Given my predilection for automobiles that lean into corners relatively than out, there’s no shock that it’s been a very long time since I final drove a Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza – about 4 years, come to consider it. When my companion and I just lately determined to take a much-needed break from life on the whole, the brand new Brezza AT was the automobile obtainable within the Autocar long-term storage. After about ten days of residing with it, I’ve some ideas.
First, this automobile is analogous however totally different to what I bear in mind, and the sense of premiumness has undoubtedly grown. I at all times thought the outdated Brezza was an ideal handler and have enjoyable recollections of pulling massive four-wheel slides on the race observe. The recollection of the journey high quality isn’t so constructive, however it was a trade-off youthful me was completely satisfied to make. What I would like in a automobile right now is totally different, and luxury, practicality and comfort take priority over journey and dealing with – I’ve entry to loads of quick bikes that hit the spot in a manner no sensibly priced automobile can.
Fortunately, the Brezza appears to have developed simply as I’ve. The journey high quality has been rounded off and there’s noticeably extra pliancy within the dampers whereas nonetheless retaining good management at excessive speeds. My car-testing colleagues inform me the steering is now not as direct, however I discover it nonetheless has some reassuring weight and really feel, not like the sunshine and disconnected Ps-esque steering really feel from most Hyundais.
The brand new petrol engine is a peach as effectively, with good flexibility at low speeds and with sufficient mid-range that it by no means begs to be revved to the redline. I do miss that aggressive mid-range hit from the diesel, however the petrol’s refinement is on one other planet. In comparison with the outdated Multijet, the relative silence within the cabin is nearly eerie, and it actually makes for a calmer driving expertise.
SLOW AND STEADY: 4-speed transmission performs acceptably, however feels outdated.
The identical goes for the four-speed torque converter. Youthful me would’ve been aghast, however right now I discover no drawback with it, given the way in which I drive. It’s easy within the metropolis and performs simply nice so long as you don’t get aggressive along with your inputs. The identical goes for the engine stop-start characteristic and I discovered no cause to show it off. However if you happen to’re the kind who loves their downshifts aggressive, fixed and on the spot, this gearbox will likely be a deal breaker, particularly since there’s no paddles and no strategy to manually shift.
FUMBLING IN THE DARK: This cluster of buttons isn’t illuminated, making it laborious to make use of at night time.
One factor that mildly annoys me, not simply with this automobile, however all Marutis, is that unlocking the automobile solely unlocks the motive force’s door and never all 4 – you need to press the button twice to try this. The identical goes for unlocking them after a drive, and I want the automobile would try this when the ignition is absolutely turned off. If I’ve utterly turned the ignition off, doesn’t it imply I’m completed and would now wish to get out? There could also be some strategy to change these settings however I hunted a good quantity by means of the MID display in addition to the infotainment show and located nothing.
LET THERE BE LIGHT: Auto characteristic for the highly effective LED headlamps is a pleasant comfort.
For 10 days of metropolis commuting inside each Mumbai and Pune, in addition to some brisk tempo between the 2 cities, the powertrain was completely acceptable, and that features the 11.8kpl it returned. The cabin appears a lot nicer as effectively, with a extra intuitive contact display interface. The brand new computerized LED headlamps are nice, and in stark distinction to the terrible LED headlamps we see on most inexpensive bikes. Even the standard of the music popping out of the door-mounted audio system appears nicer. All these enhancements solely highlighted that the dashboard plastics nonetheless appear fairly scratchy and my proper elbow craved for some padding on the door’s laborious plastic panel.
SMARTER PLAY: The brand new SmartPlay Studio working system may be very intuitive to make use of.
As earlier than, the Brezza is simply the proper measurement to discover a parking spot in a giant metropolis, but additionally to accommodate a small household and their baggage in consolation. On this case, the 2 of us and our cat discovered loads of room for our baggage in addition to a go to to a nursery to select up some home crops – like many, the lockdown has introduced us only a bit nearer to nature!
The boot isn’t large, however it may possibly swallow up a good quantity of bags, together with home crops from a nursery!
Whether or not the Brezza is the very best compact SUV within the phase is one thing my colleagues and their critiques will reveal way more definitively. What I can inform you now’s that it’s a pleasant automobile to stay with and fairly nice to drive if you happen to’re not the pedal-to-the-metal kind. And from an possession perspective, nothing beats the peace of thoughts that comes with shopping for, sustaining and getting good resale worth from the undisputed king of the automobile enterprise in India.
Personally, I’d be completely satisfied to borrow it once more for when the following alternative to flee for a vacation arises.
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