New Maruti Suzuki Brezza Vs New Hyundai Venue

India’s two largest automakers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai have launched the facelifted version of their best-selling compact SUVs. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Hyundai’s Venue are the top-selling cars in the compact SUV segment and have been a favourite choice among buyers.

Presently, the adoption rate of compact SUVs over sedans and hatchbacks has increased straightaway, and as the demand has increased auto manufacturers are eyeing this segment wholeheartedly.

The updated versions of the two abovementioned SUVs will undoubtedly excite the buyers but might also create a scope of confusion while choosing the best one for themselves.

Below we will compare both the SUVs, the Brezza and Venue to help you choose wisely.

Exterior:

The Maruti Suzuki has done extremely well in modernizing the old-school, boxy-shaped Vitara Brezza. The newly designed headlights with dual projector lamps and curvy DRLS look way bigger and more attractive than the older version. From the rear, this car is so well designed that it doesn’t look like a Maruti Suzuki product. However, sighting the side profile of this SUV, it overall resembles its older version, despite having new designed alloys and wheel arches. Replacing the normal antenna with the new shark fin-designed antenna is also an appreciable move by the Japanese automaker.

The updated Hyundai Venue has got a new massive grill that seems to be taken by its elder sister Alcazar. Also, the rear sleek taillight running horizontally across its width makes it stand out.

The Venue looks more premium and well-designed as compared to the Brezza. However, the Brezza looks a bit bigger, bulky and more like a true SUV.

Interior:

More than the exteriors the Brezza required an interior update that started to stand inferior among the segment. Inside the new Brezza, everything has changed like the bottom flat steering wheels, new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment, dashboard layout, seat fabric and finally new switches for air conditioners that the manufacturer was using for more than a decade. The overall fit & finish and material quality have also improved a lot.

The Venue does have an inch smaller touchscreen infotainment compared to the one on Brezza. But other than that the interior quality of the Venue is at least a level above the new facelifted Brezza. The materials on the dashboard, door bins and partially leather integrated seats enhance the poshness of Venue’s cabin.

The Venue now gets a fully digital instrument cluster whereas the Brezza still has a semi-digital one.

Features:

In terms of features, it’s the Brezza that really needed a lot of changes and finally, Maruti Suzuki has worked well in this department. Apart from the bigger size touchscreen the SUV now houses a HUD display that was previously added to the facelift of Baleno and XL6. The new 2022 Brezza now gets a 360-degree camera, rear ac vents, wireless charging and currently, it’s the only vehicle in the Maruti Suzuki family to finally receive a sunroof.

However, the new Venue is still ahead of the Brezza when come to features. Now the Venue’s driver seat is 4-way electrically adjustable and gets wireless smartphone connectivity along with Alexa & Google assistance. The air purifier and connected car feature that Bluelink offers are what the new Brezza miss out on.

Apart from this, both the cars have similar features like paddles shifters, wireless charging for smartphones, a sunroof and rear ac vents.

Safety Features:

The old Brezza did extremely well in the crash test by acquiring 4 out of 5 stars from Global NCAP and the old Venue also got the same safety ratings from Australian NCAP.

On paper, both of these SUVs have almost the same safety features, like 2 airbags on the base variant and 6 on the top of the line. Other than this ABS, EBD, hill hold assists, ESC, ISOFIX mounts and TPMS are available across both vehicles.

However, the 2022 Brezza with a 360-degree camera view makes it way safer and easier to drive through edges or to park a vehicle in tight parking spaces.

Engine & Gearbox:

Ever since the 1.3-litre DDis diesel engine got dropped from production amid updated emission norms, Maruti Suzuki has lost the legacy of their diesel cars.

The new Brezza now comes with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and that’s the only option this SUV currently have. However, it is the biggest size petrol engine in the segment with mild-hybrid technology and is offered with two gearbox options, a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic. The engine produces 103 PS of power and a torque of 137 Nm, along with a claimed mileage of around 20 Kmpl.

On the contrary, the Venue has three engine options, 1.2-litre 4-cylinder Kappa petrol, 1-litre turbocharged petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine, that is linked to a 5-speed manual, 6-speed iMT/7-speed DCT and 6-speed manual respectively. Clearly, the new Venue has a plus point when it comes to flexibility of engine and gearbox options.

Also, the new Venue now offers three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sports).

Comfort & Space:

Both of these SUVs are quite similar in comfort, space and practicality. However, the rear seats of the Brezza offer a bit more room for knees and shoulders but the boot is smaller by 22 litres as compared to Venue’s 350 litres boot.  

Price:

The new Brezza’s base variant LXI costs around INR 8 lakhs (ex-showroom) while the new Venue’s E variant with the 1.2-litre engine costs around INR 7.5 lakhs (ex-showroom).

The venue seems to be more worth the price tag because SX(O), the top model with a diesel engine that produces 240 Nm of torque comes at the same price as Brezza’s ZXI plus model, which obviously happens to be a car with a petrol engine.

Final Verdict:

However, both the SUVs are extremely good in their segment but as per our observation, for someone who would take their car for long trips more often with 4 to 5 people, the Brezza will be a slightly better option due to some extra space on the rear seat. Other than that, the new Venue is overall a good fit for those who occasionally plan a long trip.