Long-termers

Suzuki introduces yet another crossover to its range. Time to see how this funky compact offering performs over the next six months

The budget-focused crossover segment is currently in the midst of a heated battle with several manufacturers throwing formidable contenders into the ring. Right now, it feels like the scene from Rocky III where our hero walks into Apollo Creed’s gym to find a collection of prize fighters hungry for the win. The Vitara Brezza is walking into a similar situation where contenders like the Toyota Urban

Cruiser, Nissan Magnite, Ford Ecosport, Honda WR-V and soonto-be-launched Kia Sonet are going all out in the sector.

The big question is: does the Vitara Brezza have what it takes to be the champ? Well, let’s address the elephant in the room. As of Naamsa’s March reports, Toyota’s Urban Cruiser found 977 new driveways while the Vitara Brezza found 390. This is a bizarre disparity considering the Suzuki is lighter on the wallet.

Competition and sales figures aside, and despite its bold frontend styling, my first month with the Indian-built crossover has been rather straightforward, in line with the Japanese manufacturer’s USP. The Vitara Brezza’s is a hop-in-and-go ownership experience with a responsive engine, well-spaced automatic transmission, plush ride and a generous offering of standard features.

I took it on a short road trip to the Robertson wine valley which provided the perfect opportunity for the 77 kw 1,5-litre four-pot, with four-speed auto, to prove it is at home both on highways and in urban environments. On the open road, the Brezza displayed a tidy 7,20 L/100 km average consumption, 0,2 L/100 km lower than the CAR fuel index figure.

Although the automatic has just four speeds, the ratios are decently spaced. In top gear it sits comfortably at 3 000 r/min at a 120 km/h cruise.

Where the drivetrain does falter is in the refinement stakes. From the point of ignition, the engine is audible within the cabin while the transmission lacks decisiveness in stop-start driving conditions.

As with most Suzukis built for the Indian market, the Vitara Brezza does not skimp on comfort and convenience. With a cushy suspension and thick-profiled 215/60 R16 Apollo Alnac tyres, it’s a treat on the tarmac and equally forgiving on gravel surfaces. Despite its crossover appearance, it does require attentive driving on more intricate gravel sections.

So far, so good. In my short stint, I’ve already come to understand the Vitara Brezza is a crossover built for adventure and not shy of tackling the open road.

I’ll be the first to admit that when the keys to the new Opel Corsa clattered across my desk, I had some misgivings. As a regular recipient of some of the fleet’s less, shall I say, conventional wares (the likes of Toyota Avanza, Prius and Opel Combo panel van count among these), I was relieved my latest set of wheels did not pass for public transport, look like a deep-sea creature or lacked a rear window. I was

also somewhat concerned about the strong French DNA coursing through its fuel lines. Now, I’m not knocking French cars – I’ve driven and enjoyed a few in my time

– but when the news of Opel’s 2017 acquisition by Groupe PSA (Peugeot-citroën) brought with it the revelation that the new Corsa would no longer feature a GM platform, but rather a version of the EMP1 modular platform that underpins the Peugeot 208 and some of its pals, I did feel a twinge of doubt.

It’s not that the Opel would collapse on its springs and turn into dust at the merest touch, but rather that its “Opel-ness” – the feeling of German solidity for which the marque has gained favour and for which I can vouch on the back of a year with the superb 1,4T Sport in 2016 – would somehow be lost.

My brief stint with the car has both confirmed and allayed such concerns. In terms of perceived quality, the new Corsa doesn’t quite match its predecessor’s density of slush-moulded interior trim plastics, hefty boot lid or a general feeling of weighty construction, but neither does it feel flimsy. Nor does it have the Sport’s 110 kw turbocharged, four-cylinder punch; instead, it plays host to a 96 kw version of PSA’S Eb-series three-cylinder turbopetrol. Yet, where the previous car felt perched on its springs and possessed a slightly higher-than-comfortable centre of gravity, the new Corsa feels low-slung, planted and, weighing 108 kg less, it’s sprightlier than its predecessor.

Subjectively, it’s fair to say the new car looks considerably more appealing with cleaner lines and it is less visually top-heavy, especially when you take in the contrasting black roof on white bodywork treatment. It’s still early days, but I’m undecided how I feel about the new Corsa’s Germanofrench breeding.

The injection of French car know-how means it certainly feels more alert and looks more appealing than before, but those qualities appear to be at the expense of the perceived quality upon which German marques so strongly trade.

Having just stepped out of the R2,5-million MERC-AMG E63 S, quite literally, and somewhat let down by the last Honda I drove, I had my doubts about CAR’S newest long-termer. But I quickly set my preconceptions aside and am delighted to report the new Ballade in top RS spec has the potential to be a very pleasant car.

First and foremost, that RS badge must be addressed; this is no Type R. It uses the same 1,5-litre atmospheric engine and CVT transmission as many

other Honda models. Instead, RS in this instance simply means all the bells and whistles, with model-specific bumpers, alloy wheels, headlamps, that sort of stuff. Ours arrived finished with metallic white paint and it’s not a bad looking car … I cannot be the only one who thinks its taillights look similar to those of a popular Bavarian sedan.

RS spec also brings niceties like leather seats, a leather multifunction steering wheel and a retractable sunroof into the mix.

Having never lived with leather seats, I recognise the practical benefits. There is an eight-inch touchscreen, as well as a digital driver’s display. The infotainment system works well enough, although I am yet to wirelessly connect a phone to the system. Space on the inside is impressive. Headroom and legroom, both front and rear, border on stately, the seats have sufficient bolstering and, typical of Hondas, plenty of lumbar support. Boot space is plentiful, too.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the continuously variable transmission. Everyone I have spoken to seems to have it out for CVTS. Maybe I missed something but I’m not in that club. Around town, it operates smoothly and seamlessly and manages to judge the balance between revs and steps accurately. The lack of physical gears also allows for smooth pull aways, with no sensation of the engaging or disengaging of gears in an automatic or clutches in a dualclutch transmission. The same goes for slowing down. On uphills, you notice a monotone drone only as the motor’s revs climb, but a click of the right-hand paddle – yes, it has shift paddles – on the steering wheel will stop that.

What is it like at cruising altitude though? I will have to get back to you on that but a camping trip to Greyton in the coming weeks will reveal whether cruising at the national speed limit picks holes in the Ballade or if it holds its own. I have faith.

Small things such as the jingle when you get in and the unnecessary “Drive Safely” message you have to agree to every time you use the infotainment system can be a nuisance, but thus far the Ballade has been a comfortable commuter; one which seems to have considered all the necessities. I look forward to driving it and getting to know it over the next three months.