In just seven months since its launch in March, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s (MSIL) Vitara Brezza has not only beaten its competitors in the compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) range such as Ford’s EcoSport, but it has also beaten UV segment like Mahindra’s Bolero in April-August sales.
According to company sources, the Vitara Brezza has achieved domestic sales of 41,484 units between April and August, which is higher than Hyundai Motor’s India Creta followed close with 39,088 units in the said period based on the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers’ data.
What worked for Vitara Brezza was pricing coupled with safety aspects and new features.
“Brezza’s balance between style, sportiness and performance has stuck the chord with the customers who have given it an overwhelming response. Brezza sets Maruti Suzuki on a strong footing in the utility vehicle space.
We are delighted at the customer response and are trying our best to optimise production to meet the high demand,” RS Kalsi, Executive Director (Marketing & Sales), MSIL told BusinessLine .
He said some of the advanced features in the vehicle are also one of the reasons to gain the sales momentum.
Powered by 1.3-litre diesel engine (DDiS200), the Vitara Brezza is future ready for safety regulations and is one of the first cars in the country to be certified for offset and side impact crash tests which will be enforced in India in 2017.
“Customers of several sedans and hatchback up-graders were looking for an attractive proposition in the SUV segment from Maruti Suzuki. And, the attractive design and class leading features such as SmartPlay infotainment system, floating roof, unique cockpit style instrument cluster with mood lights, personalisation options, etcs,” Kalsi said.
Asked if sales of S-Cross were hit after the Brezza launch Kalsi said, “That’s’ not correct. S-Cross is a premium cross-over and sales are in line with expectation.
Around 2,000 units of S-Cross are sold every month,” he said.
Besides, both cars are sold through different retail channel so there’s no question of customer choosing one over another.
Customers are clear about their choices, Kalsi added.
According the analysts tracking the automobile industry, one of the biggest reasons for Maruti to gain sales of Vitara Brezza, is because of its vast network across the country.
MSIL has over 1,700 dealers across the country.