Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) on Wednesday unveiled the Vitara Brezza, a compact sports utility vehicle (SUV), which experts say may lead the industry, thanks to its ‘Maruti’ brand and aggressive pricing.

The sub-four-metre SUV, which will compete with the likes of Ford EcoSport and Mahindra & Mahindra’s TUV300, will be launched over the next few weeks, the country’s top passenger carmaker said. The development of Vitara Brezza was done using Suzuki’s core technology and global product development process at a cost of ₹860 crore. It has 98 per cent localisation, the company said.

While the SUV has “dynamic” exterior styling, the interior is “bold, impressive and contemporary with a dashboard that is futuristic, a progressive meter cluster, sporty seats and smart versatile flip folded rear seats,” MSIL said.

Terming Vitara Brezza as Maruti Suzuki’s symbol of “Create in India”, Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, MSIL, said: “Built on a global Suzuki platform, Vitara Brezza has been conceptualised, designed and developed in India using Suzuki’s global development processes. We believe this model appeals to Indian customers in its design, packaging and features.”

The Brezza will be 3,995mm long and will have a power of 66kw/ 4,000rpm and 200Nm/1,750rpm, a wheelbase of 2,500 mm and a ground clearance of 198 mm, which is at par with most bigger SUVs.

Expected to be priced between ₹6 lakh and ₹9.5 lakh, the Vitara Brezza has been developed by MSIL’s R&D team to make a mark in one of the fastest growing auto segments in the market.

Experts said Vitara Brezza would drive Maruti’s growth in this segment. Abdul Majeed, auto analyst at PWC India, said: “The emerging trend is that original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are trying to defend their leadership position in the sub-segment while looking for growth opportunities in the other segments through new launches.”

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