Maruti Vitara Brezza vs Ford EcoSport vs Tata Nexon – Shootout

Shootout: Maruti Vitara Brezza vs Ford EcoSport vs Tata Nexon

Shootout No. 180

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 10.32 – 12.56 lakhs (Maruti Vitara Brezza), Rs. 11.23 – 13.27 lakhs (Ford EcoSport), Rs. 10.98 – 12.77 lakhs (Tata Nexon)

All the three compact SUVs here are well-designed but still look like hatchbacks on steroids!

The sub 4-metre SUV segment is a rage in the Indian market and now all of them are sporting an automatic gearbox. While the EcoSport was first to arrive in the race, the strong effect of the Vitara Brezza and Nexon should not be underestimated at all. We are pitting them against each other to find out on which one of these automatic compact SUVs should you be putting your money on.

Motor Quest: Automatic cars are becoming the preferred choice for most of the car buyers as they offer a lot of convenience while driving in chaotic city traffic. The Ford EcoSport was the first sub 4-metre SUV to offer an automatic gearbox but only with a petrol engine. The Nexon and Vitara Brezza joined the party later.

Exteriors – In terms of exterior design and styling, all the three cars in the shootout are like chalk and cheese. Let’s start with the EcoSport which was the first entrant in the sub 4-metre SUV space. The car received a facelift in 2017 with which a lot of things changed for the better. The facelifted EcoSport AT is available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine only and in two variants – Trend+ and Titanium+. The EcoSport is the most powerful-looking vehicle of the trio thanks to the massive front grille, projector headlights with LED DRLs and the heavily sculpted front bumper with faux skid plates. The SUV appeal is further enhanced by the flared wheel arches, 17-inch alloy wheels and the boot lid-mounted spare wheel.

What makes the Vitara Brezza stand out from the crowd is its boxy design

The Maruti Vitara Brezza AMT, on the other hand, has a rugged appeal. Opt for the ZDI+ trim and you get projector headlights with LED DRLs, blackened 16-inch alloy wheels, LED tail-lights and a floating roof design. The side black cladding and the almost 200 mm ground clearance make the Vitara Brezza look substantial. The Japanese compact SUV is available in contrasting dual-tone colours as well. Although the Tata Nexon comes with the typical SUV design traits such as the flared wheel arches, side body cladding and a raised ground clearance of 209 mm (highest in this comparison), the swoopy and curvy design of the vehicle makes it look very youthful. This also means that it turns more heads than its rivals. Automatic version of the Tata is available in a single variant which gets all the bells and whistles like projector headlights with LED DRLs, 16-inch machine-cut alloy wheels, split LED tail-lights and optional contrast roof as well. Overall, all the three vehicles here look good in their own right and since looks are subjective, let us know in the comments below as to which compact SUV looks the best.

Interiors – The Ford EcoSport’s cabin has all the flair and looks premium thanks to the piano black finishes in the centre console, the chunky 3-spoke steering wheel and the plush 8-inch SYNC3 touchscreen infotainment system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto). The fit and finish levels are also a lot better than the rivals. In terms of the space on offer, the Vitara Brezza and the Nexon are closely matched while the EcoSport’s cabin feels cramped.

Like the exteriors, the Vitara Brezza’s interiors are also quite straight-forward

The Maruti Vitara Brezza, on the other hand, adopts a simple yet functional approach for the dashboard. The SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system gets Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink connectivity. While the Vitara Brezza and the EcoSport do with an all-black dashboard, the Tata Nexon gets a three-tone dashboard with a floating 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with Android Auto only) which makes it more appealing but the fit and finish levels inside the cabin could have been better.

All the three cars here feature an engine start/stop button, automatic climate control, height adjustable driver’s seat, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, rear-view camera and 60:40 split rear seat. While the Nexon features rear AC vents, it misses out on automatic headlamps and wipers both of which are offered on the Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Ford EcoSport. Unique features in the Ford EcoSport are leather upholstery, cruise control and an electric sunroof while there are no unique features in the Maruti Vitara Brezza AMT. Unique features in the Nexon AMT are waterproof wristband key and umbrella holders in the front doors. In terms of seat comfort and space, all the cars here are identical to their respective manual transmission equipped variants.

Performance – The three vehicles in the comparison cannot be directly compared. We’ll pit the Ford EcoSport AT with the Nexon petrol and the Maruti Vitara Brezza with the Nexon diesel. Starting off with the Ford EcoSport, this is clearly a better car when compared to the Nexon petrol all thanks to the traditional torque converter gearbox that it uses. The Nexon, meanwhile, gets a 6-speed AMT transmission. Gearshifts are slick and seamless in the EcoSport while the Nexon’s AMT suffers from a lot of lag. On full throttle, the AMT just doesn’t respond! However, the Nexon gets first-in-segment drive modes – City, Eco and Sport. The 1.5-litre petrol engine in the EcoSport feels very punchy throughout and via the paddle shifters, you can also manually take control of things, making the car a lot of fun to drive.

The AMT gearbox in the Nexon feels sluggish when compared to the Vitara Brezza’s AMT unit

Shifting focus to the diesel, the Nexon looks good on paper (110 PS and 260 Nm vs the Vitara Brezza’s 90 PS and 200 Nm) and also has more punch but sadly the gearbox tuning isn’t all that great. The Vitara Brezza’s AMT unit feels way better than the Nexon. The shifts are fluid and better when compared to the Nexon. In fact, it feels so good that it ends up masking the turbo lag which is inherent with the 1.3-litre diesel mill. One good thing about the Vitara Brezza is that, in the manual mode, it will hold on to a gear and not upshift until and unless you do so. In terms of NVH, the diesel Nexon is better than the diesel Vitara Brezza whereas the petrol EcoSport excels over the petrol Nexon. Coming to fuel efficiency, it is the diesel Vitara Brezza that returns more than the diesel Nexon and when it comes to petrol, it is the Nexon that is more fuel efficient than the EcoSport.

Driving Dynamics – Tata might have lost when it comes to the transmission but where it definitely surpasses both the Maruti and the Ford is in the ride quality department. The Nexon is just phenomenal when it comes to riding comfort as it absorbs almost everything in its stride. Meanwhile, the Vitara Brezza has a stiff low-speed ride and the EcoSport too isn’t very compliant. But due to the stiffness in the Vitara Brezza and the EcoSport, both of them offer good high-speed stability. Wind and tyre noise is better contained in the EcoSport followed by the Vitara Brezza whereas the Nexon comes in last.

The steering in the EcoSport offers a lot of feel and feedback while body roll also is best contained in the Ford. All these attributes make the car very predictable and controllable. The Nexon is the heaviest car in the comparison and that does make it less fun around corners. Brakes are best in the EcoSport while the Nexon and Vitara Brezza offer similar stopping power.

Safety and After Sales Service – The Ford EcoSport AT takes the cake when it comes to safety. While the Nexon and the Vitara Brezza make do with just dual airbags and ABS with EBD, the EcoSport offers 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, EBA, ESC, TCS and Hill Start Assist. In terms of after sales service network, Maruti is way ahead of the competition and that is what could play a vital role in the buying decision of a prospective car buyer. Nonetheless, both Tata and Ford are catching up with the latter emphasizing more on the cheaper costs of maintenance.

Verdict – If you’re looking for an automatic petrol compact SUV with a limited budget, the Tata Nexon makes more sense as it is a whole lot cheaper than the EcoSport. If budget isn’t a constraint, then eyes closed we’d suggest you get the Ford Ecosport. Coming to the diesel, it’s quite tough to choose a winner as the Nexon seems like a well-packaged product on paper but in real-world conditions, it is the Vitara Brezza that truly shines. The AMT is better tuned and the overall driving dynamics, space, features and Maruti’s reliability factor considered makes the Vitara Brezza a clear winner.

Further Reading –

Maruti Vitara Brezza vs Ford EcoSport vs Tata Nexon Video
2017 Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review
2017 Ford EcoSport Video Review
Maruti Vitara Brezza Test Drive Review
Maruti Vitara Brezza Video Review
2017 Tata Nexon Test Drive Review
2017 Tata Nexon Video Review
Ford EcoSport vs Tata Nexon
Tata Nexon vs Maruti Vitara Brezza