May 22, 2016 08:52 AM
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(Updated May 22, 2016 08:58 AM)
For the last couple of months every online auto magazine is brimming with articles on Vitara Brezza, (I hardly read them on print) all of them praising sky high. But the interesting thing is that, the contents are almost same, irrespective of the magazine, irrespective of the time – whether pre-launch or post launch. Something someone infamously called ‘template journalism!’.
As one of the early owners of Brezza, here is my impression on the machine, after around 750 Km hands on!(My other car is a Fiat Punto, with the same motor under hood and having a 90K on odo.)
What the good things they say about Brezza are true and no question about it. Very impressive looks, (though some cynics say, it’s just a grown up Alto!) at work, the car next at our parking is a Creta and both compete each other to steal the show. The back too, though under-rated is as good as Creta’s in looks. The difference in length is not noted as the height and width are marginally more with Brezza.
The interior is all black, you know it, and my car is a Zdi with no multimedia infotainment. But have a decent music system with all sorts of inputs and Bluetooth connectivity. The system setup is bit fuzzy, nothing intuitional at all, and you need to have the manual near you for step by step help. Once done, everything is a breeze. I didn’t know that, even if the music system is not turned on, if your mobile is Bluetooth on, it’s paired and ready! Sound quality is good, not exceptional.
The interior design lack a bit of ergonomics. You need to stretch your left hand too much to reach the seat belt. The door handles are placed at an awkward position which demands some care and effort in closure. The interior space is something you can’t imagine in sub four car. Lots of head room and leg space! Boot space is more than enough for usual family usage.(But the hazard triangle is not homed well there, whatever way you position it, it rattles after a while. Enough to keep you worried till you identify the culprit.)
The DRLs are not always on type. It could have been! Here we get a feeling that we are running with headlamps on! Fog lamp switch is mechanical type, could have been soft type like in Punto. The information display is 7 segment LED type, wonder why they didn’t use the more graphical one they use in Baleno! On board display shows odometer, trip distance, mileage and range. My car shows a mileage of 21+ but remember the recent mileage scam on Suzuki. Anyway it’s around 20 by reserve to reserve calculation.
Now to the more important topic, performance. The car seriously lack power, especially in low rpm. Don’t tell me it’s so. My Punto with the same engine – though behind by 15 horses- is a better performer at this range. Though my friends with Swift and Dezire mention ‘turbo lag’, I never experienced it with Punto. But here it is and I hate it! And it make city driving an effort. You need to make a gear shift every other moment. I think, it got something to do with gear ratios too. I didn’t go to high rpm drives as the car is still in run-in.(interestingly, Maruti cautions about run in!) Highway performance is good.
The car is somewhat shaky, and at first I thought the shocks were faulty. Then only I remembered, it’s a ‘SUV’ and not a car! But I doubt if it has any real off road capability, for even country roads make it’s going stiff!
So, am I disappointed with the buy? Absolutely not, and even 100% happy about it. I was just mentioning a few caveats. You can now decide if it’s the car for you. I don’t do off roading, don’t go road racing. I do daily commutes with occasional family outings and long trips. This car is just right for me. Mileage is one of my prime considerations and I have it with reasonable power and performance.
And the final question, Why I bought this?
‘This is all I can afford dear!’
