- Maruti Suzuki showcased the Brezza CNG at the Auto Expo 2023
- likely to get both manual and automatic transmissions
- To be India's first Sub-4-meter CNG SUV
Maruti Suzuki has uncovered its Brezza CNG at the ongoing Auto Expo 2023. With much emphasis on electric vehicles this time, the Maruti Brezza CNG is also setting the bar high. It is India's First Sub-4-meter CNG SUV. Maruti has one of the largest fleets of CNG vehicles, from the Grand Vitara to the Maruti WagonR which is a benchmark set for the industry to follow. So what does the Brezza CNG offer? Let's read the details.
Powertrain: The Tried And Tested
The new Brezza CNG is likely to be powered by the same Dual-jet 1.5L K15C engine already being employed successfully in the Maruti Ertiga CNG and the Grand Vitara.
The power figures of the engine in Ertiga produce power of 88PS and 121.5 Nm in CNG mode. The petrol 1.5 L engine also gets an option of a 6-speed automatic transmission as well, which could also be a first if offered. It would make it the first CNG-powered car with an automatic transmission in India.
The added advantage of this engine on the Brezza is that it can see better mileage numbers than the Ertiga. The reason is that Brezza is comparatively lighter than its sibling. The claimed mileage of the Ertiga CNG for reference is 26.11 km/kg, which is a decent number to exceed.
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Brezza CNG Design And Features: Somethings Different
Although the Maruti Brezza CNG is equipped with the standard variants being sold in the market, there is a difference. It will likely be offered in the same VXi and ZXi variants as the other CNG variants, which get the push start-stop button, Android Auto and AppleCarPlay, automatic climate control, cruise control, and a 7-inch infotainment screen.
On the safety front, it will get 6 airbags, electronic stability control and a rear parking camera with sensors.
The change on this one will be the boot space. With the additional CNG cylinder placed inside the boot of the car, it will see a drop in cargo space on offer when compared to the petrol variant. This is one major difference.
Pricing: It Will Demand A Premium
The official pricing is not yet disclosed by Maruti, but it is expected to retail at a premium price tag over the regular petrol variant. It could see a price jump from Rs 90,000 to 1 lakh over the petrol variants, which is normal with the CNG models. The petrol manual Maruti Brezza, for reference, starts at 7.99 lakhs (ex-showroom) while the petrol automatic starts at Rs. 10.97 lakhs (ex-showroom).
- The Brezza CNG utilises the same DualJet 1.5 L K15C petrol engine being used with the Ertiga CNG
- To demand a premium of 90,000 to 1 lakh over the standard variant
- Will have lesser boot space than the petrol variant
VERDICT- With the showcasing of Brezza CNG, Maruti has achieved the milestone of being a segment first. It will be India's first sub-4-meter CNG SUV. With this addition, it has expanded its already huge fleet of CNG-powered vehicles. Although the mileage figures will be better than the Ertiga, which employs the same engine, it will miss out on a chunk of the boot space as compared to the standard petrol Brezza. Is mileage worth trading for boot space? Well, this is a debatable topic where every argument makes sense.
