Will The Maruti Vitara Brezza With A BS6 Petrol Heart Land In India At The Auto Expo 2020?

• The updated Vitara Brezza with a BS6-compliant petrol engine is expected to debut at the upcoming Auto Expo.

• The Brezza was only available with the 1.3-litre diesel engine since its inception.

• Maruti will discontinue the 1.3-litre diesel engine by April 2020.

• A CNG version of the Vitara Brezza is also in the pipeline.

Maruti Suzuki has begun producing the refreshed Vitara Brezza compact SUV with a petrol heart, suggests a report. The engine in question will most likely be a BS6-compliant version of the 1.5-litre K15B from the Ertiga MPV. We had already reported the carmaker's plan to offer a petrol engine as the fate of the 1.3-litre DDIS unit is more or less sealed. Moreover, we also expect this new Vitara Brezza petrol to launch here soon, most likely at the upcoming Auto Expo. This should come as a relief to anyone on the fence about picking up the compact SUV but were hesitant due to the missing BS6 tag. The petrol Brezza should come in around the Rs 7.5-lakh mark, landing it squarely in rivalry with the Venue, Nexon, Ecosport and the XUV300. Only recently, the S-Cross was also spotted testing with a purported BS6-compliant diesel engine.

It all started with Maruti Suzuki’s announcement to pull the plug on its low-capacity diesel engines before the proposed BS6 emission norms come into play. There were various rumours about the Brezza getting a petrol heart, although the exact engine of choice was not clear. Launched in March 2016, the Vitara Brezza was only offered with the 1.3-litre diesel engine. This is also the sub-4m SUV’s biggest downside as its competition has progressed, with all of them offering the choice of a petrol engine. 

The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol mill that already does its duty in the Ciaz produces 105PS and 138Nm. It also benefits from a mild-hybrid setup in the form of Suzuki’s Smart-hybrid system. Although the engine’s output figures make for a compelling package, the sole disadvantage of using this motor is that it won't be eligible for tax benefits. Using the Baleno’s 1.0-litre Boosterjet or even the 1.2-litre petrol engine would be a more feasible option in this respect. The Vitara Brezza is also expected to get a minor exterior and interior update along with the addition of some goodies. Maruti might also offer a sunroof to make the Brezza appeal to a wider audience.

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Even more interesting is the confirmation from the carmaker that the sub-compact SUV will benefit from a CNG option. The Vitara Brezza was one of the best-selling subcompact SUVs although its winning streak was brought to an end by the Hyundai Venue. It retails for Rs 7.63 lakh to 10.65 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). With the launch of its petrol-powered version in the coming months, the updated Vitara Brezza might become more affordable. And going by this new development, we guess it won't be long until we find out.

Source: GaadiWaadi