The Ford EcoSport has the advantage of power while the Maruti Vitara Brezza is expected to take down both the competitors on the features front and it will be priced near the Mahindra TUV300.
Maruti Suzuki unveiled the much awaited Vitara Brezza at the 2016 Auto Expo with the bookings already started for Rs. 21,000/- and the launch is scheduled in March. The new compact SUV will directly rival the Ford EcoSport and the Mahindra TUV300 which is not going to be easy for the new comer as the EcoSport has its roots established while the TUV has gained a lot of popularity in a very short span of time. What happens to the new Maruti is a story of the future, the present can only tell us if it stands strong on the specs front so we are here with a brief comparison between the three.
Design – All the three compact SUVs have different body styles which suit their characters. The TUV300 looks rather odd for a first few times but it is like one of those pop songs that does not make any sense in the beginning but after sometime we find ourselves humming, similarly the TUV300 looks impressive after a few sights. The EcoSport has always been a good looker and has impressed the buyers with its bulgy design. The new comer has a more linear design which is in accordance with the company’s design language. The front fascia does not look as tall as the competitors but it surely looks aggressive with the projector headlamps and an overall flat design.
Dimensions – This is where all of three are very close to each other. The EcoSport is a bit longer than the other two at 3999 mm while the TUV300 and Vitara Brezza are equal at a length of 3995 mm. However this does not mean that the Mahindra is smaller, it is the widest and the tallest car in this lot with the other two being almost equal in width, however the EcoSport is taller than the new Maruti.
Being the tallest has nothing to do with ground clearance as the TUV here has the lowest ground clearance of 180 mm while the EcoSport and Vitara Brezza enjoy a clearance of 200 mm and 198 mm respectively. However, dimensions come into play when the boot space is considered where the Mahindra has the largest boot capacity of 384-litres while the EcoSport has the least spacious boot with 256-litres and the Maruti stands in the middle with 328-litres.
Engines – The Maruti Vitara Brezza and Mahindra TUV300 are only offered with diesel engines while the Ford EcoSport gets three engine options that includes a 1.5-litre diesel, a 1.0-litre EcoBoost and the 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol motor. The TUV produces the lowest power of 83 PS at 3750 RPM while the output in the Maruti is marginally low with 90 BHP at 4000 RPM compared to the 99 BHP of the Ford at 3750 RPM.
However, the 200 Nm of torque at 1750 RPM from the smaller 1.3-litre engine in the Maruti is almost equal to the 205 Nm at 1750 RPM from the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder engine in the Ford and the 230 Nm at 1500-2250 RPM from the 1.5-litre 3-cylinder powertrain in the Mahindra is the highest. All the three competitors use a 5-speed manual gearbox while the TUV300 also has an AMT unit on offer.
Price – The prices for the Maruti Vitara Brezza are not out yet but it is expected to be cheaper than the Mahindra TUV300 and Ford EcoSport that cost Rs. 8.32 lakhs and Rs. 10.52 lakhs for the base variant respectively. Beating the TUV here will mean that the new comer will be placed alongside a number of premium hatchbacks. The Maruti product will get dual front airbags and ABS as an additional safety pack on the base and mid variants while the top-end variants will have these features as standard just like the Mahindra TUV300. The costlier Ford EcoSport has ABS as standard on all variants while airbags are a luxury.
Verdict – The Mahindra TUV300 comes with a different design and a cheaper price tag while the Ford EcoSport offers excellent ride quality with the responsive steering and powerful engine. The Maruti Vitara Brezza is expected to offer some additional features like cruise control and a reasonable price tag with the Maruti badge that signifies a good dealership and service centre chain but it is left to be seen if the smaller engine delivers performance that can be compared to the American product. But looking at the on paper data, the Vitara Brezza seems to be a good deal for families looking for an upgrade from a hatchback to an SUV.
Mahindra TUV300 vs Maruti Vitara Brezza vs Ford EcoSport
