Will Maruti Drop The Vitara Moniker With The New Brezza?

 It may be time for the segment-leading sub-4m SUV to establish its own identity within the Maruti Suzuki lineup.

The new generation Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza has been spotted several times without camouflage as the vehicle's June 30 launch date approaches. One of the model's numerous changes is the badging on the tailgate (between the taillamps), which now reads Brezza in chrome letters. We believe Maruti has decided to drop the first half of the name of its sub-4-metre SUV because the outgoing model featured the full name – Vitara Brezza – in chrome

History of the Vitara name in India

The Grand Vitara SUV was introduced in some international markets in the late 1990s as part of Suzuki's global model lineup. With its proportions and multi-litre displacement engine, it was a fairly premium offering in India in its five-door form.

The next-generation Grand Vitara arrived around 2009 and fared slightly better thanks to new looks and a more powerful engine. It was most notable for having a full-time 4WD system, which made it popular among off-road enthusiasts. It was a regular competitor in various rally motorsports throughout the country, with numerous victories to its credit. To this day, the Vitara moniker is closely associated with the original Grand Vitara.

The current generation Vitara

While the same Suzuki SUV is still known as the Escudo in Japan, it is known as the Vitara in other countries. The SUV is now in its fourth generation, with a facelift debuting at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. It remains a relatively premium offering with traditional SUV styling cues and, most importantly, Suzuki's Allgrip four-wheel-drive system.

While the interior appears dated when compared to similarly-sized SUVs, the Vitara still has a fair amount of modern technology. A panoramic sunroof, a 4.2-inch coloured LCD in the gauge cluster, and a touchscreen infotainment system are among the cabin amenities. The UK-spec Vitara also has ADAS. It now has Suzuki's latest strong hybrid powertrain, which is expected to arrive in India as well.

Why change the Vitara Brezza name now?

Maruti Suzuki had not yet established itself as a manufacturer of SUVs in India when it entered the sub-4-metre SUV segment. Its only crossover here at the time was the S-Cross, which had not been a commercial success. So, when the company created this India-focused SUV, it named it the Vitara Brezza to honour Suzuki's successful lineage.

The Vitara Brezza has become the dominant name in the subcompact SUV segment since its market debut in 2016. The Vitara prefix is no longer required for customer recognition now that the model and its name are well-established.

Even in everyday conversation, the model is frequently referred to simply as the Brezza. Given these considerations, it makes sense for Maruti to retire the Vitara name and allow the subcompact offering to exist under its own identity as the Brezza.

The Vitara name could return sooner than later

If Maruti does indeed rename the 2022 sub-4-metre SUV the Brezza, the Vitara name will be dropped from the Indian lineup, but only for a short time. The automaker plans to launch an all-new compact SUV offering to compete with the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. While not much is known about it officially, we have seen its development mules several times.

The new SUV should be called the Maruti Suzuki Vitara or the Grand Vitara, as it appears to be a premium offering. It will be equipped with a hybrid powertrain as well as features such as a head-up display, 360-degree camera, and a large touchscreen infotainment system. The Toyota equivalent to the upcoming Maruti SUV will be called the Hyryder.