New generation Vitara Brezza will continue to rival the likes of Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet and Mahindra XUV300 to name a few
The Indo-Japanese carmaker introduced a facelifted Vitara Brezza last year in February at the last edition of AutoExpo. And now, they are reportedly planning to introduce a new generation model of Vitara Brezza. New gen Brezza is expected to be launched in the third quarter of 2021 – around festive period of Diwali. Maruti has usually had a new car launch around Diwali period to cash in on the festive mood and increased buying.
Losing No 1
From being the best selling SUV in India for many years, Brezza has now been relegated to the No 3 spot – not by any of its rivals; but by the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. Yes, the more expensive Creta and Seltos twins are India’s No 1 and No 2 selling SUVs for 2020.
Sales of Brezza have declined by more than 34% in 2020 – the highest decline registered by any SUV in the top 10 list for 2020. From 1.27 lakh Brezza sold in 2019, only 83k were sold in 2019. Apart from arrival of new rivals in segment, another reason for decline in sales of Brezza is that it is not offered with a diesel engine.
Codenamed YXA, this new gen Brezza model was initially reported to launch sometime in 2022. However, the growing intense rivalry in the sub-4 metre compact SUV space, as well declining sales, has pushed the company to prepone their plans of launching the new-gen Vitara Brezza.
New-Gen Vitara Brezza Updates
The new UV will carry an all-new design with modern interiors and better equipped with technical gizmos. Reports further claim that domestic parts vendors are already in place which is a critical step before a new model goes into production.
The new Vitara Brezza is expected to be based on the modified version of the existing Heartect platform which will also underpin the upcoming new-gen Vitara SUV. More details regarding this new-gen Vitara Brezza are still awaited and expected to surface in a few months time ahead of its launch.
Expected Powertrain Specs
As for powertrains, it is expected to carry forward the current 1.5-litre K-Series naturally aspirated petrol unit to the new model. This unit produces 104 bhp and 138 Nm of peak torque and will be paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
There will also be a diesel-powered Vitara Brezza this time. In all likelihood, the company would be reviving its 1.5-litre DDiS diesel unit in its updated BS6 form. In its BS4 version, this unit pushed out 94 bhp and 225 Nm of peak torque and performed duties on Ertiga and Ciaz.
Other UVs in Maruti’s pipeline
Apart from new-gen Vitara Brezza, Maruti is also developing a new subcompact crossover based on Baleno. Codenamed YTB, this new SUV is expected to hit showrooms sometime in 2022 and would help Maruti Suzuki solidify its position in the sub-4 metre UV space. Apart from this, India’s largest car manufacturer is also planning to launch a C-segment crossover as a replacement for S-Cross. This new model has been codenamed YFG and is likely to make its debut in 2023.
Also, the company is developing a new C-segment SUV in partnership with Toyota and is going to be based on the latter’s DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) platform which currently underpins Toyota Raize. Maruti is also looking to develop a 5-door version of Jimny specifically for its Indian consumers.
