. Over 7,50,000 units have been sold to date.

Now, in 2022, Maruti has launched a revised version of the SUV. It is called the 'Brezza'. The 'Vitara' bit has been dropped from the name for something else that may come from Maruti's stable later.

What's new in the Brezza? A lot of things. For a start, it gets the new K-series engine that we saw in the XL6 facelift - the K15C DualJet petrol engine with a Smart Hybrid system. While it makes slightly less power, it is more efficient than the outgoing engine. The XL6's new 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox also makes its way to the Brezza. Features that were missing earlier, such as a sunroof and 360-degree camera have also been added. There's a lot to talk about.

Maruti Brezza Price & Brochure

Pricing has always been a big factor in the Indian market. The outgoing Vitara Brezza was fairly priced and that was also a reason why a lot of people bought it. But, the prices of the new 2022 Brezza (related news article) have surprised people. Maruti has not undercut the competition. The top-end automatic (ZXI+ AT) at Rs. 13.80 lakh (ex-showroom) is the costliest petrol car in the segment. For reference, the Hyundai Venue SX(O) with its 1.0L turbo petrol engine and dual-clutch automatic is priced at Rs. 12.57 lakh (~Rs. 1.2 lakh less) and the Kia Sonet GTX+ with the same engine and gearbox as the Venue and more features, costs Rs. 13.09 lakh.

It's also important to note that while the Brezza is available with a petrol engine only, its competitors like the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and the Mahindra XUV300, all have the option of a diesel engine.

You can download the 2022 Maruti Brezza brochure here: 2022 Maruti Brezza Brochure.pdf

Exterior

Design & Styling

The 2022 Brezza's design feels like a step in a new direction. While the Vitara Brezza appeared upright and boxy, the new Brezza looks more rounded and sculpted comparatively. There are more creases on the body to make it appear more muscular and bigger than before. Some notable features on the outside include 16-inch alloy wheels, dual LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, LED tail-lamps and roof rails. There are 6 monotone colours to choose from - Sizzling Red, Brave Khaki, Exuberant Blue, Magma Grey, Splendid Silver and Pearl Arctic White. Dual-tone options include Sizzling Red with Midnight Black roof (our test car), Splendid Silver with Midnight Black roof and Brave Khaki with Arctic White roof. Overall, we think existing Vitara Brezza owners will like the new car's looks.

The 2022 Brezza measures 3,995 mm in length, 1,790 mm in width and 1,685 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,500 mm. Except for the height (45 mm more), these dimensions are identical to the outgoing car.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The 2022 Maruti Brezza is based on the Global C-platform like the previous car. It uses all-new body panels. There's some flex in the panels when pressed with a thumb and the build quality feels average. The panel gaps in some areas like the tailgate, were inconsistent. Overall, the car feels fairly solid and not very flimsy or tinny. The paint quality, on the other hand, feels just average and not great.

Wheels & Tyres

Maruti is offering 16-inch wheels as standard across all variants. The LXI and VXI variants come with steel wheels, while the ZXI and ZXI+ get alloy wheels. The tyre size is also constant across all variants at 215/60 R16 and the spare is a steel rim with a tyre of the same size. The recommended tyre pressure is 33 PSI all-round with regular load and 36 PSI at the front & 41 PSI at the rear with a full load.

Ground Clearance

Maruti has not revealed the ground clearance of the Brezza. While we did not scrape the underbody anywhere during the test drive, we will leave the final verdict to owners.

Standard & Extended Warranty

Maruti cars are offered with a standard warranty of 2 years / 40,000 km, which can be extended up to 5 years / 1,00,000 km. The Vitara Brezza's 3-year extended warranty was priced at ~ Rs. 14,000 (LXI MT) - Rs. 21,000 (ZXI+ AT) + Taxes. You can expect a similar or slightly higher pricing for the 2022 Brezza. We always recommend purchasing the maximum possible extended warranty available for added peace of mind.

Safety

The 2022 Brezza comes equipped with 20+ safety features such as 6 airbags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Hill Hold Assist, a 360-degree camera system and ISOFIX. The top-end ZXI+ variant also gets Suzuki Connect which has safety features like geofencing, stolen vehicle notification and tracking, emergency alerts, etc.

While we wait for the official crash test ratings for the new Brezza, it is worth noting that the Vitara Brezza had scored a 4-star rating on the Global NCAP crash tests (related thread). The Vitara Brezza's bodyshell was rated as stable with the capability of withstanding further loading. We can expect similar or better results from the 2022 Brezza given that the car comes equipped with additional safety features.

[Omkar]

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

The new dashboard of the Brezza is quite refreshing to see in a Maruti. It's sleeker in comparison with the previous car. There are some modern touches, which aren't overdone and the overall appearance is quite pleasing. The dual-tone black & brown theme is consistent across the cabin and well-executed. The doorpads get fabric inserts finished in brown which is a nice touch. That said, just like the exteriors, the interiors are not very contemporary.

There aren't any soft plastics on the dashboard. Still, the hard plastics used are of acceptable quality and don't scratch easily. The quality of materials used is good overall and feels durable, especially the A/C controls and steering wheel buttons. The area we wish Maruti had done better is fit & finish. The plastics in some areas like near the A/C vents, just aren't finished well and have sharp edges. Also, the plastic panel around the gear lever in our manual test car came off and there was a faint rattle from the B-pillar in our automatic test car. These are some of the things that existing Maruti owners also complain about and we wish that these were addressed in the new Brezza.

Space & Comfort

Ingress & egress are pretty smooth and you can just walk into the car with ease. Overall, the space inside the cabin is very similar to the outgoing car. The Brezza now gets the new fabric seats from the Ertiga. There's good back support and the side bolstering is good too. The front seats were fine for my medium build, but I do think that people with wider shoulders would find these to be a bit narrow. The headrests are tall and comfortable as well.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

The driver seat gets height adjustment and has a good travel range too. What's new on the 2022 Brezza is the reach adjustment for the steering wheel. This means finding your perfect driving position is that much easier. The travel range for reach adjustment isn't a lot, but coupled with other adjustments, most drivers won't find a reason to complain. CrAzY dRiVeR with his tall and upright driving position and me with my low and laid back driving position, didn't have any trouble getting comfortable in the driver seat.

Frontal visibility while driving is good. You can even see the bonnet creases, which is something that a lot of drivers appreciate. Rearward visibility is slightly better than before due to bigger quarter glasses, but like most modern cars, you will be sticking to the reversing camera while backing up.

Cabin Storage

There's a decent amount of storage in the cabin and most of your things will find their way into one storage space or another. While the upper glovebox of the Vitara Brezza is missing, the lower glovebox is decently sized and can hold essential documents and some other stuff. There's a wireless charging pad ahead of the gear lever that can also act as a storage area. Below the gear lever, there is an open storage area for coins and two cupholders. There's also a sliding armrest with a storage box underneath. All 4 doors can hold a 1L bottle, with space left over for knick-knacks.

Air-Conditioning

The automatic climate control system in the Brezza worked well on a hot and humid day in Chennai. We had left the car in the sun for a while and the A/C unit cooled the cabin quickly when we started driving. The good news for rear passengers is that the Brezza comes with rear A/C vents.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

The Vitara Brezza was a well-equipped car. But with manufacturers like Hyundai and Kia loading their cars with features, Maruti had to bring the 2022 Brezza up to speed. New features in the Brezza include a 360-degree camera, sunroof, head-up display, rear A/C vents, wireless charging pad, ambient lighting, sharkfin antenna, reach adjustment for the steering and a 9-inch touchscreen head-unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The car also comes equipped with dual projector LED auto headlamps, LED DRLs, LED fog lamps, LED tail lamps, alloy wheels, auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control and 60:40 split rear seats. With Maruti's Suzuki Connect, you get 40+ connected features like remote A/C operation, headlight on/off, door lock/cancel lock, vehicle safety & security, location and trips, vehicle status & alerts and other more. Customers can access these features through all new Suzuki Connect App on a smartphone, smartwatch and Alexa Skill. Features that are missed on the Brezza include ventilated seats, drive modes, tyre pressure monitoring system, auto wipers, and front parking sensors.

Audio System & Sound Quality

Maruti offers a 9-inch touchscreen with its SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system in the ZXI+ variant. The VXI variant gets a 7" screen with SmartPlay Studio infotainment system and the ZXI variant gets a 7" screen with SmartPlay Pro infotainment system. We got to test the 9-inch unit and it's very well implemented. It's very different from the older SmartPlay studio systems and is extremely smooth and seamless in operation. The user interface is simple and easy to get used to and the display is crisp and clear. Music is played through 4 speakers and 2 tweeters and is tuned by Arkamys. In terms of audio quality, it's pretty good especially when you get the settings right. There are presets to choose from as well, which is just perfect for beginner audiophiles. This is a well-rounded system and I don't think many owners would be going for an upgrade.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

Just like the front, getting in and out of the rear is easy. Once in the rear seat, you will find that the legroom is pretty decent. At 5'10", I could easily sit with the front seat set to my driving position. There's more space here in comparison with the Hyundai Venue or the Kia Sonet. There's ample headroom as well. However, the cabin's width is only good to fit two adults along with a child at best. Three healthy adults at the rear will be difficult.

The backrest angle isn't relaxed and feels slightly upright, but it's not uncomfortable. The seat cushioning is neither too soft nor too firm and most people will find it comfortable over long trips. The seats themselves seem very flat and lack contours, which is something we'd have liked in this car. Also, tall people will find the under-thigh support to be less. There's a centre armrest with two cupholders in place and rear A/C vents too. You also get a regular USB charging point and a Type-C USB port below the AC vents.

Boot Space

The Brezza has a boot space of 328 litres. This is the same as the outgoing car and is very usable. On paper, it does seem underwhelming though, with cars like the Hyundai Venue and Tata Nexon (350 litres), Kia Sonet (392 litres), Tata Punch (366 litres), Nissan Magnite (336 litres) and the Renault Kiger(405 litres) offering more space.

[Omkar]

Driving the 1.5L Petrol AT

1.5L DualJet petrol engine produces 102 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 137 Nm @ 4,400 rpm:


The 2022 Maruti Brezza is powered by a 1,462 cc, naturally aspirated K15C DualJet petrol engine that puts out 102 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 137 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. These figures are slightly lower than the outgoing K15B unit (103 BHP & 138 Nm).

So, what's new in this 'C' version? The engine has a new head, dual-injection ports, dual VVT, and revised internals. To be more precise, now there are two injectors (Dual Jet) per cylinder that spray fuel into the combustion chamber. Having two injectors leads to better atomisation and thereby, cleaner combustion. This also means that the engine is running at a higher compression ratio than before. VVT or variable valve timing adjusts the valve timing to increase fuel efficiency and in a 'dual' VVT system, both intake and exhaust valves are adjusted to maximise fuel efficiency and performance.

Additionally, the Smart Hybrid system also receives an upgrade, with a higher capacity secondary Li-ion battery providing longer assist during acceleration and improved regeneration off-throttle. The revisions and hardware upgrades seem focused on fuel efficiency and emission management, rather than extracting outright performance. Maruti expects this engine to help it to meet CAFE norms under BS6.2 and future flex-fuel requirements. The 2022 Brezza also gets an Aisin-sourced 6-speed torque converter AT in place of the 4-speed unit of the outgoing car. The 6-speed AT has two modes - Drive (D) & Manual (M). There are no '2' or 'L' modes like the old 4-speed AT. Paddle shifters have been provided as well.

The engine is refined at idle, and crawls off from a standstill without throttle input in D. Throttle response is good when you get off the line. The engine, surprisingly, doesn't feel as free-revving as motors of yore. Sedate throttle inputs see the Smart Hybrid's ISG motor kick in with an assist around 1,400 rpm, which continues up to 2,000 rpm before disengaging and letting the engine take over fully. Notably, battery assist only works in D mode, not in M. The engine feels reasonably quick off the line getting up to ~20 km/h, no doubt aided by a little battery boost, but acceleration tapers off noticeably post the initial eagerness. With light and medium throttle inputs, you can get around the city smoothly. While driving in the city you will notice the gearbox is very eager to upshift. You will reach top gear early without even noticing the upshifts. Keeping up with the traffic and closing the gaps is not difficult as the gearbox is pretty responsive. Floor the throttle and the AT drops down a couple of gears, and you're off. However, every time you do this, you will find the revs on the higher side, which will be annoying for your passengers. Lift off the throttle completely to let the vehicle coast and you'll find that the downshifts are very much noticeable. You can feel a slight jerk every time the gearbox drops a gear. So, keep your throttle inputs smooth and you will get by in the city traffic smoothly and comfortably.

On the open road, the Brezza is more of a sedate cruiser than an outright performer. Flooring the A-pedal gets it to the 6,200 rpm redline, but it's more noise than progress. Gear ratios 5 and 6 are too tall. The latter, especially, is muted - so much so, that flooring the throttle in 6th gear essentially does nothing. Mid-range and outright performance are average. Therefore, overtaking slower vehicles will necessitate shifting down a gear or two, especially on an undivided highway. What the engine and gearbox are great for though, is relaxed cruising. Cruising at 80 km/h in 6th gear sees the engine spinning at ~1,750 rpm, while 100 km/h is seen at ~2,000 rpm.

Engage M mode and the only noticeable change is the motor holding the revs at the redline without upshifting. Progress is still sedate, and this car is obviously not getting anywhere in a hurry. M mode is best used for the occasional undivided highway jaunt, or driving up/down a hill where holding a lower gear is necessary for control & safety. Don't expect a peppy throttle response, whichever mode you're in. All in all, the power delivery is very linear. People who have driven a turbo-petrol engine will find this naturally aspirated engine to be unexciting.

Driving the 1.5L Petrol MT

The K15C motor is also available with a 5-speed manual transmission on the 2022 Brezza. The performance of the MT is largely identical to that of the AT though there are a few differences. The MT feels slightly peppier in lower gears and accelerates better in the mid-range.

In the city, where speeds are lower and you don't need a lot of revs, the MT is very easy to drive. Low-end performance is good and you can even take off in 2nd gear from a standstill and your passengers won't even notice. There is always enough pep to keep up with traffic. The engine has good drivability too and you can potter around in the city in higher gears at low speeds as well to save some fuel. Even the MID will tell you to upshift to 5th gear when you reach 45 km/h. The MT too has the Smart Hybrid system as before. We saw it still assisting till 3,000 rpm. However, the regeneration is less aggressive in the MT vs the AT.

On the highway, the Brezza MT's performance remains sedate. The Brezza is strictly a relaxed cruiser with nothing for the enthusiast. It's best to enjoy cruising at speeds of 80-100 km/h. What CrAzY dRiVeR and I didn't appreciate was that the engine revs at 3,000 rpm at 100 km/h, which is on the higher side. At this rpm, the motor feels like it's working hard and your passengers will feel that you are doing a higher speed than you actually are. The AT felt way more relaxed cruising at 100 km/h than the MT. Try to pull off a sudden overtake and the lack of grunt is apparent. This necessitates aggressive downshifting. The excess engine noise at higher revs just makes things worse. Even while climbing steeper bridges at 80 km/h, I found myself shifting from 5th to 4th gear.

Overall, the 5-speed box's shift quality is acceptable. However, in today's time and age Maruti should have given it a 6th cog for efficiency and more relaxed cruising. One less cog means the car cruises at a few hundred revs higher. The clutch is on the lighter side like most Maruti petrol cars and its travel isn't very long either.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

Overall, there is an improvement in NVH levels compared to the outgoing car. The cabin is silent while driving around in the city. On the highways though, at higher revs, the engine noise will be disturbing for the car's occupants. Wind noise starts creeping in over 80 km/h and is quite noticeable at 100 km/h. No noticeable vibrations were felt anywhere in the car during our test drive.

Mileage & Fuel economy

As mentioned earlier, the new engine is more FE-focussed. The 2022 Brezza with the 1.5L petrol and the 6-speed AT has an ARAI rating of 19.80 km/l, which is a significant improvement over the outgoing car's 18.76 km/l. The LXI and VXI variants with the 5-speed MT have an FE of 20.15 km/l, while the ZXI and ZXI+ variants have an FE of 19.89 km/l. This is also an improvement over the previous MT's fuel efficiency figure of 17.03 km/l. The car's fuel tank capacity is 48 litres.

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Brezza comes with a MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a torsion beam with coil springs at the rear. The Brezza has always had a compliant suspension setup that was comfort-oriented and it continues to be the same here as well. Low-speed ride quality is absorbent and the Brezza soaks bumps and potholes nicely. Moreover, the suspension works silently too when going over bumps. Big potholes are felt sharply in the cabin though. Over a patch of bad road, there's a lot of side-to-side movement and bounciness as well.

The Brezza rides on 16-inch wheels with 215/60 section tyres. The recommended tyre pressure is 33 PSI. You won't really find the need to lower it down as the car rides well in the city as well as on the highway.

Handling & Dynamics

Overall handling characteristics are very neutral and predictable. Straight line stability is good and cruising on the highways is quite comfortable. There's a hint of vertical movement at speed, but it's not unsettling. Around a long corner, at speeds that most people will be driving, the Brezza holds its line well. However, there's noticeable understeer as well when you start pushing hard. so we'd suggest keeping things within limits. Turn into a corner sharply and body roll is quite evident. Given the height of the car, you will want to avoid carrying too much speed into a corner. The 215/60 R16 MRF Wanderer EcoTred tyres on out test car provided adequate grip.

Steering

The electric power steering in the Brezza is light and very user-friendly in the city. As you gain speed, the steering weighs up nicely and there's no nervous feeling or twitchiness at all while cruising on the highways. On the twisty roads, you will find that it's not very direct and doesn't relay much feedback. Sedate driving is what the Brezza is good at.

Braking

The Brezza gets ventilated disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. They work as expected & stopping ability is par for the course. Under hard braking too, the SUV doesn't lose its composure.

Niggles & Problems

While we haven't heard of many issues with this 1.5L petrol engine, Maruti had issued a recall in connection with the motor regeneration unit some time back. With the new tech in place, it's best to safeguard yourself with the maximum extended warranty coverage.

[Omkar]

Maruti Brezza Exterior Images

At first glance, the Brezza feels like it has gotten wider than before. The face is squared off on the sides giving it a wider appearance and it looks good in person:


Rear looks much more mature than before. While the earlier one appeared more hatchback-like, this one, due to its width, gives off an SUV vibe:


In profile, you can tell that this is the same car underneath the new avatar. Maruti has gone on to add plastic body cladding which IMO looks overdone. The earlier car had just the right amount of cladding (reference image):


The earlier design had started to age and Maruti has done a good job in designing the 2022 Brezza. In person, it doesn't look tacky and, on our drive, attracted quite a few people on the road:


Build quality overall feels average and while the car doesn't feel flimsy, the finishing in some areas could've been better:


Dual barrel LED projector headlamps have a follow-me-home function. The LED DRLs also form a nice design element around the projectors and look good on the road:


Slim and wide grille merges into the headlamps on the sides. Bumper houses a large air dam and faux skid plate at the bottom:


Front camera is placed on the air dam just above the number plate. It kind of sticks out and could have been better integrated:


LED foglamps are offered only on the top-end ZXI+ variant. They look tiny, especially with so much black plastic around:


Bumper has a cutout for the horn. The placement hasn't been changed from the previous car, which is why, this just feels like an afterthought:


Underbody protection doesn't extend a long way back:


Sharp creases on the bonnet give it character:


Flared wheel arches. Be careful when you try to squeeze through tight spaces:


Roof-coloured ORVMs are integrated with turn indicators and also get the cameras for the 360-degree view:


Both front doors get request buttons for the passive keyless entry system. Driver's side handle gets a keyhole too:


Glass area is pretty much identical to the previous car, except for the quarter glass, which is now slightly bigger. Check out the pronounced body creases on the door and quarter panel:


Dual-tone 16-inch alloy wheels are shod with 215/60 section tyres (same as before). IMO, the alloy wheel design looks too busy. The wheels fill the squared-off wheel arches quite well, but the excessive cladding around it gives an illusion that the wheels are small:


Drum brakes at the rear. Rear overhang is very less:


Healthy amount of wheel well cladding at the front and rear helps keep road noise in check:


The 2022 Brezza is Maruti's first car to get a sunroof. You also get a sharkfin antenna instead of the wire antenna like the previous car:


Split LED tail lamps have a nice design with a thick black border:


A closer look at the rear quarter glass and the neatly integrated roof spoiler:


There's no variant badging or anything to indicate if the car is a manual or an automatic. All you get is a 'Smart Hybrid' badge on the tailgate. Also, Maruti has now dropped the 'Vitara' name and you get bold chrome 'BREZZA' lettering in between the tail lamps:


Big exhaust end can is not a pretty sight:

[Omkar]

Maruti Brezza Interior Images

Cabin feels modern and up to date in terms of design. Dashboard is sleek and looks uncluttered and clean for the most part:


Leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering that we've seen in recent Maruti cars is nice to hold. It now gets telescopic adjustment as well which helps in finding your perfect driving position:


Stalks are chunky. Wipers have 4 speeds for the intermittent setting. Light stalk has headlamp settings along with foglamp controls:


6-speed AT variant gets paddle shifters. These are big and nice to operate:


New instrument cluster is similar to what we've seen in the XL6. Analogue dials for the speedometer, tachometer and engine temperature are nicely designed. Small MID screen in the middle has started to show its age. The competition has introduced high res screens:


The top of the dashboard (behind the instrument cluster) houses the retractable head-up display. It feels rather after-market'ish, but is still a segment first. You can adjust the view, but it might not be to everyone's liking:


You can toggle through information and can even have turn-by-turn navigation displayed here. The display quality is good and I didn't have to take my eyes off the road very often:


MID displays plenty of information like torque and power reading, accelerator and brake pattern, power flow and G force meter. You also get the usual driving information like average fuel economy, range, driving time, etc. You can also just have a clock displayed:


Sleek side A/C vents look nice. The finish around the edges of the brown insert isn't good:


Engine start/stop button gets a nice chrome ring around it. Next to it, you are the HUD controls, traction control, front camera activation button, the idle start/stop off switch and headlamp leveller. Excess dummy buttons look bad:


Doorpad carries over the brown & black theme:


Same window and ORVM controls as other Marutis. Would've liked to see a new design here. Only the driver window gets auto up & down:


Doorpads get a fabric insert near the armrest. A new feature in the Brezza is ambient lighting:


All 4 doors can hold 1-litre bottles and some other knick-knacks:


New fabric-upholstered front seats are similar to the ones on the Ertiga and get side airbags too (no seat covers here please). We would've liked to see ventilated seats here, especially since the new XL6 gets them with leather upholstery. Overall, the seats offer sufficient bolstering & back support:


Footwell has adequate width and the pedals are well spaced out. Dead pedal gets a rubberised pad for better grip:


Even in the MT, the pedals are well spaced out and easy to use. Dead pedal is comfortable to use on long drives:


ORVMs offer a good view of the action behind:


With both the headrests raised, the view through the IRVM is restricted. Thick D-pillars make things worse:


Auto-dimming IRVM, just like the outgoing car:


Rearward view is average due to the thick D-pillars. Bigger quarter glasses aid visibility:


Centre console has a clean and uncluttered design with the 9-inch touchscreen head-unit taking the centre stage:


Touchscreen is very smooth to use and doesn't have lag when you are going through its functions. It is one of the nicer units in the segment and comes with with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. With the Arkamys tuned sound system, there are 3 surround sense presets - Natural, Acoustic and Dynamic. All 3 are very distinct and offer a great listening experience. 360-degree camera has plenty of options too for different views:


Vehicle details such as energy flow, instantaneous and average fuel economy, driving pattern, etc. are displayed on the touchscreen:


Here's a look at the flow of energy while driving:


Central A/C vents have a pretty basic design and feel acceptable to operate. The plastic finish on the edges, however, is sharp and crude. A slim chrome border would've looked much nicer:


A/C controls have been placed below with a small readout in between. Physical buttons are so much easier to operate than touch-sensitive units while driving. These buttons are of good quality and operate with a nice click:


At the base of the centre console is a 12V power outlet and a USB port along with a wireless charging dock. Note the ambient light illumination on top:


AT gear shifter has been carried over from the XL6 and does not get the overdrive off switch on the side, which the old 4-speed unit had. Gearbox does not have an "L" or "2" mode either. Instead, you get an "M" mode:


Same MT gear lever as the first Vitara Brezza. Looks quite boring and outdated now. I like how the brushed silver finish on the gear console does not extend to the driver's side:


Open storage area and two different-sized cupholders next to the parking brake:


Centre armrest is draped in leather and can slide forward:


There's a deep storage box underneath:


A closer look at the detailing on the dashboard. There is no upper glovebox like the outgoing car:


Glovebox is average-sized. It is illuminated and has a cooling vent:


Like other cars in the segment, the Brezza gets a regular sunroof:


It's fairly sized and lets in enough light into the cabin:


Rear doors open wide. Doorpads have a similar design to the front units:


Ingress & egress is easy. There's a healthy amount of legroom. Both front seats get seatback pockets for rear passengers to use:


Backrest angle is quite upright, but not uncomfortable. At 5'10", I wished for more under-thigh support. There's enough headroom for people taller than me as well. Centre armrest is set at a comfortable height too. Rear headrest has only one adjustment level and you have to put it raised, otherwise it touches your nape area when you sit:


Seatbase is pretty much flat and we would've liked to see more contours. It's best suited for 2 adults for a comfortable long trip. 3 adults would be a squeeze for sure:


Rear passengers now get A/C vents and...


...Type-A and Type-C USB ports:


A bag hook on the seatback of the front seat like the previous car:


Wide and very usable parcel tray gets a prominent border to keep stuff from sliding over onto the rear seat:


Strangely, the roof light has been placed all the way back over the parcel tray. We'd have liked it to be placed in the middle - above the rear footwells:


Bigger quarter glass brings in a good amount of light. It's also useful when you are reversing into oncoming traffic:


328-litre boot is practical, but not as spacious as competitors:


Boot floor can be stuck nicely behind the Styrofoam. The spare wheel is a full-sized steel wheel:


Strangely, the boot gets a manual lamp. Defeats the purpose if you are fiddling around to find the light switch in the dark:


Tailgate gets full cladding on the inside:

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Thanks Omkar for the wonderful review. Was a pleasure to assist you on this media drive. Overall, the new Brezza was one of the most well-rounded (AT) and also one of the most boring (MT) vehicles I have driven in recent times.

To me, the Brezza is an extensive facelift of the original - and that may not necessarily be a bad thing. Just like with the Baleno, Maruti has identified the weaknesses of the outgoing model and rectified only those, while refreshing both the exterior and interior to bring it relevant for 2022.

Starting with the looks, the new 'Brezza' will not be mistaken for anything but a 'Vitara Brezza', now that the prefix has been dropped. However, some clever design touches make a difference - 1. Sharply edged (XUV 3OO'ish) front and rear bumpers that give the car a much wider appearance from both the front and rear 2. A glass section for the C-pillar quarter glass makes the car appear wider from the sides and 3. Modern LED touches all around. The design lacks flair though but is inoffensive - with only a couple of overdone touches (excessive black cladding, too many elements in the grille, etc) that won't be a deal-breaker for most people.

The Interior has been refreshed as well, but the seats and the overall layout still remind you of the original. Here also there have been some clever touches, like the new door pad design which has perfect ergonomics to rest the hand and soft cloth padding to boot, steering that now gets reach and rake adjustment to find the right driving position etc. The touchscreen system with its piano black bezels looks much better in person than in pictures and they work even better with excellent response times to repetitive inputs as well. Arkamys tuned system sounds decent, is a major improvement over the older generation and most owners will be happy with the stock set up.

Fit and finish though - leaves a lot wanting. Rough edges are easy to spot, plastics feel average and hard to touch. Typical one might say, but the panel around the gear lever in the MT was completely ill-fitting and coming off in the hand on our test car. The same issue was not present in our AT car, but not the best impression of quality either way.

The major update is in terms of features - Maruti has thrown everything and the kitchen sink at the Brezza - sunroof, HUD, 360-degree camera, wireless charging, auto-dimming mirrors, auto headlamps, cruise control, LED projector headlamps, auto start-stop, paddle shifters, ambient lighting, etc - most of the expected features are present. Hyundai, IMHO, should be worried about losing out on the feature USP. Brezza has a good reputation too, with the earlier generation scoring 4 stars and the new one 'could' do better now with the addition of features like 6 airbags, ESP, TC, etc.

One department that evokes mixed reactions is the engine. Modern fuel efficiency requirements are squeezing the fun out of naturally aspirated petrols and how! The new 1.5 is an excellent city companion, but a wheezy highway machine compared to the old motor. Having reviewed the outgoing Brezza facelift, I was very disappointed even after being warned of the new motor by Vid6639 and Leosashi in the XL6 thread.

Painting the picture - 80kmph, 2000 rpm, 5th gear - You put the pedal down to the metal and nothing happens - and I'm not talking of any lack of drama, I'm talking of speeds picking up pace digit by digit. And this, with a short ratio gearbox, with 100 kmph coming up at a very high 3000rpm in 5th gear. At speeds of 90kmph and more - there is a fair amount of engine noise and wind noise in the cabin and a lot of unnecessary drama during even simple highway overtakes. Not that modern turbo-petrol motors have spoiled us, but this midrange is sad by NA standards too. Best enjoyed in the city.

Things get better with the new 6-speed automatic transmission though, which works to mask some of these defects. It is not a very fast gearbox, nor extremely smooth (with some downshifts mildly felt and even heard inside), but it sure does much better than the manual - making better use of the ratios available. Not only does it cruise way more relaxed than the manual (1800 rpm in 6th at 100kmph), but gives you up to two downshifts during highway overtakes whereas the manual would just leave you hunting and wanting for more after a quick downshift. Paddle shifters are effective to get a quick downshift and move on before normal D mode is resumed in almost five seconds.

The car is tuned for FE and also delivers. During my drive through the Chennai ECR and back inside the city - the MID kept showing figures between 18 and 20kmpl, which is fantastic considering the petrol motor and torque converter gearbox combination.

Overall, the new Brezza left the impression of being a very competent city crossover. However, a rare car where I would choose the automatic over the manual even for those keen to drive.

[Arsenic]

Great review guys!

The Brezza looks like a fantastic product, now if only the pricing was fantastic as well

A real shocker from MS, and unfortunately it may inspire Hyundai, Tata, Kia etc. to ‘suddenly’ announce some price hikes.

Any news of an updated Urban Cruiser based on this Brezza?

[Rocketscience]

Agreed mostly with the review, had limited expectations with the engine but the reports so far suggest it is even weaker than I anticipated, is it by taking segment standards into account or is it a worse performer than say, Baleno?

Other than that, looks great to me on the outside and inside and a nice overall package for general folks not considering the price, taking price into the picture I would not pay more than 12 lakhs for this on road for this level of car at any cost which brings only LXi and VXi into the picture.

Interior quality is something I don't agree with the review, previous gen Baleno and Brezza had very pedestrian interior quality and cheap looking plastics and designs, I actually love what they have done with both these cars now and it looked good to me in person, I actually commented it looks and feels very premium and non maruti like finally. Looked close to our Creta's quality but to be fair we didn't spend a lot of time in the car as the showroom was crowded.
That is ofcourse only for the top variant we sampled in the showroom, have booked the LXi which has a basic layout and should look acceptable once a nice touchscreen audio system is added, VXi should be good enough for most people but annoyingly misses rear wiper which is not easily installed, if at all.

[fawad0222]

Thanks Omkar & Crazy Driver for the comprehensive review.
New Brezza seems to have definitely improved in every quarters sans engine performance. I feel for any body to decide on the brezza's engine performance on the road, having a test ride becomes very important as different people drive differently and might have different acceptance in terms of the performance.
Not having multiple engine options is definitely a weakness and maruti may have to pay for it. Perhaps they took things for granted rather too long.

regards

[Porcupine]

Excellent review as always!

The interior has definitely stepped it up and is much better and impressive than the outgoing model. Overall does the product feel worth the price hike?

[arjyamaj]

Excellent review!

Now that the Brezza has got a snazzy new grill, I'm hoping new owners will stop replacing them the seven slatted Jeep grill on their cars. As a Compass owner, I find this annoying to no end!

[saikarthik]

Great review and lot of pictures showing the detailing. Sunroof was long due and also some of the new additions, the center console looks neat with the A/C buttons, but the floating infotainment screen cover is overdone.

Is it only me or does someone else see this resemblance?

[pannags]

At the risk of sounding cliched - Fantastic review

A few observations:

1. The road presence on paper/screen looks for more imposing that the outgoing car and nowhere like a typical sub 4m CSUV

2. Interiors, although competition has moved on, look far more stylish than the previous avatar

3. For once, I don't think we can complain about not having features that are typically seen in rivals. Particularly true as far as safety kit goes

4. The engine-gearbox combo seem to tuned just like Ertiga/XL6. A tad disappointing not to have had a more performance oriented experience here

5. The upcoming HyRyder (Grand Vitara?) equivalent may actually turn out to be sluggish if the same tune were to be carried over

Priced ~50% more than the Vitara Brezza, it remains to be seen if the Brzza will garner the same patronage.

[vagman]

Super job Omkar and CrAzY dRiVeR with yet another detailed review!

Now imagine the lackluster K15-C in upcoming Hyryder.. I seriously hope Toyota tunes it for better performance (if that is even possible)