Honda WR-V vs Maruti Vitara Brezza: Comparison Review

ide and Handling

Around town, the WR-V immediately starts scoring points with the comfort on offer from its rather soft suspension. It really does gobble up any undulation, small bumps and even large speed breakers with ease. The light steering also makes manoeuvring and parking a breeze.

The Brezza, on the other hand, is more stiffly sprung and you will feel more of the road imperfections filtering through when driving around town. The Brezza’s ride, although harsh, isn’t a deal breaker; no doubt, you are noticeably more comfortable in the Honda at city speeds.

It’s a different story when the speeds increase and the stiffer setup on the Brezza starts to make sense. It’s, by far, the more stable chassis, and uneven road surfaces, potholes and level changes in the road surface don’t upset the Brezza much. The steering also weighs up nicely, giving you a very secure feeling behind the wheel. The WR-V suffers at higher speeds, with the soft suspension delivering quite a bouncy ride for occupants. There is a lot of vertical movement that the soft dampening fails to control and this just amplifies as speeds increase. And while the steering does weigh up a bit, it isn’t as nice as the Brezza’s setup. If you do a lot of highway miles, you will certainly be more comfortable in the Vitara Brezza.

The Brezza, despite the peaky engine, is also the more fun to drive car, with more feel from the steering, sweeter-shifting gearbox and a better handling chassis. The brakes are also more progressive on the Brezza than the WR-V, which has a distinct step up in brake force making hard braking rather hard to judge.

Safety

The WR-V offers ABS, EBD and dual airbags across the board, while these features are optional in the two lower variants of the Vitara Brezza and standard in the rest. The WR-V also gets a brake override system which cuts accelerator input if both accelerator and brake pedals are pressed at the same time. Both cars offer rear parking cameras in the top-end variant but the Brezza offers parking sensors in three lower variants and the top-end as well.

Variants

Honda gives you the option of fuel with both a petrol and diesel engine available -- in only two trim levels though. The Brezza, on the other hand, has only one engine option but as many as six trim levels to choose from, and four of those include ABS, EBD and dual airbags as standard.

Verdict

The WR-V makes a great case for itself in the city with a smooth, linear and efficient engine. Around town, you will appreciate the cushiony ride quality and the light steering, but out on the highway, it just doesn’t compare to the more stable and comfortable Brezza. If it’s only a city drive that you’re looking for, which offers space, convenience and a host of ‘wow’ features, then look no further than the WR-V. But if you came to the crossover market searching for something more versatile than an upmarket hatch, then the Vitara Brezza ticks just as many boxes as the WR-V while offering the more practical SUV-like stance. The Brezza’s shortcomings are outweighed by its ability to be more at home in a wider variety of conditions, to carry more passengers in greater comfort, and by being more fun to drive as well.