During September 2020, Maruti Suzuki managed to retail 9153 units of the Brezza, which translates to YoY degrowth of only 11.67 per cent
Earlier this year, Maruti Suzuki India Limited launched the Brezza facelift in India. The updated model ditched the older Fiat-sourced diesel engine in favour of a ‘K-series’ petrol engine. The primary reason for the switch was the BS6 emissions compliance. To adhere to the stricter regulations, the diesel engines would have had to undergo major changes, which would increase the cost of production.
With rising production costs, the price of the vehicles would’ve also gone up, and by a significant margin. Currently, a diesel car can cost an average of Rs. 1 lakh more than an equivalent petrol model. According to Maruti, this disparity in price would’ve discouraged buyers from considering diesel vehicles, thus resulting in relatively poor sales. A few other carmakers, like VW, Skoda, Renault, and Nissan, are also following the same strategy.
A lot of industry experts were sceptical about the move, stating that diesel engines are usually more preferred by people buying crossovers and SUVs. Manufacturers like Hyundai, Kia, and Tata are still enjoying strong demand for diesel vehicles. However, it seems like the demand for the Maruti Suzuki’s petrol-powered Brezza is also quite strong, just a shade below the diesel model.
During September 2020, Maruti Suzuki managed to sell 9,153 units of the Vitara Brezza petrol. During the same period last year, i.e., in September 2019, the carmaker was able to retail 10,362 units (of the diesel model), thus registering Year-on-Year degrowth of only 11.67 per cent. On a Month-on-Month basis, the carmaker had sold 6,903 units, which translates to 132.59 per cent MoM growth.
Also, it should be noted that the sub-4-metre SUV market now has more competition, following the launch of the Kia Sonet. The little Kia crossover was only launched last month, and it has already entered the bestsellers’ list in September. It would be interesting to see how much of a threat Kia will continue to pose to not just the Brezza, but its other rivals as well.
Maruti Suzuki has been focusing on CNG-powered cars recently, to fill the void left by the discontinuation of diesel cars. This is quite a practical alternative for people who want lower running costs. There are plans for electrified powertrains as well, including mild-hybrid and hybrid vehicles, for the near future.