Should you buy a pre-owned Maruti Brezza

The Maruti Suzuki Brezza has been a popular car since its launch. The compact SUV was launched as a response to the Ford EcoSport and has been a top performer in its segment over the years. This popularity extends to the used car market as well, where the option of the previous generation Vitara Brezza in its diesel avatar is specifically desired. You might be looking at a pre-owned Maruti Brezza and wondering if it is worth buying one today. We break down the reasons to consider the Brezza and what to look out for before buying one to help you make your decision.

Why you should consider the Maruti Suzuki Brezza

The Maruti Brezza is a well rounded and thought out vehicle, high on the sensibility factor and is family oriented to boot. Its launch quickly established it as trustworthy and reliable, and it has continued in the same vein in its second generation. If you’re on the lookout for a car to add to your garage, the Maruti Brezza is a fantastic choice worthy of your consideration. Let’s take a look at the factors that make it so.

Engines and Fuel efficiency

Since we are discussing pre- owned cars, the Maruti Brezza offers you the choice of diesel, petrol or CNG, as well as mild hybrid tech. However, please bear in mind that the first gen Vitara Brezza only gave you a diesel engine. The facelift, conforming to BS VI norms, replaced the diesel with a petrol mild hybrid powertrain. The second gen model dropped the Vitara name altogether and was just known as the Brezza. Petrol and then CNG options were offered to the consumer. And of course,  automatic versions of the same models above were offered barring the CNG variants. It can be seen that you are spoilt for choice and can pick the one most suited to your circumstances and requirements.

India absolutely buys cars which have fuel economy. The Maruti Brezza offered a high mileage on its diesels (24.29 km/l) and continues to be known for good mileage in its other versions as well. The petrol with mild hybrid tech gave fuel economy figures of 17.03 km/l (for the manual transmission option and 18.76 km/l for the automatic unit.and the CNG engines on offer give even higher figures of 25.51 Km/kg. The average car consumer gets to be frugal at the petrol pumps and hence the Maruti Brezza is always under consideration.

Rugged build and Cabin Quality

The Maruti Brezza boasts an impressive stance that provides the driver with a commanding view of the road ahead. Its finely-tuned suspension effortlessly glides over road imperfections, ensuring a smooth ride even over bumps and potholes. While the Maruti Brezza may not be a rugged off-roader, it handles mildly challenging dirt roads with ease.

Inside the cabin, the Maruti Brezza offers ample space, practicality, and a sense of openness, especially with the addition of a sunroof. Concerned about rear passengers? Worry not. The cabin comfortably accommodates five adults, providing generous headroom and legroom.

Thanks to its well-tuned suspension setup and generous ground clearance, the Maruti Brezza confidently tackles bumps and potholes, making for a comfortable and capable ride.

While the new Brezza is not GNCAP tested as yet, we can point out that the older version had received a 4 star safety rating and the current one boasts of stellar build quality on the same platform.

Features to Impress

The 1st gen Maruti Brezza was a well rounded package. The good suspension, spacious cabin and powerful AC, fuel efficient yet powerful engine was a winner. Dual airbags were introduced and the features on offer were reasonable.

The facelift 2020 built on its strengths and tried to bring more quality.The exterior including the wheels were redesigned, and the interiors were refreshed with new fabric upholstery and a better infotainment system. Safety also went up a notch with central locking and security alarm.

The 2nd gen even debuted a sunroof, a first for a Maruti car. The mileage was increased with a more capable engine and hybrid technologies. The aggressive design language was highlighted with an increase in height among other design cues. It became more premium in keeping with the demand and price increase. Safety features showed Maruti Suzuki in touch with the pulse of the market by offering rear parking sensors, ABS with EBD, hill hold assist, and ISOFIX mounts as standard across the range.

Brand Value and Dependability

The Maruti brand holds immense value, and the Brezza exemplifies this. It benefits from an extensive service centre network across India, ensuring easy access to affordable parts and repairs. Virtually any location has capable mechanics who can maintain your Brezza, whether you opt for authorised service centres or independent garages. Maruti Suzuki has a well-earned reputation for crafting reliable vehicles, and the Brezza lives up to this standard, promising enduring performance. Its low maintenance costs are further facilitated by the wide availability of parts and services through independent or franchisee garages.

They benefit from the widespread service network, economical parts, and skilled mechanics found throughout the country. With easily obtainable and budget-friendly spare parts, you can keep your Maruti vehicle in top condition without straining your finances.

How old should a pre-owned Maruti Brezza be

First Gen 2016

The Maruti Vitara Brezza was first launched in 2016 with a 1.3-litre diesel engine sourced from Fiat. It had a 5 speed manual and a 5 speed automatic. Pragmatic and practical, it ticked all the boxes the people wanted from a butch compact SUV. It came  with a good ground clearance,  a commanding view all round, a spacious cabin, great build quality along with nice fit and finish levels. The icing on the cake was an enviable fuel efficiency took it to the top of the consumers wishlist.

Facelift 2020

The facelifted Maruti Vitara Brezza was launched in February 2020. It lost the diesel engine because of the BS VI emission norms and was offered with only a 1.5 L K15B petrol engine.  It came equipped with a SHVS mild hybrid system only on the automatic .The gearbox options were a 5 speed manual and a 4 speed torque converter. Cosmetic changes to both its exterior and interior bringing new features like a cooled glovebox on top end variants were its highlights.

Second Gen 2022

The second generation was launched in February 2022. This had a K15C engine geared for fuel efficiency and now came with a 5 speed manual and a 6 speed automatic. However, the 12V mild hybrid system from the previous generation was carried over.

The 2022 Brezza’s 1.5-litre petrol engine made 103 PS and 137 Nm of torque, which is 2 PS and 1 Nm less than the outgoing version. On account of the added features and safety, the 2022 Brezza ZXI+ MT (top variant) tips the scales at 1,190kg, which is 60kg more than the outgoing Brezza petrol. The badging has also seen a change, with the Vitara designation dropped entirely.

What to look out for while buying a Maruti Brezza

Turbo Lag

There is a discernible turbo lag in the diesel Brezza, which is a trifle sluggish before it hits the 2000 RPMrpm mark. This leads to frequent gear shifting because the vehicle response tends to be lethargic  at low revs. Past that mark and till 5000 RPMrpm, there is a surge in power on tap.

Poor Quality Interiors

The Maruti Brezza is not known for quality interiors, being more practical and utilitarian especially in the first 1st generation. The quality has gone up with the 2020 facelift and noticeably even more so with the second 2nd generation. But the fit and finish, along with the quality of plastics used could be a lot better for the price point. The infotainment system is another sticking point, especially with the first 1st gen where there are slow response times. Though there has been a noticeable improvement, the touch and response times are not as slick as could be expected.

Prioritising Fuel Efficiency

This is a polarising factor. While there is no doubt that the fuel efficiency of the Brezza is a major plus, it comes at the cost of performance. It is not designed for gratifying response when the accelerator is pushed, being more suited to a sedate driving style. The engine noise increases when flooring the accelerator but power builds up gradually.. This is seen in the continuing models as well. Indeed, the engine of the Maruti Brezza has seen a loss in power, which is made up for in the mileage gained by the usage of the SHVS system.

How much should a pre-owned Maruti Brezza cost

Is a used Maruti Brezza worth buying in 2023

The simple answer is yes. The Maruti Brezza is family friendly, practically built and covers all bases adequately topping the package off with a fuel efficient run. Its muscular SUV looks, the aggressive stance with a commanding view of the surroundings and a comfortable cabin only add to the enjoyment. You can safely go in for one today in the knowledge that you are getting a vehicle with hardly any downside that will serve you well in the days to come.