Maruti Brezza facelift at ₹7.40 lakh with 5-star NCAP and 21 kmpl — is this India’s best compact SUV buy?

Maruti has launched the Brezza facelift at a lower starting price, now with a new 6-speed gearbox and an optional 1-litre turbo engine. Together, these changes make the Brezza a little more fuel efficient — depending on which engine and variant you pick.

The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol manual delivers 21.09 kmpl on LXI and VXI trims — the most fuel-efficient petrol variants in the entire lineup. The ZXI manual returns 20.81 kmpl, while the automatic across all variants delivers 20.17 kmpl — as tested by ARAI and claimed by Maruti Suzuki.

The 1.5-litre CNG variant — available only with a manual gearbox — delivers 26.90 km/kg across all variants. Maruti has confirmed the CNG mileage has gone up by almost 1 km/kg over the previous model, making it the most economical option for high-mileage daily commuters.

The 1-litre turbo petrol — the most powerful engine in the Brezza lineup and manual only — returns 20.47 kmpl on LXI and VXI trims and 19.96 kmpl on ZXI and ZXI Plus, as per ARAI testing. Despite slightly lower mileage than the NA petrol, it is notably more powerful.

Inside, the Brezza facelift gets a bigger 10.1-inch touchscreen, 64-colour ambient lighting, a PM 2.5 air filter with an AQI display, a single-pane sunroof, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 6-speaker Arkamys audio system, automatic climate control and a wireless charger.

The Brezza comes with 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill-hold assist, ISOFIX child seat mounts, a 360-degree camera and front and rear parking sensors. Bharat NCAP crash-tested the facelift and awarded it a full 5-star rating.

Prices start at ₹7.40 lakh and top out at ₹13.77 lakh (ex-showroom) for the fully loaded variant. The Brezza competes with the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Skoda Kylaq and Kia Syros — a segment where its 5-star safety and improved mileage give it a clear edge.