Maruti Suzuki is late to the small SUV party. Blame it on the fact that maybe this is because it is just too big a company, or there are too many shareholders sitting in different countries. But all these things don’t matter anymore because its newest offering – the Vitara Brezza – is everything it set out to be. It is small, it is SUV-ish and surprisingly, it goes well. Really well!
Now, we’ve all seen and know what it looks like. Maruti has systematically drawn all veils from the vehicle, first by unveiling it at the Auto Expo and recently by announcing its price. Knowingly, or unknowingly, it has kept the best for last – the actual road test. Under the hood is the tried-and-tested DDiS engine. Yes, it’s the same diesel unit we see in the smaller Swift and bigger S-Cross. And that’s the only powertrain on offer right now.
But it seems like an almost perfect fit for the car. It may sound a bit too loud and coarse at times, especially when under stress, but it does the torque and power delivery bit rather sweetly. 200Nm of torque starting from as low as 1750rpm means downshifting of cogs isn’t always a necessity. For most urban driving situations, the Brezza could just be trundling along at 2000rpm or racing past at twice of it. Yes, that is when power is at its maximum.
The one dynamic ability of the Brezza that’s most striking is its ability to not be unsettled. Despite the sub-4 metre length, it is absolutely planted to the road at serious 3-digit speeds. The steering weighs up, not much feedback, but enough to not let your confidence waver. Of course, shove it around and the body roll may unsettle those at the rear, but you will have to try something incredibly stupid to get it out of line. Surprising for a tall big hatch that it is.