Maruti Suzuki’s upcoming compact SUV is the Vitara Brezza

Maruti Suzuki India has released a teaser sketch of its much-talked-about upcoming compact SUV (codename YBA).

To be called the Vitara Brezza (which in Italian means ‘fresh breeze’), the latest Maruti will have its global reveal at the Auto Expo 2016 in New Delhi early next month. 

With the sub-four-metre Vitara Brezza, Maruti seems to be expanding its Vitara SUV brand, which is available on sale globally.

As seen in the sketch, the compact SUV features styling borrowed from its big brother sold overseas. Styling cues include a rising belt line, a sloping roofline and a floating roof design. The production version of the compact SUV will feature squared wheel arches, short overhangs and an upright hood. At the rear, the Vitara Brezza will get angular tail-lamps, and an ‘open-mouthed’ lower air dam upfront. The new SUV’s grille will receive chrome treatment as on the S-Cross crossover.

The Vitara Brezza will put Maruti into one of India's most booming segments, which currently has players like the Ford EcoSport and the Mahindra TUV300. It will be positioned below the S-Cross in the company’s line-up.

The Vitara Brezza’s cabin is expected to come loaded with features. Expect equipment like Maruti’s SmartPlay system to make its way to the higher trim levels of the SUV. The top variants will also come with stylish 16-inch alloys. Test mules spotted earlier have featured all-black interiors.

This new SUV will be powered by Maruti’s existing range of petrol and diesel engines. This could include the 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol engines and the tried-and-tested Fiat-derived 1.3-litre diesel. It was earlier revealed that this would be the first Maruti to be introduced with the company’s in-house diesel engine. But it has now been confirmed that the new motor will be available in the SUV sometime later, probably in the model’s mid-cycle facelift that is expected two to three years after the launch.

The Vitara Brezza will not be sold through Maruti’s premium Nexa dealerships. However, expect it to be a premium product with aggressive pricing.