- The badge engineering exercise is part of the strategic collaboration between Toyota and Suzuki.
- The Toyota SUV, which is set to launch in 2022, could be based on the second-gen Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
- Toyota’s version of the Vitara Brezza will be produced at its manufacturing facility in Bengaluru.
- Both SUVs are likely to share the same set of engines.
Pictured: Computer generated image
Toyota and Suzuki have revealed new details about their new alliance under which both manufacturers plan to launch rebadged versions of their cars in India and other global markets. The tie up is part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) both manufacturers signed on 6 February 2017. The latest revelations suggest that Toyota will manufacture the Vitara Brezza at its plant in Bengaluru from 2022 onwards. The rebadged version of the popular sub-4m SUV is expected to go on sale in India soon after that.
Pictured: Current first-gen Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
However, the Vitara Brezza that Toyota intends to manufacture from its plant from 2022 onwards might not be the current version of the SUV as it will be an outdated product two to three years down the line. Also, the details revealed by both car manufacturers states that Suzuki will “develop” the Vitara Brezza for Toyota. This suggests that Suzuki could soon start working on the next generation version of the SUV. The current version of the Vitara Brezza was launched in March 2016 and will be over six years old by 2022, which is the usual life cycle of Maruti Suzuki cars.
Pictured: Current first-gen Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
While it is too early to comment on the styling of the SUV, both models are expected to offer unique front and rear profiles, or even completely different top hats. Speaking of the next-gen Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, expect homegrown carmaker to continue with a boxy silhouette with neutral styling.
The new Brezza will be developed by Suzuki and the engines are likely to be shared between the Maruti and Toyota version of the sub-4m SUV. We expect the second-gen Maruti SUV to be offered with a 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbocharged petrol engine along with its new in-house developed 1.5-litre diesel engine. The turbo petrol engine in question is currently offered with the Baleno RS, while the 1.5-litre diesel engine will debut in the Ciaz and the Ertiga this year. Toyota might not offer a diesel engine with the rebadged Vitara Brezza, as it did with the Yaris.
Offering the Brezza-based SUV will mark Toyota’s entry in the country’s crowded sub-4m SUV segment which is currently home to the first-gen Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport and the Mahindra XUV300, among others. Hyundai is set to enter this segment with a sub-4m SUV codenamed the QXi soon.
We expect Maruti Suzuki to roll out the second-gen Vitara Brezza before Toyota offers its own version of the sub-compact SUV. By the time the sub-4m Toyota SUV and second-gen Maruti Vitara Brezza see the light of the day, expect Ford to launch a new-gen version of the EcoSport successor, and Mahindra and Tata to refresh the XUV300 and the Nexon, respectively. We also expect Kia to launch its own version of Hyundai’s QXi by then.
Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho.
