MARUTI SUZUKI Brezza

Maruti Suzuki has introduced its three-cylinder BoosterJet engine with the Brezza facelift. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza now boasts two engine options: a 1.5L K15C four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 103 PS and 136.8 Nm of torque, and a 1.0L BoosterJet three-cylinder turbocharged engine borrowed from the Fronx but boasting a higher power output of 109 PS and 170 Nm of torque.

Additionally, a big change in the Maruti Suzuki Brezza is the six-speed manual transmission, which replaces the five-speed unit in the previous iteration. While the K15C is paired with the new six-speed manual and the six-speed torque converter automatic, the 1.0L BoosterJet is paired with a six-speed manual only.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift: Design Changes? Where?

Maruti Suzuki has truly given the word facelift meaning, as the company's sub-4m SUV looks the same, with only a few changes. The design changes include a dark chrome panel between the headlamps, which replaces the piano black panel. Honestly, I like the design more than the previous iteration, since it looks more rugged now. The fog lamp assembly has been borrowed from the Victoris, which looks premium and upmarket. The addition of front parking sensors and a bull bar-inspired lower front grille gives the Brezza facelift an SUV-like vibe, while the pre-facelifted SUV looked docile.

The side profile of the Brezza facelift remains relatively unchanged. Two major changes on the side include the four-spoke dual-tone alloy wheels that replace the five-spoke alloy wheel design, and silver garnishes on the door, making the side look a little more appealing than the outgoing model. The rear bumper gets a silver ridge-like design, continuing with the rugged appeal in the back as well—the models equipped with the 1.0L Boosterjet engine get a ‘Turbo BoosterJet’ badging at the tailgate and stickers on the rear quarter glass. To woo the youth, the company introduced two new colour options, including Vivacious Orange and Lustrous Beige.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift: Classy Interior

The hard plastics continue to dominate the cabin of the Maruti Suzuki Brezza. The layered dashboard continues its reign in the Brezza, with the colour of the plaque changing from maroon to brown. However, one of the biggest changes on the interior of the Brezza facelift is the 10.1-inch digital infotainment system, which has also been borrowed from the 9-inch digital infotainment system. In addition, it gets connected car features, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and Alexa features, among others. The ventilated front seats are a much-needed addition, which have been introduced in the Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift. Additionally, the upholstery has been updated to a brown and black dual-tone fabric and leatherette upholstery.

However, the rest of the interior remains unchanged, with the same analogue instrument cluster with MID, a head-up display, park assist, a cooled glovebox, toggle switches for the air conditioner, and a sliding armrest with storage, wireless smartphone charger with cooling effect, and plenty of space to store water bottles in the door bins. Moving to the rear seats, the bench is wide enough to accommodate three people with relative ease. The rear AC vents keep the passengers in the back cool. Much like the pre-facelifted version, the window area is big and the single-pane sunroof on offer makes the car look spacious on the inside. The front seat backs offer pockets to store documents and magazines, while USB Type-A and Type-C ports keep devices charged on the go. The boot space, still, remains the same at 328L, but the spare tyre has been removed from the SUV. The CNG tank-equipped Brezza owners can also use the entire 328L of boot space, owing to the tank being moved to the underbody similar to the Victoris.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift: More power, baby!!!!

We drove the BoosterJet-equipped Brezza, and I am extremely happy to state that Maruti Suzuki has really hit the nail with this one! One of the things that Maruti Suzuki does best is make great engines, and the tune of the BoosterJet engine which the Brezza facelift boasts is just amazing. We drove it on open stretches of roads and in city traffic, and the car felt extremely easy to drive. The BoosterJet engine is extremely responsive, allowing for quick acceleration. There is turbo lag, but it has been well contained, making the SUV pretty responsive to the throttle. The Brezza facelift, at any given point in time, did not feel out of its depth, be it tackling heavy city traffic or the highways.

The clutch is light, and I did not feel tired despite driving it for almost an entire day. The gear throws are short and crisp, while the gear lever falls to hand perfectly. The car felt powerful from the get-go as I could feel the bump in power and torque, considering it has more than the 1.5L K15C NA petrol engine. The SUV continues to pull from the 1,700 rpm mark all the way to the 5,500 rpm mark, after which the power delivery starts to flatten a little, with its redline being at 6,200 rpm. The increase in torque makes the acceleration feel exhilarating. Despite being a more powerful engine, it still boasts a Maruti Suzuki branding, which means fuel economy has not been compromised. Interestingly, the turbocharged Maruti Suzuki Brezza boasts a fuel economy of 20.47 kmpl, which, arguably, is one of the best in the segment for a forced-induction engine.

While the pre-facelifted Brezza boasted a relaxed driving experience, the turbocharged Brezza wants to be pushed hard but always in control. The steering, like other Maruti Suzuki steering, is pretty responsive, while the car is extremely manoeuvrable in traffic. We sped the car up to 80 kmph, and on an elongated curve, we continued to accelerate with a light foot, reaching a maximum speed of 100 kmph, and the car felt planted. The brakes equipped with the Brezza facelift feel very responsive and instil a lot of confidence, even at high speeds. The suspension setup has been carried over from the pre-facelift model and is on the softer side, filtering out big potholes. The NVH levels have been well managed as well, with the cabin being so silent that we could not hear any engine noise until I revved the engine really high or the ambient noises were way too loud for the car to keep them out. Just so you know, the company is offering the 1.0L BoosterJet engine right from the base model, allowing for a lower price point owing to the tax benefits which were missing with the earlier model. However, I feel that if an automatic gearbox had been offered with the turbocharged engine, it really would have been the cherry on top.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift: Conclusion

I believe that the Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift is one of the best value-for-money propositions in the sub-compact SUV segment in the market, priced at an introductory price of ₹7.39 lakh (ex-showroom), which is almost a lakh less than its outgoing model, which was priced at ₹8.26 lakh (ex-showroom). The 1.0L Boosterjet engine works great for the SUV, while the trusted K15C has not been discarded, giving customers enough options to choose from. Another change, moving the CNG tank to the underbody, allows customers to use the full boot space of 328L while other CNG options don’t allow that. The fuel economy figures just make the deal sweeter. As the SUV craze cements itself in India, Maruti Suzuki has really set the competition ablaze with the new Brezza. While we believe the interior could be a little more upmarket, with higher-quality plastics, I would not complain too much, considering it has all the essential features a customer needs.

The company has got the pricing spot on, making it one of the most affordable SUVs in the market. It really has gone from being one of the most expensive SUVs in the segment to one of the most economical. Maruti Suzuki heard the critics during the Brezza’s launch in 2022 and worked on their feedback, integrating everything they missed out on in this update. If you are enthusiastic about driving, just take it for a spin, and it will not disappoint you!