Even better Brezza
The Brezza is enormously popular in India and has gained many South African fans in the past year, but can it still compete with his opponents?
In April 2021, we wrote about the first Suzuki Vitara Brezza launched in South Africa. At the time, the Brezza was available in two trim levels: the GL base model and the more luxurious GLX, both available as manual or automatic.
Since then, Suzuki has added a third model, the S-Edition, with the same transmission choices. All three models are powered by Suzuki’s K15B engine, also used in the Jimny, among others. It delivers 77 kW of power and 138 Nm of torque – this may not sound like a lot compared to the modern 1 ℓ turbocharged engines, but with the relatively low vehicle mass of 1 140 kg, the Vitara Brezza is surprisingly agile.
The engine’s revs are a bit high for our liking, though. On the open road, you’re always aware of how hard the engine is working – we would have liked a sixth gear to reduce the engine speed.
The load capacity of 460 kg is impressive – it means a family of four can load the luggage
compartment full of camping gear without having to worry too much about weight.
Inside and out
When it comes to luxury touches, the S-Edition fits neatly in-between the GL and GLX models. It boasts wind deflectors fitted to the front and rear doors so you can drive with open windows without the wind bothering you; it has a skid plate under the radiator just like the GLX model; and there are special silver-and-black 16” alloy wheels.
“In the creation of the S-Edition, we used the feedback from our dealers and customers to develop a model that offers the luxuries of the GL model, but which has its own unique visual signature,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager at Suzuki SA.
Inside, stainless-steel door sill guards are engraved with the Vitara Brezza logo. These complement the chrome strips on the instrument panel and the door trim. Suzuki has named these trims “Uber Life Silver”.
Where the S-Edition also differs from the GL basic model are the electrically adjustable side mirrors, parking sensors and a heightadjustable seat for the driver.
How does it compare to its competitors?
The Suzuki Vitara Brezza competes with the Nissan Magnite and Mahindra XUV300, but its closest rival is the Toyota Urban Cruiser. We wrote about the Urban Cruiser in October 2021, and that it’s exactly the same vehicle as the Vitara Brezza. The only differences apart from the badge and accessories are that the Suzuki has a five-year warranty and four-year service plan compared to Toyota’s three years for both – and that for the same car! (The Vitara Brezza and Urban Cruiser are both built by Maruti Suzuki’s plant in Gurgaon in northern India.)
The Nissan Magnite has a 1 ℓ turbocharged engine that produces 74 kW less power than the Vitara Brezza, but has more torque (160 Nm). The Mahindra XUV’s 1,2 ℓ turbo
petrol is better in both respects with 86 kW and 300 Nm compared to the Vitara Brezza’s 77 kW and 136 Nm.
The Vitara Brezza’s fuel tank (48 ℓ) holds 6 ℓ more than the Mahindra XUV300 and 8 ℓ more than the Nissan Magnite. Mahindra gives a five-year warranty and three-year service plan, and Nissan offers six and three years respectively.
Conclusion
Of the four competitors, we like the Vitara Brezza the most. We’d pick the auto gearbox, though, as the manual’s high engine revs can get tiresome on the open road.