Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza petrol-automatic to get torque converter gearbox

When the Vitara Brezza facelift launches in the coming weeks, it will get a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine with manual and automatic gearbox options.

Published On Jan 04, 2020 05:00:00 AM

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Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza petrol-automatic to get torque converter gearbox

Current model used for representation only.

It isn’t news that Maruti Suzuki will soon introduce the facelift for its Vitara Brezza compact SUV, which will come with a petrol engine for the first time. Replacing the current model’s aging 1.3-litre diesel engine will be the Maruti Ciaz and Ertiga’s 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol mill that is tuned to produce 105hp and 138Nm of torque. While we’ve been reporting that a 5-speed manual will be standard fit, we can now confirm that the Vitara Brezza petrol-automatic will be equipped with the same 4-speed torque convertor unit as Maruti’s midsize sedan.

It is a fact that an automated manual transmission (AMT) is a more cost-effective option and the more sophisticated torque convertor unit will drive the price of the Vitara Brezza petrol up by a significant amount. Also, the brand had opted to use the more affordable AMT gearbox for the diesel Vitara Brezza, which helped keep costs in check. However, considering this engine-gearbox combination is already available in the Ciaz, Ertiga and the XL6 – and is expected to make its way to the S-Cross too – it would create greater economies of scale and bring down the price of the components, thereby keeping costs in check.

A unique selling point of the Maruti Vitara Brezza facelift will be that it will be the only compact SUV in India to come with a mild-hybrid system; while the Mahindra XUV300 diesel does come with a start-stop system, it is a less sophisticated ‘micro-hybrid’ unit. Like the other petrol-powered mild-hybrid Marutis, the Vitara Brezza will also get a dual-battery setup that will work in conjunction with the engine to provide start-stop and torque-fill functions.

The compact SUV segment currently has a number of petrol-automatic options – the Hyundai Venue 1.0 gets a dual-clutch unit, the Ford EcoSport has a torque convertor, and the Tata Nexon comes with an AMT. With the Brezza petrol-automatic, Maruti might be able to grab a larger share of the segment.

While Maruti Suzuki is bullish on the facelift for its compact SUV, saying that they expect the Brezza petrol to replace diesel volumes 1:1, potential buyers may be put off by its higher price point when compared to the current model. Due to the larger 1.5-litre petrol engine, the Brezza facelift will no longer qualify for tax sops under the Indian government’s law for sub-four-metre vehicles, which will see its prices increase.

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