Toyota To Launch Re-badged Maruti Vitara Brezza in 2020-21

Japanese carmakers Toyota and Suzuki recently joined forces to sell cars and develop tech for cars together. In India, the deal between the two carmakers will see both brands selling re-badged versions of each other's cars in the sub-continent.

Toyota has already confirmed that the first re-badged car from the partnership will be the Baleno. Now, a new report by Autocar India is stating that the next Maruti to bear the Toyota badge in India will be the Brezza, which will be launched onto Indian roads between 2020 and 2021. This news was relayed to Autocar by N Raja, the Deputy Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor. Raja conveyed to the publication that Toyota still had not decided whether to launch the rebadged Vitara Brezza in 2020 or in 2021.

The sharing of models between the two carmakers also see the rebadged models share most of their design. So expect very little changes in the Toyota Brezza in terms of when compared to the original Maruti SUV. This minimal cosmetic makeover in terms of sheet metal is to ensure that costs are kept low. However, expect Toyota's version of the Brezza to feature a few cosmetic changes in the form of a new grille and tweaked bumpers and revised lights to help give it its own somewhat unique look while not entirely moving away from a no-nonsense design that many Indians have embraced with open arms.

Under the bonnet, the Toyota-badged Vitara Brezza will arrive with a new 1.5-litre diesel engine. However, for those who may feel a bit surprised by a new engine when the purpose of the exercise is to keep costs low need not worry their head too much. Maruti has been developing is own in-house engine and it is this new powerplant which displaces 1.5-litres that is expected to make its way under the bonnet of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. In the end, Toyota will just be carrying over the engine to its 'version' of the Brezza. The transmission options found on the Maruti SUV will also make their way onto the Toyota Brezza.

While Toyota looks to move into the more affordable section of the market with its Suzuki partnership, the latter is going the opposite path. In the near future, Maruti will start selling its badge-engineered version of Toyota's popular Corolla sedan in India.