Buy Or Hold: Wait For Vitara Brezza Facelift Or Go For Rivals?

Will the facelifted Vitara Brezza be the excellent value-for-money proposition that the current VItara Brezza is or is this the time where its rivals take the lead?

Maruti Suzuki revealed the facelifted Vitara Brezza at Auto Expo 2020 and apart from the cosmetic updates, the major change is the new engine underneath the bonnet. Before, the Brezza used to be a diesel-only offering and the upcoming BS6 emission norms have now made it a petrol-only offering. Set to be launched on February 15, should you wait for the facelifted Vitara Brezza or go ahead and put your money down on its competition?

Hyundai Venue: BUY for sporty DCT gearbox, connected car tech and premium interior.

There are a few reasons that make the Venue a worthy alternative to the Vitara Brezza. For starters, there is the turbo-petrol engine that makes 120PS/170Nm. Then there is the fact that this engine can be had with a DCT (dual clutch transmission). The Venue also offers connected car tech unlike any other car in the segment (the facelifted Nexon offers limited functionality as it misses out on cabin pre-cool with remote engine start-stop) and its interior feels modern and premium.

Tata Nexon: BUY for a refreshed design, safety with solid build, better cabin space and the availability of multiple powertrain options.

The Nexon recently got a facelift, and it's safe to say that the update is more comprehensive than what Maruti has done for the facelifted Vitara Brezza. What that means is that while both cars are facelifts, the Nexon’s design looks newer compared to the ageing design of the Vitara Brezza. Then there is the excellent cabin space on offer in the Nexon and the fact that it can be had with a diesel engine is a plus too. With the mid-life refresh, Tata has also added premium features like connected car tech, a sunroof and, the safety quotient is now better with ESP offered as standard across all variants.

Mahindra XUV300: BUY for outright performance, highest scorer at G-NCAP crash tests, diesel-auto combo and premium features.

The XUV300 boasts of a powerful petrol engine and the most powerful diesel engine in its class, so it can be called a forerunner when performance is compared. It also gets premium features such as a dual-zone climate control but despite the cabin material quality being quite good, the cabin itself feels dated. Another good thing about the XUV300 is that it is the best-performing Indian car in Global NCAP crash tests. It received a 5-star rating for adult protection and a 4-star rating for child protection. It is also available with a diesel-auto combo.

Ford EcoSport: BUY for most powerful petrol engine, premium interiors and good driving manners and petrol-auto combo.

The EcoSport has been around the longest but Ford has done just enough to keep it looking fresh. It has the most powerful petrol engine in the segment. On top of that, the interior quality is right up there with the best of the lot. There is the option of a diesel too but that cannot be paired with an automatic. It has excellent driving manners as well and comes in a petrol-auto combo as well.

Maruti Vitara Brezza Facelift: HOLD for the Vitara Brezza if a petrol engine on a budget is what you want. Mild-hybrid will help in getting decent fuel efficiency as well. It also offers premium features at a budget price.

With the facelift, the Vitara Brezza has lost the biggest weapon in its arsenal - its diesel engine. The petrol replacement might have more power on offer, but its low torque figure means that the driveability of the Brezza could get affected. However, a petrol engine will mean that the price will not go up in the Brezza’s BS6 conversion, and could instead go down. It’s automatic variant will be available with a mild-hybrid system a well, so that’s a double bonus. Then there is the fact that the Vitara Brezza offers features such as cruise control at quite a low price point.