What will Toyota offer in the re-badged Vitara Brezza

Vitara Brezza | 12,087 | The Vitara Brezza managed to do well this year, as well, selling 12,087 units. Priced at Rs 7.34 lakh, the Maruti managed to sell 10,227 units same time last year, a jump of 18 percent.

Toyota India is gearing up to debut a sub-4-metre SUV that is essentially a rebadged Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza facelift. It is expected to be offered with a mild-hybrid setup and will be the second car Toyota will relaunch using Suzuki’s base, the first being the Toyota Glanza.

The sub-4-metre SUV should share many components with the Vitara Brezza Facelift. Maruti Suzuki has recently updated the Vitara Brezza with a chrome grille, revised front and rear bumpers, LED projector headlamps and LED taillights. Toyota is also expected to borrow Suzuki’s 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine that will be paired with a 12-volt mild-hybrid system and a 5-speed manual gearbox, though an AMT is expected to be offered as an option.

Maruti Suzuki is India’s largest automobile manufacturer and the Vitara Brezza is one of India’s highest-selling SUVs. Its rebadged version will fill the gap in Toyota’s lineup. The company is also expected to launch more rebadged versions of Suzuki cars, as it will be discontinuing the Etios sedan and the Etios Liva hatchback from April. Maruti Suzuki could also borrow some models from Toyota, such as the Corolla sedan.

Toyota is expected to introduce the rebadged Vitara Brezza by April, which could be followed by a launch soon. It should be priced higher than the Vitara Brezza since the Glanza also carries a premium over the Maruti Suzuki Baleno.