Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza gets AGS option, finally

New Delhi: The decision to not have the Auto Gear Shift (AGS) option on the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza while offering it in cars like the Dzire and the new Swift had stumped many. The compact SUV has been doing high sales numbers ever since its launch in 2016 but the lack of AGS was sorely missed - especially by city commuters who otherwise tend to swear by Maruti cars. On Wednesday though, the country's largest auto company finally launched the Brezza with the AGS option and this could well spike up sales numbers.

Maruti announced that the AGS option will now be offereed in VDi, ZDi and ZDi+ variants. Claiming that the technology was well received in cars like the Dzire and the new Swift, RS Kalsi, Senior Director (Marketing and Sales) at MSIL, said that he expects the Brezza to now be even more attractive - especially to young buyers. "AGS has been very well accepted by customers, and sales of AGS variants in the Maruti Suzuki portfolio have tripled in three years. By making this technology available on Vitara Brezza, together with a refreshed design, we expect India’s number one SUV to become even more attractive," he said.

Maruti, which has sold 2.75 lakh units of Brezza since its launch, also announced changes in how the car looks with new glossy-black alloys, front chrome grille and back door chrome garnish as standard across variants and an all-black colour scheme on the inside.

The company expects these to jack up sales volumes at a time when rivals have been attempting to put up a strong fight. Companies like Tata (Nexon), Honda (WR-V), Ford (new EcoSport) and Mahindra (TUV300) have continuously tried to expand share in the highly competitive compact SUV segment in India - with varying degrees of success.

Maruti though has maintained its leadership position.