Finally! Maruti Suzuki’s Vitara brezza to get a petrol engine in February 2020

Come February 2020, Maruti Suzuki will launch the petrol powered variants of the Maruti Vitara Brezza, reports ACI. The compact SUV is likely to lose its diesel engine at the same time even as the Bharat Stage 6 emission norms come closer. The Brezza will borrow the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder naturally aspirated K-Series petrol engine from the likes of the Ertiga and Ciaz. This engine makes 104 Bhp-138 Nm and is paired with a mild hybrid powertrain. 5 speed manual and 4 speed torque converter automatic gearboxes are offered with this engine on the Ciaz and Ertiga, and the same configuration is likely to be offered on the Maruti Brezza as well. Apart from the new petrol engine, the Brezza will also need a full facelift with a lot of additional features as the competition in the compact SUV segment has increased greatly. The Brezza is now looking quite dated.

The petrol powered Brezza may not be much cheaper than the diesel powered version. This is because the 1.5 liter petrol engine effectively means that the Brezza will not qualify for a lower rate of GST that compact cars under 4 meters in length are eligible for. For this, the petrol engine used on the vehicle must measure under 1.2 liters. The 1.2 liter petrol engine that Maruti currently has makes only 82 Bhp-112 Nm, and in hybrid trim: 90 Bhp-112 Nm. This engine may not be suitable for the Brezza, which is heavier than hatchbacks and sedans. The other option of course, is the 1 liter-3 cylinder BoosterJet turbo petrol engine that Maruti offers in the Baleno RS. This motor makes 101 Bhp-150 Nm, which should be decent for the Brezza. However, Maruti seems to be taking the ‘no replacement to displacement’ route, and is going with the 1.5 liter petrol.

For a full 3 years, ever since its launch in 2016, the Maruti Vitara Brezza occupied India’s top selling SUV position. The arrival of the Hyundai Venue has changed everything though, and the Brezza has been beaten to the top spot. A key weakness in the Maruti Brezza, which the Hyundai Venue has exploited to the hilt is the lack of a petrol engine option. Right from the outset, the Maruti Brezza has been diesel-only, using the 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet turbocharged diesel engine in 89 Bhp-200 Nm state of tune. This diesel engine is offered with 5 speed manual and AMT options. In the last 2 years though, more and more buyers in India have begun preferring petrol powered compact SUVs, and the lack of a petrol engine cost the Brezza sales. The Venue, which is offered with two petrol engine options, apart from a diesel, is now being preferred by buyers over the Maruti Brezza.