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The petrol engine performs well but lacks the thrill of the old diesels
Performance – Since the BS6 norms are coming into play, Maruti Suzuki is offering the new Vitara Brezza with a single BS6-compliant 1.5-litre K-series petrol engine that produces 104.6 PS of power at 6000 RPM and max torque of 138 Nm at 4400 RPM. It picks up well, eyebrow-raising well, complemented by a little engine roar and that sort of makes you hungry and hopeful for more. However, it tapers off pretty soon. No doubt that the mid-range is punchy as this is the same powertrain that is offered with the brilliant XL6, but that’s pretty much all. No, the response is not underwhelming, but that initial get-go just makes you root for this car and you keep on waiting for that ‘kick in the pants’ feel. The 5-speed gearbox is slick and smooth along with a light clutch. The gears are quite small and you’ll feel the constant need to upshift and downshift for an engaging drive. Also on offer is a 4-speed torque converter AT which offers the convenience of two-pedal driving. It’s a boon while driving in the city and the shifts are smooth and quite seamless. It’s just when you wish to overtake or need a splash of energy, it takes a second to deliver.
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Though slow to shift the automatic transmission is very convenient
The petrol engine has a superb low-end punch but the power starts to taper off the closer you get to the redline
Maruti claims a fuel efficiency of 17.03 km/l on the manual and 18.76 km/l on the AT with the smart hybrid. Real-time mileage figures are around 13-14 for the former and 15-16 for the latter.
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Ride quality is excellent and the brakes have great stopping power
Driving Dynamics – Despite being a petrol engine, there is a significant amount of noise that seeps into the cabin. What started out as music, begins to be a little hard to ignore once you go up the rev band. Since we are driving it in Goa, I find it very engaging to drive on the ghats and on the straights. The steering is light, offers decent feedback and weighs up just enough for highway cruising. The ride quality is a big USP of the Brezza as it glides over potholes and bumps without rattling the cabin. Braking is very effective too, we stood on the brakes and it came to a halt without any fuss.
