Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi Plus 1.5 AT Long-term Review

The second-generation Brezza was introduced in India this year, and it has several significant improvements over its predecessor, such as a new design, feature set, and engine choice.

It is Maruti's rival in the hotly contested B-segment sub-four small SUV competition, where ten vehicles are vying for market share. As a result, Maruti has brought its strongest weaponry to the contest. After all, Maruti's Brezza nameplate was one of its most successful in the prior decade since it debuted in 2016 at the ideal moment.

Technology

Regarding the newest technology, the All-New Hot and Techy Brezza exceeds your expectations. With a Head-Up Display that keeps you focused on the road, an Electric Sunroof that will amp up your city excursions, and a 360 View Camera that makes parking simple. Undoubtedly, it is easy to understand why we refer to it as the All-New Hot and Techy Brezza.

The City-Bred SUV raises the standard for innovation by going all out with a 9-Inch SmartPlay Pro+ with 'Surround Sense'. ARKAMYS, a Wireless Charging Dock, and a New Generation Suzuki Connect with Smartwatch and Alexa Skill* Connectivity serve as the vehicle's power sources.

Powertrain

The 1.5L Advanced K-Series Dual Jet, Dual VVT Petrol Engine, and the Progressive Smart Hybrid Technology are the new Brezza's engineering features. S-CNG, which has dual interdependent Electronic Control Units (ECU) and a sophisticated injection system to produce an air-fuel ratio that assures exceptional performance and high fuel efficiency, is now available.

Safety

You may enjoy the finest urban experiences thanks to the All New Hot and Techy Brezza's many safety measures. Your safety is never sacrificed with the City-Bred SUV's 6 Airbags, ESP with Hill Hold Assist, upgraded TECT Platform, and 20+ Safety Features.

Comfort

Unparalleled luxury is yours when you relax. The All New Hot and Techy Brezza was created with the urban explorer and perpetual traveler in mind. With its 6-Speed Automatic Transmission with Paddle Shifters, Telescopic Steering, Fast Charging USB, Cooled Glove Box, Flat Bottom Steering Wheel, and New Instrument Cluster with 4.2 Coloured MID, the City-Bred SUV makes sure you're always prepared to rule the streets.

Review

With its stylish design and economical diesel engine, the Brezza has been a major success for Maruti. The first generation is, without a doubt, the best-selling model. A switch to petrol had little effect on that, but Maruti introduced a new generation vehicle last year that addressed many of its flaws.

In the sea of white vehicles, the new Brezza did stand out. Thanks to the thinner headlights, taillamps, and thicker armor, it looks far better than the previous one.

It also has the advantage of appearing bigger than its contemporaries. The interior was more important. The construction feels more durable than the older Brezza, and the design is appealing. Although several components, such as the door pads, appear to have been taken from other Maruti models, the new design is far superior to the old one.

A sunroof is included, but the HUD's interesting feature and conversation starter is its configurable display. It boasts an adequate engine, transmission, suspension setup, fantastic external appearance, and even acceptable mileage. The mood of the car, whether it be on the power front or the interior aesthetics, is where it falls short. It also doesn't help its cause since the top trim exceeds the 15L barrier.

City Report

With a 44-kilometer round trip, the critic was in the driver's seat for at least two hours every day, giving me time to appreciate the finer details of the cabin as he clocked up the miles. The cabin's excellent NVH insulation effectively blocks the commotion on the road.

When the sunroof is not properly closed, which happens more frequently than not, given a little complicated mechanism to operate it, you can readily tell since it is so silent.

In the first week, when the critic was given the car for testing, he thought the HUD was more of a novelty item he would use for a short period before putting it away because he didn't see much use.

However, he has come to like it, and later he prefers to keep scrolling through the many pieces of information available to ensure he is driving as effectively as possible.

My favorite screen is the one that indicates how the hybrid battery is recharged, and whenever it is safe to do so, he tried to coast to increase the total. Then he learned that the HUD had color images for adjusting the fan speed or temperature.

Later upgrades to the HUD software will also provide media controls and navigation data. One of the selling points of the new Brezza is its extensively upgraded touchscreen infotainment system. The display has excellent visuals that are simple to use and paths to instructions.

Most of the time, though, he had been using Android Auto, which gives me access to his phone's features while on the road. It functions but occasionally crashes while using the maps in busy intersections with oncoming cars.

The calling feature also gave the critic problems; he could accept calls, but they ended after 10 to 15 seconds. The critic initially believed there was a network problem, but when he checked, the call was still going even though calling was no longer working.

There may be a software problem here, which hopefully will be resolved with either a SmartPlay Pro+ system upgrade or an Android Auto update. The Brezza is simple to slink around in all kinds of city situations (empty roads to five-way intersections at busy hours) because of its high stance and easy visibility.

Although not the most dynamic engine, the 1.5-liter unit with its six-speed transmission performs well in the circumstances he mentioned. He stated that it would perform its duties silently and, in the background, if you approach it calmly. While you would expect that this device would aid you the most with assessing the sides of the car, it's more of an asset when you need to park face-first on a busy roadway.

The 360-degree camera has been a godsend for parking in small spots.
With outside assistance, it might be easier to determine how close your bumper is to the sidewalk line. This 360-camera system eliminates that difficulty. Although it may seem like a minor concern, knowing that the back of your prized Brezza is not a low-hanging fruit for the always hurried traffic on our roads gives you peace of mind.

"This is not fantastic for my commute, which is largely in cities, but given how comfortable and simple to use the Brezza has been, I'm prepared to let it make a little difference in my pocketbook because it has made the round journey that much simpler", said the motor critic.

Highway Report

The Brezza is quite compliant and will follow your instructions, but at a slower pace than a car driving on the highway. The Brezza's naturally aspirated nature feels pure in this day of turbocharging and petrol direct injection, but it is slower than the competition in terms of speed. This is most noticeable in the way the engine accelerates, especially when coupled to this six-speed torque converter automatic, which, as its name implies, converts torque.

With just 136Nm, the engine could have used more torque. Even yet, it's rather simple to maintain that pace once you do, especially because the car is automatic, and you no longer have to worry about stalling it. The critic had the cruise control working overtime to maintain a smooth ride while attempting to adhere to the different speed restrictions along the route. Maintaining a consistent pace is simple, and using applications like Waze and Radarbot makes it simple to monitor speed traps.

Aside: Waze has a variety of voices available, and the critic said that he enjoyed hearing Arnold 'The Terminator' Schwarzenegger's voice warning you to slow down shortly before a speed camera. Integrating cruise control into the HUD is another positive development that will allow you to concentrate on the road. Although there isn't much torque, the paddle shifters are surprisingly fast and provide rapid engine braking, but you would have to shift frequently to stay in the torque range.

The insulation is decent on the highway, and it rides extremely well with a comforting capacity to eat up enormous bumps and potholes. The traffic jams on the motorway have turned into a nightmare, especially in the ghat section. In these situations, the Brezza excels again since it makes it simple to gauge the boundaries if you need to navigate the congestion.

If I had to select one problem, the Brezza seems sluggish while having the proper equipment, and you frequently need to ramp up the speed to pass heavy trucks, stated the critic. The critic had been getting between 11 and 12 kmpl in the city, but these two highway runs increased it to 14 kmpl. Given what the Brezza offers, it has stabilized at 12.6 kmpl, which is reasonable.

One of the critics said that if I were to criticize Maruti Suzuki for anything, it would be their choice to equip their top-of-the-line premium vehicles with full LED headlights. It has the capacity to illuminate the road that halogen-based devices cannot. The throw is long, clear, and aimed for the road, as you can see from our photos. It has proven especially helpful in clearing a way through the recent haze over Mumbai.

Road vacations call for large amounts of baggage, something the Brezza excels at. The second row may be folded down, and the base of the seat can flip up to provide more room, which results in 328 liters of usable cargo capacity while the second row is up. As you can see, your rear passengers can fit into the 60 parts of the 60:40 split-folding seats, provided they don't mind getting to know one another well and utilize the other side for extra storage.

Final Report

As per the critic, this second-generation Brezza cabin significantly improved over the first-generation model in terms of both perceived spaciousness and quality, fit, and finish. The dashboard design, which features a slimmer arrangement and a stylish 9.0-inch free-standing display at the top of the central console, is where this is most noticeable.

The quality of the switches utilized in the temperature control interface and the textured materials around the AC vents significantly contribute to the increased quality.

The sunroof on this top-spec ZXi+ model is a nice source of light on a bright day or even at night when it helps to highlight some of the unlit controls, even if it may need to be more practical in India. Funny enough, the broader cabin has led to a peculiarity where the driver door armrest is too far away to rest your leg on the door comfortably.

According to the critic, a man twice his size wouldn't have a problem with it. A new infotainment system is one of the significant Brezza improvements.

The 9.0-inch free-standing display is powered by their Smartplay Pro+ OS and is set up for phone mirroring. The lack of cellular access when we first obtained the car was a stage rather than an issue.

Early in 2023, Maruti released a software update to address the problem with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections, and this undoubtedly made things easier to use and allowed for a quicker connection with the system. Although the SmartPlay Pro+ OS is simple to use, mirroring your phone is preferable, given the current situation.

In terms of immediate functioning, it's a much more familiar environment. Last year, when the Brezza pulled into the critic's garage, He thought the HUD was, for want of a better description, gimmicky. However, as he has used the car more, he has come to like the specifics it offers and the visibility in the sunshine. The HUD also received an update as part of the infotainment software upgrade, and it now shows navigational data in addition to hybrid data, fuel levels, and speed.

He said that if he had to wish for something even more, he would have liked media information and speed warnings, and he hoped Maruti would include such in its next upgrades. The quantity of space at the back was a big surprise given the Brezza's small size in the market it belongs to. They tested this with a full load and a round-trip from Mumbai to Pune, and all three passengers in the back were content the entire time.

The overall distance of this round trip was 330 km, which is around the point at which you would begin to categorize it as a long voyage. If the passengers don't switch seats, it will become a hassle on anything longer, especially for the person in the center who also has to deal with the central AC vents. The seats provided adequate back and shoulder support but could have used more under-thigh support.

The Brezza's second version has only increased by 10mm across the measurements table and still has a 328-liter boot, but it has been packed better, giving the impression of having a greater inside room. The critics believe there is enough space to play baggage Tetris in terms of length, breadth, and height when the seats are down and the base is folded up.

Over two generations, the Brezza has shown that it can easily handle large bumps, flaws, and potholes with the ease of an SUV. Consider it the result of 40 years of producing automobiles for Indians to use on Indian roads (of all varieties).

The car's ability to take the road less traveled easily while keeping the passengers in place benefits from the ride being firmer. Since one doesn't have much performance available, being able to ride over obstacles aids in maintaining your speed.

The ride is audible, even though Maruti Suzuki has significantly improved NVH norms if we had to select one thing. According to the assessments, the 1.5-liter engine's 102bhp/136Nm output is just enough for city speeds; on the highway, it takes much longer to achieve and lose speed. To fully utilize the capabilities of the six-speed torque converter automatic transmission that our car is equipped with, an extra 50-60Nm of torque would have been beneficial.

Although the paddle shifters are surprisingly snappy, you must change frequently to reach the center of the torque band due to the low torque. The critic was averaging 11 to 12 kmpl in my typical city commute from office to home and then from home to office, which seems typical for this engine and transmission. It reached 14kmpl after two highway drives and may have gone considerably higher.

Nevertheless, that is quite a distance from Maruti's stated 19.80 kmpl. In our real-world efficiency testing, we obtained 13.10 kmpl of the city and 18.63 kmpl of the highway. It has good features, is quite roomy, and rides nicely, although the engine could use more power. Additionally, the mileage would increase with this extra poke. The aesthetic is approachable, and the brown and white dual-tone paint job is attractive.

Conclusion

Long-term companionship with the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi Plus 1.5 AT has shown to be dependable and useful. Its roomy cabin, supportive seats, and feature-packed interior provide a comfortable driving experience for the driver and passengers. Driving in cities is more convenient with an automatic gearbox since it is much easier to maneuver through traffic. The 1.5-liter engine under the hood provides enough power and functions well in urban settings.

The excellent fuel economy makes it possible to travel great distances without frequently stopping to recharge. The suspension smooths out most road irregularities, providing a comfortable ride. The Brezza ZXi Plus 1.5 AT is brimming with contemporary conveniences in terms of features. A smooth integration of smartphones is made possible by the touchscreen infotainment system's compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Safety features, including twin airbags, ABS, and rear parking sensors, ensure driver security. However, the Brezza ZXi Plus 1.5 AT may need to be enhanced in a few specific areas. A few of the plastics seem cheap. Thus, the quality of the internal materials might be improved. Additionally, a higher resolution rearview camera would allow for greater parking sight.

Overall, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi Plus 1.5 AT is a dependable and practical option for those searching for a cozy and feature-rich small SUV. It is a worthy competitor in its market because of its potent performance, excellent fuel economy, and a good selection of extras. The Brezza ZXi Plus 1.5 AT can last many years if it receives routine maintenance and attention.