Maruti Brezza becomes India’s first compact SUV to get CNG power

Maruti Suzuki has launched the Brezza CNG SUV in India, priced at Rs 914,000 for the entry-level LXi variant, Rs 10.50 lakh for the mid-level VXi MT and Rs 11.90 lakh for the top-spec ZXi trim. The ZXi trim is also offered with a dual-tone colour option for an additional Rs 16,000. The carmaker had opened bookings yesterday at Rs 25,000. 

This is the first time the Brezza gets two fuel options since the diesel-powered Vitara Brezza was discontinued in 2020.

The Brezza CNG is powered by the same 1.5-litre K15C DualJet engine that's also in the CNG versions of the Ertiga and XL6 MPVs. The engine is only offered with a five-speed manual gearbox. It develops 101hp and 136 Nm in petrol-only mode, however, the output dips to 88hp and 121.5Nm in CNG mode. Maruti claims that the Brezza CNG offers a fuel economy of 25.51km/kg.

While is no change on the outside or inside the cabin, compared to the petrol-engined Brezza, boot space has been compromised to accommodate the CNG tank. 

The Brezza CNG sports an all-black cabin. Maruti Suzuki is offering the Brezza CNG in LXi, VXi and ZXi trims, with the ZXi getting features like a 7.0-inch touchscreen with SmartPlay Pro+ system, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, start/stop button, sunroof and cruise control.

Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The Brezza has been a game-changer for Maruti Suzuki and has redefined the compact SUV segment with its design and performance. We are confident that the Brezza will once again disrupt the segment with the S-CNG version. In Maruti Suzuki Arena, S-CNG models account for 24% of overall sales. And CNG sales for models such as the Ertiga and WagonR account for as high as 57% and 41% of total model sales, respectively. Moreover, with the government’s initiatives aimed at the proliferation of CNG pumps across the nation, these numbers are likely to see a surge in the coming years.”

The Brezza is so far the only compact SUV in India to offer a CNG powertrain. However, it rivals other compact SUVs like the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Renault Kiger, Nissan Magnite, Mahindra XUV300, the upcoming Maruti Fronx and the Tata Nexon.

Launched in March 2016, the Brezza drove past 800,000 sales in October 2022, taking less than 80 months to do so and faster to the milestone than sibling Ertiga which took 10 years and five months. The Brezza was India’s best-selling SUV in February, with 15,750 units, and helped Maruti Suzuki pip Tata Motors in the cumulative 11-months sales for FY2023.

With the Brezza CNG, Maruti Suzuki has expanded its stable of CNG-powered passenger vehicles to 14 and expects to ride demand for CNG vehicles with the popular compact SUV.

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