The competitively priced Tata Nexon goes on sale with much anticipation to take on the subcompact SUV segment leader Maruti Vitara Brezza
The rejuvenated Tata’s fourth new product carved out of the Impact design philosophy has hit the showrooms finally. While the wait for the debut is over, it is obvious that it has to do nothing but deal with some tough rivals in its subcompact SUV segment for cementing its position on a long haul.
The all-new SUV remotely has any similarities to the brand’s breed in the same line like the Safari but instead it is modern and expected to be capable of attaining big sales. Talking of the selling figures, the Indian SUV space is dominated by the Maruti Vitara Brezza ever since it made entry early last year. It became an instant success and proved that Maruti’s aspiration beyond the entry-level small cars was not a hoax.
Before we pit both SUVs against each other in a real world test when the time permits, it is important to understand how they stack up on paper and it can be stressed that Nexon has a power packed lineup in terms of engines and features but can it really live up to the expectations? We find out down below in our comprehensive specs comparison:
Tata Nexon vs Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Design
For several discerning customers, styling plays a major role in buying the vehicle back home or just would not bother pondering over it. The Tata Nexon five-seater SUV is based on a new platform that underpins the bestselling Tiago hatchback sharing several components and equipment. It draws design inspirations from the Range Rover Evoque and is based on the Nexon concept unveiled at the 2014 edition of Auto Expo for the first time. Sticking by the Impact design philosophy with a swoopy profile and flowing character lines, it has contemporary design.
It has hexagonal mesh black front grille, silver-lined LED headlamp cluster, prominent black body cladding on the sides from tip to end, bespoke wheel arches, white bordered round-ish fog lamps, stacked-out lower air dams, floating-roof with black pillars and chrome beading on sills of windows. The Nexon gets bigger 16-inch wheels and has the highest ground clearance of 209 mm in the segment.
The Vitara Brezza extracts design inspiration from the Suzuki XA-Alpha concept and has a bolder design language with vertical-slated H-shaped grille, 16-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and tapered roofline. Moreover, it features projector headlights with a secondary halogen unit, clamshell bonnet, wider honeycomb air inlets, black plastic body cladding, two-piece tail lamps and silver skid plates making the sub-compact SUV visually appealing.
It’s the first vehicle in India to comply with offset and side impact crash tests, aided by the stronger Suzuki TECT hi-tensile steel body structure. The Nexon gets our nod in terms of looks because it has the character and butch appearance of an upmarket compact SUV and it will be a key ornament in its success as a whole.
Tata Nexon vs Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Dimensions
| Tata Nexon Dimensions | Maruti Vitara Brezza Dimensions |
| Length: 3,994 mm | Length: 3,995 mm |
| Width: 1,811 mm | Width: 1,790 mm |
| Height: 1,607 mm | Height: 1,640 mm |
| Wheelbase: 2,498 mm | Wheelbase: 2,500 mm |
| Ground Clearance: 209 mm | Ground Clearance: 198 mm |
| Bootspace: 350 litres (extend till 690 L) | Bootspace: 328 litres |
The Nexon has 3,994 mm length, 1,811 mm in width, 1,607 mm in height and gains a wheelbase of 2,498 mm. Meanwhile, the Vitara Brezza measures about 3,995 mm in length, 1,790 mm in width, 1,640 in height and comes with a generous wheelbase of 2,500 mm and boot capacity of 328 litres. It has an unladen ground clearance of 198 mm.
The Brezza has almost same length as the Nexon but it is 21 mm narrower and 33 mm taller. The additional wheelbase of 30 mm will hand the advantage over to Brezza as well in legroom and headroom. But in the ground clearance, Nexon takes the advantage back and stands 11 mm above the ground than the Brezza. The Nexon’s bootspace is 32 litres more than Brezza’s and can be extended to 690 litres when rear seats folded flat.
Tata Nexon vs Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Engine Specifications
| Tata Nexon Engine and Specs | Maruti Vitara Brezza Engine and Specs |
| 1.2L Revotron Petrol and 1.5L Revotorq Diesel | 1.3L DDiS Diesel |
| 110 PS/170 Nm and 110 PS/260 Nm | 90 PS and 200 Nm |
| Six-Speed Manual | Five-Speed Manual |
The Nexon’s engine line-up features a new diesel engine and a petrol engine. The new 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel mill producing 110 PS at 3,750 rpm of power and 260 Nm of torque at 1,500-2,750 rpm will be mated with a six-speed manual transmission. The 1.2-litre Revotron three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine develops a maximum power output of 110 PS at 5,000 rpm and 170 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm and it will also be linked with a six-speed manual gearbox.
The five-seater SUV could also get the ‘F-Tronic’ AMT (automated manual transmission) sourced from Magneti Marelli at a later time. Both the power units gain first-in-segment Eco, City and Sport driving modes. The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza gets power from the 1.3-litre DDiS 200 four-cylinder diesel motor making 90 PS at 4,000 rpm and 200 Nm of peak torque at 1,750 rpm. The engine transfers power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.
Maruti Suzuki will likely add the 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol to the engine-up soon. Both the compact SUVs do not offer AMT variants but it is always nice to have a petrol option on Nexon unlike the diesel-only Vitara. In terms of power and torque, the Nexon makes 20 PS and 60 Nm more courtesy of its Revotorq diesel engine and topping it off is the multiple driving modes. On paper, it is certainly what a compact SUV wants for long journeys with families or occasional less-intimidating off-road runs.
Tata Nexon vs Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Mileage
| Tata Nexon Mileage: 17 kmpl and 21.5 kmpl | Maruti Vitara Brezza Mileage: 24.3 kmpl |
The Tata Nexon is claimed to return a mileage of 17 kmpl for petrol and 21.5 kmpl for diesel variants. It is at a disadvantage because the Vitara features best-in-class rated fuel efficiency of 24.3 kmpl.
Tata Nexon vs Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Interior and Features
On the inside, the sub-compact Nexon SUV is largely identical to the Tiago hatchback with the multi-functional steering wheel with audio control buttons, central floating instrument panel and a new generation 6.5-inch Harman touchscreen infotainment system with Radio, USB, Aux and Bluetooth connectivity. Other main highlights are reversing camera, start/stop push button, keyless entry and satellite navigation.
The first-in-class floating dashtop, the 6.5-inch display HD touchscreen, adds to the premium interior. The 8-speaker system with high-fidelity audio reproduction is stated to give “personalised home theatre experience.” The Nexon will also come equipped with Android Auto and Car Play (Car play to be offered soon). The Grand Central Console is inspired by high end cars, boasts unique sliding tambour door mechanism.
As for the Vitara Brezza, the dual tone interiors with silver accents feature a centre console finished in piano-black, multi-functioning steering wheel, power window switches and gear lever. An entertainment system, navigation and other elements like reverse parking camera and voice command function are also present. Driver airbag is offered as standard in all grades as passenger airbag, ABS and EBD functions are optional from base trims (they are standard in the top ZDi and ZDi+ grades).
Other important features are SmartPlay infotainment system with in-built MapCare navigation and Apple CarPlay, reverse parking camera, engine start/stop button, electrically-foldable ORVMs with turn indicators, cruise control, 60:40 split rear seat and auto headlamps. In terms of interior and cabin feel, the Nexon and Brezza will be pretty close but the large touchscreen and Harman speakers would hand the advantage over to the Tata SUV.
Tata Nexon vs Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Price
| Tata Nexon Price: Rs. 5.85 lakh to Rs. 9.45 lakh | Maruti Vitara Brezza Price: Rs. 7.24 lakh to Rs. 9.91 lakh |
The Nexon undercuts the Brezza in pricing and it is a pivotal factor for market success. Much like the Tigor is priced aggressively against the Dzire, the Nexon has been competitively slotted for enticing customers. At Rs. 1.40 lakh cheaper, you can see who the real winner in this category too.
Tata Nexon v Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Comparison Verdict
When Maruti Vitara Brezza rushed on to the scene, it had to beat the benchmark Ford EcoSport and it did so with conviction courtesy of a VFM package and of course the brand’s reach. Since then the segment has seen new rivalry from the Honda WR-V and it seems to have taken its own place in the market with consistent sales. The Nexon hopes to alter the prospects with a VFM package as much as Vitara did when it came out in a similar fashion.
As the Tiago and its sedan sibling Tigor have become successful so far, Tata will be trying to carry on the momentum with the Nexon as well. After all, it boasts several first-in-class features like the multi-driving modes, a large touchscreen floating display, Harman infotainment system and last but not the least a power-packed engine lineup.
Make no mistake as the Nexon has all the arsenal in its armoury to take the fight to Vitara Brezza. But can it really challenge the latter in terms of sales numbers? We certainly cannot answer that question right now but it has all the bells and whistles to be up there for the years to come with such a luring price range for everything it offers.