Maruti Suzuki readying all-new Vitara Brezza by the end of 2021

Despite confirming the long overdue South African market arrival of the Vitara Brezza last year, Suzuki’s Maruti division will reportedly debut an all-new second generation model towards the end of this year.

The current best-selling SUV in India’s crucial sub-four-metre segment, Autocar India reports that the outbreak of the Coronavirus as well as the move to the more stringent BS6 emissions regulations, which resulted in the Brezza losing the 1.3 Multijet turbodiesel engine it had since launch in 2016 in favour of the 1.5 K15B petrol, had halted the debut of the new model despite sales being unmatched by newer rivals.

Still set to measure below 4 000 mm in overall length, the publication claims that the Brezza will feature an evolution of the current model’s design, but underneath, move to the Heartect platform used by almost all of Suzuki’s current models in order to reduce to weight and incorporate new technologies. A more modern interior is also set to star.

Up front, the mentioned 1.5-litre petrol will more than likely be retained, but with a more powerful mild-hybrid system currently only offered on models fitted with the four-speed automatic gearbox. As with the current model, the new Brezza will once again be front-wheel-drive only with the standard gearbox set to be a five-speed manual.

At present, it remains to be seen how the new Brezza would impact upon its twin, the Toyota Urban Cruiser, especially since sales only started in India at the beginning of September last year.

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