Tata Nexon Vs Maruti Brezza Vs Ford EcoSport - Who Stands Tallest?

Recommended Read: Tata Nexon Review: First Drive

Maruti Suzuki’s Vitara Brezza has been re-writing history books for some time now. The Vitara Bezza has been the best selling SUV in India with about 9,000 units finding new homes every month this year. Its only rival in the SUV space seems to be the Hyundai Creta which is in a completely different segment altogether. Having had to fend off competition from other sub-4 metre SUVs like the Ford EcoSport, Mahindra TUV300 and the NuvoSport, the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza will soon be defending its crown against something new, muscular, funky and feature-rich - the Tata Nexon.

While one may not consider Tata as a brand that caters to enthusiasts like you and me, the homegrown carmaker seems to be changing the way it manufactures vehicles. Hence, the Nexon has been given a powerful 1.2-litre, turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol motor and a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine. Both of these units make 110PS of power, something that would definitely pique the interest of any enthusiast. These figures are considerably more than the humble Maruti which is only available with a 1.3-litre turbo-diesel. But, when we talk about power, it's hard to ignore the Ford EcoSport, which is available with three engine options, all of them making a 100PS or more. Let's take a look at how their engines compare on paper.

We could forgive you for veering towards the Nexon after just taking a glance at its power figure, but don't underestimate the Brezza just yet. With a kerb weight of just 1170kg and 90PS on tap, the boxy Maruti is not only light, but quick as well. When combined with the stiffer springs the SUV comes with, the Brezza becomes a joy to drive. The Ford, on the other hand, has established itself as the driver’s car in the segment. With the turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine producing 10PS and 5Nm more than the Brezza, it feels even quicker too. Tata is generally known for making heavy cars when compared to its competition. Hence, the 110PS its diesel engine makes should be just enough to keep it on par with the other two. However, producing 260Nm of twist, this is the torquiest engine here. Could this make the Nexon light on its feet? We’ll have to wait till we get our hands on the car this month to know the answer.

While the Nexon’s diesel engine will be the more popular choice, the petrol motor is quite interesting as well. As mentioned before, the Tata uses a turbocharged, 3-cylinder unit. So let’s compare it with the only other turbocharged petrol offering in this segment - the Ford EcoSport featuring the 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine. Both engines share a 3-cylinder configuration. However, the Ford is the more powerful of the two, producing 125PS of power compared to the Nexon’s 110PS. While both cars produce the same amount of torque, the Nexon could be quicker with the Ford’s engine needing a lot more revs, 6000rpm to be precise, to produce peak torque. This makes it quite a hassle to drive in city conditions.

In terms of space, all the cars have almost identical lengths. But as we’ve seen with the EcoSport and the Vitara Brezza, cabin space could be a whole different story altogether. When compared to the Ford, the Vitara Brezza feels the most spacious from the inside with high seating position for the front and rear passenger. There’s even ample legroom for those who prefer to be driven by a chauffeur. The EcoSport seems a little claustrophobic in comparison, especially in the rear thanks to the small windows and thick pillars. The Nexon is expected to fit somewhere in the middle of these two SUVs. But, being the shortest of the trio, taller passengers might struggle a bit for headroom.

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From what we can infer, the Nexon scores brownie points in the engine department. The 6-speed transmission should make cruising on the highway a breeze too. We’ll get our hands on the Nexon in a few days and will be posting a first drive review soon after. We are just as excited as you are to know how well the latest offering from Tata performs. So stay tuned.

Recommended Read

- Tata Nexon Engine Details Revealed
- Tata Nexon - All You Need To Know About The Compact SUV