Back in 2022, I ran the then-new Maruti Suzuki Brezza as a long-termer for six months, and by the time it was due to head back, I wasn’t ready to let it go. It had quietly become far more than another test car. Comfortable, practical and remarkably easy to live with, it handled everyday life with an effortlessness that made it difficult to fault. My only complaint came every time I buried the throttle; I just wished it had a little more power.
Four years on, Maruti has finally addressed that. Faced with an ever-growing list of turbo-petrol rivals and buyers demanding stronger performance, it’s given the Brezza the engine I’d been hoping for. Alongside it come a mild styling refresh, a handful of new features and the option of a factory-fitted underbody CNG kit. But has Maruti done enough?
Let’s start with the styling because, honestly, I think it could have been a little braver. This is a design that’s now four years old and a common sight on Indian roads. The changes are subtle rather than transformative. There’s a sharper front bumper with redesigned fog lamp housings, a new dark chrome grille, fresh 17-inch alloy wheels, revised cladding and a lightly reworked rear bumper. Turbo variants also get Boosterjet badging and exclusive decals, while buyers can choose from three new paint options and two accessory packs.
The Brezza has always been a smart, no-nonsense SUV and it still wears its years well. Its problem isn’t that it’s beginning to look old, but that it’s become so familiar. Unless you’re actively looking for the changes, most people will struggle to tell this updated model from the one they’ve been seeing for the past four years. It’s still handsome, but considering this design will likely remain on sale for another few years, I wish Maruti had been a little bolder.
The cabin follows much the same approach. The biggest changes are a new 10.1-inch infotainment system running the latest SmartPlay Pro X software, redesigned HVAC controls and, thankfully, a proper volume knob. Maruti has also added ventilated front seats, brown leatherette upholstery with fabric inserts, 64-colour ambient lighting, a redesigned wireless charger with cooling, and an upgraded audio system.
Everything else buyers appreciated about the Brezza remains. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a crisp 360-degree camera, head-up display, cruise control, automatic climate control, LED headlamps, automatic wipers and the semi-digital instrument cluster all continue. Safety has also been strengthened with blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit warning and a tyre pressure monitoring system, complementing the six airbags and the Brezza’s five-star Bharat NCAP safety rating. Even so, the interior leaves you wanting a little more. Rivals now offer ADAS, electronic parking brakes and panoramic sunroofs, while the dashboard itself feels almost unchanged. The new features are welcome, but they don’t quite disguise the cabin’s age.
Fortunately, the biggest change lies beneath the bonnet. The familiar 998cc, three-cylinder Boosterjet engine makes its return, producing 109 bhp and 170 Nm, and is paired with an all-new six-speed manual gearbox. Even the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre K15C now gets this gearbox, replacing the old five-speeder. Sadly, the turbo remains manual-only, because its broad spread of torque would’ve made for an excellent automatic.
The good news is that Maruti is offering the Boosterjet across the range, so buyers won’t need to stretch to the top variants to get the more powerful engine. On paper, the gain is only 7 bhp over the naturally aspirated motor, but the additional torque is what transforms the driving experience. With 170 Nm available much lower in the rev range, the Brezza feels noticeably more eager from the moment you pull away. The low and mid-range, particularly between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm, are considerably stronger. Where the old 1.5-litre needed plenty of revs to gather pace, this engine simply gets on with the job. Turbo lag is minimal, and the engine is tractable enough that quick overtakes rarely require a frantic downshift.
Helping matters is Maruti’s excellent six-speed manual gearbox. The shift action is slick and precise, the clutch is light, and the ratios suit the engine well. It’s happiest when you’re surfing its broad torque band, making easy progress without feeling the need to work particularly hard. There’s no doubt the Boosterjet has made the Brezza a quicker SUV to drive. Maruti claims class-leading in-gear acceleration from 40 to 80 kph, and judging by how willingly it gathers speed, that feels entirely believable. It may not have the outright enthusiasm of the Volkswagen Group’s 1.0-litre TSI or Hyundai-Kia’s 1.0-litre T-GDi engines, but it counters with impressive refinement. The familiar three-cylinder note is still there, but vibrations are well-controlled, and noise levels remain subdued, especially around town. It’s a more polished engine than you might expect.
The turbocharged engine also suits the Brezza’s character perfectly. It has excelled at making everyday driving feel effortless, and the stronger mid-range only reinforces that. Overtakes require less planning, highway cruising feels more relaxed, and the engine is never working particularly hard. The taller sixth gear is another welcome addition. At an indicated 80 kph, the engine is turning at a little over 2000 rpm, promising quieter long-distance cruising and, hopefully, improved fuel efficiency.
On the move, the rest of the Brezza feels reassuringly familiar. That’s no criticism because it was already one of the most comfortable compact SUVs in the segment. The suspension continues to do an excellent job of soaking up potholes, broken surfaces and sharp edges without transmitting unnecessary harshness into the cabin. Low-speed ride remains pliant, while high-speed stability is composed. Push harder along a winding road, and the Brezza quickly reminds you where its priorities lie. There’s a fair amount of body roll, and quick direction changes reveal a chassis that’s happier flowing smoothly than being driven aggressively. The steering is light and accurate enough for everyday use, but offers little in the way of feedback. Keen drivers will still find more engaging rivals.
For the vast majority of buyers, though, those compromises are unlikely to matter. What will matter is just how easy the Brezza is to live with. Comfortable seats, excellent ergonomics, commanding visibility and neatly judged dimensions make it equally at home squeezing through city traffic and on a long highway journey. On rough roads, you eventually stop trying to avoid every pothole and simply trust the suspension to deal with whatever lies ahead. Few rivals deliver this level of everyday comfort with such consistency.
That usability has always been the Brezza’s greatest strength, and this update only builds on it. The new Boosterjet engine finally provides the performance the chassis always deserved, while the additional equipment helps it remain competitive in a segment that’s become considerably more crowded since this generation first arrived.
I still wish Maruti had been more ambitious with the styling and given the cabin a more substantial refresh. An automatic gearbox for the turbo engine also feels like an obvious omission, particularly given how well the engine’s broad torque delivery would suit one. Even so, it’s difficult to argue with the overall package. The Brezza remains comfortable, refined, practical and exceptionally easy to drive, now backed by an engine that no longer leaves you wishing for more every time an overtaking opportunity presents itself. Add Maruti Suzuki’s service network, proven reliability and the option of a factory-fitted CNG kit, and it continues to make a compelling case for itself.
Back in 2022, I remember handing over the keys to our long-termer, wishing it had just a little more punch. Four years later, Maruti Suzuki has finally granted that wish. The changes elsewhere may be evolutionary, but the new Boosterjet engine transforms the way the Brezza feels from behind the wheel. As an all-round family SUV, it remains one of the easiest recommendations in the segment.
