The Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Skoda Kylaq are both available with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. While the Brezza comes only with a 6-speed manual gearbox, the Kylaq offers both 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. We put the manual version of the two compact SUVs through our real-world fuel efficiency tests to find out which one is more economical to run.
Maruti Brezza vs Skoda Kylaq: Specifications, price
The Kylaq makes more power and torque, while the Brezza is more affordable
| Specifications | Maruti Brezza turbo-petrol | Skoda Kylaq MT |
| Engine | 3 cyls, turbo-petrol | 3 cyls, turbo-petrol |
| Displacement (cc) | 998 | 999 |
| Power (hp) | 110 | 115 |
| Torque (Nm) | 170 | 178 |
| Gearbox | 6-speed MT | 6MT |
| ARAI mileage (kpl) | 19.96 | 19.05 |
| Fuel tank (litres) | 48 | 45 |
| Price (in Rs lakh) | 7.50-11.42 | 7.59-12.09 |
Both SUVs are powered by three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engines. The Kylaq produces 115hp and 178Nm, giving it a 5hp and 8Nm advantage over the Brezza. Both are paired with 6-speed manual gearboxes. The Brezza has a higher claimed mileage of 19.96kpl compared with 19.05kpl for the Kylaq.
When it comes to pricing, the Brezza has an advantage across the range. Its starting price is Rs 9,000 lower than that of the Kylaq, while its top-end variant is Rs 67,000 more affordable.
Maruti Brezza vs Skoda Kylaq: Real-world fuel efficiency
The Brezza has better mileage overall, while the Kylaq has a slight edge in city driving
| Tested mileage (kpl) | Maruti Brezza turbo-petrol MT | Skoda Kylaq MT |
| City | 10.05 | 10.60 |
| Highway | 17.71 | 15.12 |
| Average | 13.88 | 12.87 |
In our tests, the Brezza returned an average of 13.88kpl, which is 1.01kpl more than the Kylaq manual. The Kylaq had a slight advantage in the city, returning 10.6kpl compared with the Brezza’s 10.05kpl. However, the Brezza was more efficient on the highway, delivering 17.71kpl against the Kylaq’s 15.12kpl. This 2.59kpl difference helped the Maruti SUV achieve a higher overall mileage.
Both SUVs get an automatic engine stop-start system, which switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationary to help save fuel. Neither gets an Eco driving mode.
It is worth noting that the Brezza's city test was conducted in ambient temperatures above 40deg C, while the Kylaq was tested at temperatures between 30deg C and 36deg C. The higher temperatures meant the air-conditioning had to work harder during the Brezza's test, which may have affected its city mileage.
Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing
Before our real-world fuel efficiency tests, we fill our test cars’ tanks to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, running the aircon at 22deg C in full-auto mode, and other electricals, such as the audio system, indicators, wipers and ventilated front seats, when required, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling the tanks to full again.