The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday launched the new version of its compact SUV Brezza, with a price starting from Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom) as it seeks to strengthen its presence in the SUV segment to reinforce its leadership position.
The second-generation Brezza will be available in manual and automatic transmission options, priced between Rs 7.99 lakh and Rs 13.96 lakh.
Speaking at the launch, Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said the all-new Brezza is the company's 6th launch in the last eight months and "reflects our confidence in the Indian market".
He said as part of the company's vision of providing 'Joy of mobility' to as many people as possible, Maruti Suzuki will strengthen its "presence across segments, with special focus on SUV portfolio".
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Also, it will introduce products that are high on design, technology and features and bring products, which "offer indulgence, comfort and convenience that reflect the aspirations of New India".
"The All-New Brezza is an important step in this direction. This model is the first offering in our upcoming vibrant SUV portfolio," he said.
Stressing that the Brezza has a strong legacy, Takeuchi said, "It was our first model to be conceived, designed, and developed exclusively for India".
Maruti Suzuki had made its entry into the compact SUV segment in March 2016 with Brezza and the company has sold over 7.5 lakh units in six years since it was launched.
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"The all-new Brezza ushers a new era of next-generation SUVs from Maruti Suzuki," he said, adding that driven by customers' expectations, the company has re-designed the model while "tastefully retaining its DNA".
The second-generation Brezza is powered by the company's next-gen K-series 1.5 litre petrol engine with smart hybrid technology and delivers fuel efficiency of up to 20.15 km per litre.
The model comes with both manual and six-speed automatic transmission, electric sunroof, head-up display, digital 360 camera and 40 connected features.
It also comes with over 20 safety features, including six airbags and hill-hold assist.
The new Brezza comes at a time when Maruti Suzuki is facing tough competition from South Korean car makers Hyundai and Kia, with their Venue and Sonet, respectively, in the segment.
With shrinking sales of small cars, Maruti Suzuki's overall market share in the Indian passenger vehicles market had come down to 43.4 per cent in FY22 from nearly 50 per cent earlier.
The company had missed out in the fast-growing SUV segment and the launch of the new Brezza is aimed at growing its share in the SUV segment.
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