SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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This is a launch report. In other words, it's simply a new model announcement. There was no driving experience. We can therefore not tell you what it will be like to live with over an extended period, how economical it is, or how reliable it will be. A very brief first impression is all we can give you until such time as we get a test unit for trial. Thanks for understanding.

Launch report: 2021 Suzuki Vitara Brezza

International best seller

Pics by Suzuki@Motorpress
Posted: February 10, 2021

The numbers
Prices: GL manual @ R244 900, GL automatic @ R264 900, GLX Manual @ R289 900, GLX automatic @ R309 900
Engine: 1482 cc, 16-valve, four-cylinder with multipoint injection
Power: 77 kW @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 138 Nm @ 4499 rpm
Claimed average fuel consumption (both): 6.2 l/100 km
Tank: 48 litres
Ground clearance: 198 mm
Turning circle: 10.4 metres
Boot: 328 litres
Warranty: 5 years, 200 000 km
Service plan: 4 years, 60 000 km

 

Note: The launch of this vehicle was online, or virtual, so we had no physical experience of the actual product.

Although new to South Africa Brezza, Suzuki’s compact version of Vitara, has lit up Indian sales charts since its introduction there in 2016. Over half a million have been delivered to customers in that country while 17 other markets accounted for a further 100 000 and counting.

Designed, developed and built in India, it presently accounts for 23 percent of sales in its segment, and 11 percent of all SUV deals, in that country. One might gather that it’s rather popular.

While not specifically sharing a platform with any other product, it does have the same 2500 mm wheelbase as the regular Vitara while its 3995 mm length qualifies it for India’s sub-four-metre tax break category. Interior space and cargo volume are thus slightly less generous than that of the 180 mm longer Vitara, but still very acceptable.

The nitty-gritty: There are four versions in two specification levels, GL and GLX, with each available in five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. All use the same engine; the familiar K15B that appears in other small Suzukis.

The Q&A session revealed that there are no plans to offer alternative power units at this time. First, Suzuki is one of 20, out of 39, manufacturers represented in South Africa that do not offer diesel engines in sedans, hatchbacks or SUVs.  Dieselgate all but destroyed that market. Pickups and trucks are a different conversation entirely.

Second, forget about the 1600 cc naturally aspirated, or 1.4-litre turbo, motors because either one would not only push prices unacceptably high but would encroach on Vitara’s specifications patch too. The same applies to all-wheel drive or 4x4 powertrains.

GL level provides 16” steel wheels; two airbags; ABS brakes with EBD; ISOFix anchors; steering wheel buttons; automatic, filtered, single-zone air conditioner; electric windows all around; folding electric mirrors; seven-inch touchscreen with screen mirroring, Bluetooth and accessory sockets; fabric upholstery; rear parking sensor and reversing camera. It’s also properly built with high-strength steels, crumple zones and impact dissipation pathways.

GLX adds 16” alloy wheels, front armrest, leather covered steering wheel, cruise control, chilled glovebox, keyless entry and start, automatically folding wing mirrors, automatic LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and front fog lamps and automatic wipers.

The basic colour range consists of Pearl Arctic White, Premium Silver and Granite Grey. Exclusive to GL are Torque Blue, Sizzling Red and Autumn Orange. Optional on GLX are two-tone combinations in Black over Sizzling Red, Autumn Orange over Granite Grey and Black over Torque Blue.

Catch the review here

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.