New Maruti Brezza Boosterjet Review – Turbo Engine FTW?

Maruti Suzuki has just launched the updated Brezza in the country, which is one of the best selling SUVs in the country. Before this update, SUV buyers used to choose Brezza as a no-frills safe choice and Brezza facelift aims to transform the image completely as a fun choice with the introduction of 1.0L Boosterjet engine, seen in Fronx.

There is revision in pricing and the new 1.0L Boosterjet engine brings GST tax benefits to Brezza, which did not enjoy the B Segment tax slabs before. At launch, Maruti had just revealed the Rs 7.4 lakh (Ex-sh) base price and full pricing was revealed yesterday. We have compiled our thoughts after driving it briefly at the national media drive in the hustle and bustle of Mumbai city.

Brezza Boosterjet Review

As part of the media drive, we exclusively drove the new Brezza Boosterjet with the new 1.0L Turbo Petrol engine and the 6MT gearbox. We sampled Bluish Black colourway with exclusive Red highlights. These Red highlights sort of look like a sporty version of Brezza, similar to what some rival brands offer. We had never thought that Brezza would get added visual zing, but it does now, with a youthful vibe.

In terms of design, there are some changes at the front with a new bumper. This new bumper encompasses all the changes too. A new grille, revised bull-bar like element in the bumper with Silver finish, redesigned triangular fog light housings and larger faux skid plates. At the sides, we can see a new four-spoke design for alloy wheels and then more silver elements in side body cladding.

At the rear, the bumper has been redesigned with a smaller Silver signature for a sportier appeal. Other than these, Brezza remains the same in terms of design and aesthetics. There is a black rectangular element in the front bumper, which might suggest presence of ADAS, like in Victoris. However, that is not the case. Maruti has added blindspot alerts to the ORVMs, which we really appreciated in the hustle and bustle of BKC, Mumbai.

Upgraded Features List

On the inside, Maruti Suzuki has retained the overall layout of Brezza as it was before. Look closely and you’ll see that the infotainment screen has been upgraded from a 9-incher to a 10.1-incher, lifted straight out of Victoris. This screen supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and interestingly, new Brezza supports pinch-to-zoom function in Google Maps via Android Auto, which Victoris did not.

New Brezza gets an upgraded music system too, but it was nothing to write home about, especially considering just how much rival brands have advanced in this regard. What we think is the most important feature added with Brezza is ventilated seats. We welcome this feature whole heartedly. Upholstery still takes the Black and Brown overall theme, but are slightly revised with new Brezza.

In the centre console, we can see the automatic climate control panel has been revised with the unit now shared with Victoris. Auto dimming IRVM continues and the same instrument cluster with analogue dials and MID continues too. We like analogue dials, but we wished the MID cluster showed Maps instead of turn-by-turn navigation. HUD is present too and even though it is a basic HUD, we appreciate the fact that Brezza is the only sub 4m SUV to offer a HUD.

Overall interior space and comfort is more or less identical to its predecessor, which is not a bad thing. Brezza has commendable knee, head and shoulder space. Under-thigh support for front and rear occupants is nothing to write home about. Boot space is the same with Petrol variants, but is now better with CNG variants as new Brezza now gets an under-body CNG tank.

New Boosterjet Engine

Since Brezza ditched the Vitara prefix, there has not been a Turbo engine under the bonnet of Maruti’s popular B segment SUV. Even when there was a Vitara Suffix, Brezza did not have a 6-speed MT gearbox. Not only did Maruti give Brezza a Turbo engine, there is now a 6MT gearbox offered as standard. So, the 1.5L NA and 1.5 NA CNG also get a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard now, replacing the old 5-speed unit.

This new Boosterjet 1.0L 3-cylinder Turbo Petrol engine is nothing new. It was offered with Baleno RS and then Fronx became a recipient of this engine in recent times. Now, the same engine in Brezza breathes new life into this SUV. Compared to the K15C 1.5L NA petrol engine, the Boosterjet feels noticeably more energetic and adds some much-needed excitement to Brezza. Despite being a 3-cylinder unit, we found that it is quite refined and smooth.

The new 6-speed manual gearbox with this engine is not a short throw unit and was not quite enjoyable to meet the overall enthusiasm this new engine brings. In the unit we sampled, shifts felt more rubber-y than we would have liked. In our run, 0-100 km/h took well over 10 seconds. Quicker and cleaner shifts could potentially improve that time, as the gearbox in our test vehicle felt rubbery and wasn’t particularly slick. A 6-speed torque converter automatic could have made a better proposition with this engine for thrill seekers.

Brezza appeals more to everyday users and for them, new Brezza with this 1.0L engine and this 6-speed manual gearbox is a much better alternative than the 1.5 NA Petrol. Brezza Boosterjet also doesn’t demand a major fuel-efficiency compromise on paper. Its claimed figure of up to 20.47 km/l is only slightly lower than the 21.09 km/l claimed for the 1.5L NA petrol.

Drive & Dynamics

Maruti Suzuki has not changed the overall drive and dynamics with the new Brezza. There will be slight weight difference between variants equipped with 1.0L Turbo and 1.5L NA and one would have to drive both back to back to understand the little differences in suspension and ride. We could not do any highway testing or high speed testing because the drive event was in BKC Mumbai and we had very little time with it.

New Brezza handles bumps and broken Mumbai roads like it used to before with little to no changes. Overall, Brezza Boosterjet continues to offer that familiar ‘light’ feel, now backed by peppier performance. Braking is one area where we think Brezza could do better. If the same engine in Baleno RS commanded rear disc brakes, why not Brezza? Considering Brezza is heavier, rear disc brakes would have been a welcome addition.

Should You Buy One?

There are a lot of reasons why the new Maruti Brezza facelift left us wanting for more. For starters, Maruti gave blindspot alerts, but rain-sensing wipers and ADAS are still missing. The interior materials do not feel rich like they do in almost every other rival. The 360-degree camera view is only animated and you can’t control the 3D view at your will. Brezza still doesn’t have the same sense of desirability as some of its rivals, particularly when it comes to exterior design and interior quality.

Features list is not extensive and it lacks many of the equipment rivals are offering. So, new Brezza is still not for buyers looking for a premium and feature rich experience. That said, Brezza has always been among the best-sellers of its segment despite the lack of premiumness, excitement and desirability and its association with higher GST slabs from its 1.5L engine. Brezza has traditionally appealed to buyers looking for a no-frills, no-nonsense, reliable and dependable SUV backed by strong ownership and resale value.

With the smaller turbo engine, ventilated seats, additional safety equipment and revised styling, Maruti has broadened Brezza’s appeal without fundamentally changing what made it popular. It still isn’t the most premium, feature-loaded or desirable SUV in its segment. But the Booster Jet engine finally adds some excitement to what has traditionally been a very sensible package. With the revised pricing also making Brezza more competitive, it could now appeal to buyers beyond its traditional no-nonsense customer base. With revised prices, Brezza is now more appealing to buyers and it is expected to bring more sales as well. Even the smaller Fronx with this 1.0L Boosterjet engine starts from Rs 8.92 lakh (Ex-sh), making Brezza much more appealing.