The Suzuki Vitara Brezza and its Toyota sibling (the Urban Cruiser) have proven quite popular since touching down in South Africa. Now, to mark the 1-year anniversary of the Vitara Brezza in the Mzansi market, Suzuki Auto SA has launched an S-Edition derivative of its budget crossover.
We like: Peppy performance, comfortable and spacious cabin, affordable to buy and cheap to run.
We don’t like: Begging for a 6th gear, lack of stability control, wind and road noise at triple-digit speeds.
FAST FACTS
- Model: Suzuki Vitara Brezza 1.5 GL S-Edition
- Price: R273 900
- Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
- Power/Torque: 77 kW and 138 Nm
- Transmission: 5-speed manual
- Fuel consumption: 6.2 L/100 km
- Luggage capacity: 328 litres
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Where does the Suzuki Vitara Brezza fit in?
The S-Edition spec adds wind deflectors, new wheels, a new-look grille and other visual goodies.
When the crossover craze well and truly took hold, Suzuki was well positioned to produce models that would suit changing consumer tastes. Budget crossovers are based on ordinary hatchbacks and the Japanese marque offers acclaimed 5-door models such as the Celerio (new for 2022) and Swift (SA’s most popular passenger car in May 2022); what’s more, the firm has strong reputation for building a variety of SUVs, such as the Jimny and Vitara.
It’s no surprise, then, that the Vitara Brezza found instant favour. It’s the brand’s entry point to its crossover/SUV family and has all the hallmarks that we’ve come to know and respect about Suzuki: fun-to-drive characteristics, good affordability, and frugal fuel consumption.
Suzuki Auto SA says the S-Edition of the Vitara Brezza was conceived to celebrate the model’s first birthday in South Africa. It’s a standard GL-grade Brezza, but features additional visual accessories, such as new-look cubic chrome grille, a silver skid plate on the front and rear bumpers, silver side garnishes, new 16-inch alloy wheels, and wind deflectors fitted to the doors. Inside, some of the dark cabin trim has been replaced by a lighter silver colour.
Virtually every volume brand now offers some form of pocket-friendly crossover… The Suzuki Vitara Brezza faces opposition from the likes of the Kia Sonet, Renault Kiger, Nissan Magnite, Mahindra XUV300, Hyundai Venue and the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro. Then, of course, there is the Toyota Urban Cruiser, which is mechanically-identical to the plucky Suzuki.
Compare the Suzuki Vitara Brezza to the Kia Sonet and the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro here.
How the Suzuki Vitara Brezza fares in terms of…
Design and Packaging
The Vitara Brezza’s cabin is nicely laid out, but there are some marginal finishes.
The interior of the Suzuki Vitara Brezza has a simple, no-frills layout but it’s a pleasant space to occupy, nonetheless. The instrument cluster is neat, with a comprehensive trip computer positioned between the dials and the info displayed is clear and legible. The silver inserts of the S-Edition give the otherwise black-on-black cabin a modicum of pizzazz, which we like.
Despite the budget crossover’s compact dimensions, its cabin is relatively spacious. Rear occupants are availed reasonable leg- and headroom (so much so that adults could sit on the rear bench comfortably), but the the load-bay capacity (328 litres) in on the small side for the segment. In comparison, the Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet offer 350 litres and 392 litres respectively. If you want more space, the rear seats split and fold in a 60/40 configuration.
Rear leg- and headroom are good.
It’s great to see that unlike many car makers that have attempted to infuse un-sporty family vehicles with dynamism (most of them without much success), Suzuki made on-road- and occupant comfort the Vitara Brezza’s primary focus, which is apt, considering the model will be used primarily for commuting. The high-seating position helps greatly with entry and exit.
The standard spec is good at this price point. You get a nifty Apple CarPlay- and Android Auto compatible infotainment touchscreen system, a front USB port, electric windows, a multifunction steering wheel, a reverse-view camera, rear parking sensors and auto aircon (climate control).
Smartphone-screen mirroring technology has revolutionised in-car entertainment. Maps, music and more!
Do we have criticisms? Yes, although this is an affordable car, some cabin elements do feel “made to a price” and not in good way. We also wish the steering column offered a greater range of adjustment; it took us some testers a while to find a comfortable driving position.
Another issue we have is the lack of electronic stability control, which is surprising, considering Suzuki’s other entry-level model – the Celerio – does feature this technology. Anti-lock brakes and two front airbags are essentially the only safety features fitted.
Performance and Efficiency
Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine that produces modest outputs (77 kW and 138 Nm) and is mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox – to be fair, it’s a powertrain we’ve experienced in numerous other Suzuki products. The Japanese firm claims a rather miserly average consumption figure of 6.2 L/100 km for the derivative.
The instrument cluster features clearly-marked dials and a detailed trip computer/driver info display.
Due to the vehicle’s relatively low kerb weight of 1115 kg, its engine doesn’t need to work too hard (at least if you adopt a measured driving style, anyway), so, after a week’s worth of driving in mixed scenarios, the Vitara Brezza indicated a commendable figure of 7 L/100 km.
The powertrain’s performance is fair; the front-wheel-drive Suzuki performs with adequate vigour in and around town. The 5-speed gearbox is effortlessly light and direct to use, which is a bonus for those who’d rather change gears themselves than use the 4-speed automatic.
We’ve yet to drive the Vitara Brezza (or its Toyota sibling) at Gauteng altitudes where naturally-aspired (non-super or -turbocharged) engines suffer a 17% power deficit, but based on simple mathematics, we reckon there’d still be around 65 kW on offer. At sea level, when in first and second gear, the Suzuki’s motor feels spirited and revs quite freely.
For convenience, radio and phone controls are located on the multifunction steering wheel.
So far so good, then. However, things go a little awry when you’re travelling on the open road. The weak link here is the gearbox, which would really benefit from an extra (top) gear.
You see, the Vitara Brezza is clearly geared for the urban commute and the lack of a 6th gear means the engine is spinning at 3600 rpm at the national speed limit (120 kph), which hurts fuel economy and your eardrums, because the cabin sounds boomy. We appreciate that a 6-speed ‘box would push up the model’s price/reduce its value-for-money proposition, but still.
Ride and Handling
These 16-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in high-profile rubber.
In day-to-day driving round town, the Vitara Brezza offers a comfortable and pliant ride quality, but, as we’ve mentioned, the model feels a bit breathless in flowing freeway traffic. Interestingly, the wind deflectors also seem to increase the amount of wind noise…
The steering-wheel action is pleasingly direct and light, which is a great combination for when you need to thread through traffic or execute parking manoeuvres in confined spaces. The forgiving suspension, meanwhile, absorbs the worst of the bumps and dips in the road.
As a bonus, the Suzuki’s ground clearance of 198 mm and high-profile tyres give it some ability if you’re travelling on dirt and gravel roads. We’re not suggesting you should head to your nearest 4×4 trail, but if you do traverse unsealed roads, you’ll have enough clearance to clear rocks, potholes and ruts that would usually cause damage to sedans and hatchbacks.
When the tar turns to dirt, the ground clearance and thick tyres will be of great use.
Price and After-Sales Support
The Suzuki Vitara Brezza GL S-Edition costs R273 900, which includes a 5-year/200 000 km warranty, 4-year/60 000 km service plan and 3-year/unlimited km roadside assistance.
Some Suzuki dealerships regularly offer great deals. See our New Car Specials here!
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Search for a new or used Suzuki here
Verdict
The Vitara Brezza is an accomplished crossover that does more right than wrong. Its value-for-money proposition is compelling, especially considering Suzuki’s enviable reputation for excellent reliability and after-sales support. The level of features at this price point is fair, but we wished the S-Edition featured electronic stability control. We expect an updated model to debut at some point in 2022 – hopefully that will coincide with a higher safety specification.
So, should you buy one? If generous luggage capacity isn’t high on your priority list and you don’t intend to undertake many long-haul road trips (where you’d likely cruise at triple-digit speeds), then yes, this vehicle is certainly worthy of your consideration. However, given South Africans’ predilection for taking road trips, you could also get into a Kia Sonet 1.5 LX; it’s a bit pricier, but offers a more capacious load bay and a 6th gear for a more relaxed drive.
