The prototype production of the second generation Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza will begin around April this year in India
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has the Vitara Brezza as its top-selling passenger UV in the domestic market and it was first introduced at the 2016 Auto Expo. The compact SUV took over the proceedings from the Ford EcoSport and set a benchmark for others to follow. It is now the highly crowded space in the entire industry with more manufacturers eyeing a sweet spot.
The sub-four-metre SUV segment has seen the arrival of Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and Nissan Magnite within the space of three years. To sustain its momentum and in response to the growing competition, the largest carmaker in the country launched the facelifted Vitara Brezza at the 2020 Auto Expo with minor cosmetic updates and feature additions.
More importantly, it witnessed the arrival of a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid K15B petrol engine kicking out 104.7 PS maximum power and 138 Nm of peak torque. It is paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The 1.3-litre four-pot DDiS200 diesel unit, which was in the business for four years, had to be let go due to BSVI emission standards.
Compared to its latest competitors, the Vitara Brezza does have a disadvantage of not having an expansive range, lack of multiple transmission choices and more modern features and technologies. The impact can be observed in the sales charts as Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue have certainly come on song with consistent sales numbers bettering the Vitara Brezza quite a number of times.
Consequently, Maruti Suzuki is working on the next generation Vitara Brezza and we can reveal that the production of the prototypes will commence around April this year. The second-gen version of the SUV will go on sale sometime next year and it is expected to be a radical departure compared to the existing model. The current model is based on the Global C platform, which earned it a four-star Global NCAP rating.
It will be interesting to see the underpinnings of the 2022 Vitara Brezza upon its arrival and Maruti Suzuki could bring in a new diesel powertrain according to recent reports. The cabin will more likely be upgraded substantially as well with a host of connective, safety, convenience and assistive based features.
*Pics for reference only