There are cars that are built to get you from point A to point B, and then there are cars that make you look forward to the journey. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza has traditionally been very much the former. It has been a practical, comfortable and easy-to-live-with compact SUV aimed squarely at the family buyer.
However, Maruti Suzuki has finally given the Brezza a turbocharged petrol engine. Called the Boosterjet, this 998 cc turbo-petrol motor brings more power, more torque and, most importantly, a little more character to a car that has otherwise always played it safe.
The catch? At launch, the Brezza Turbo is available only with a six-speed manual gearbox. There is no automatic option with the turbocharged engine yet.
So, does adding a turbocharger turn the Brezza into a genuinely fun-to-drive compact SUV?
The Turbo changes the character
The biggest change here is obviously under the bonnet. The 2026 Maruti Suzuki Brezza Turbo gets a 998 cc Smart Hybrid K10C Boosterjet turbocharged petrol engine. It produces 110 PS at 5,500 rpm and 170 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm. Maruti Suzuki claims a fuel efficiency figure of up to 20.47 kmpl, while the heavier top-spec version is claimed to return 19.96 kmpl.
There is very little turbo lag to complain about. Get into the throttle and the engine responds quickly, with the mid-range being the real highlight. From around 3,000 rpm onwards, there is a noticeable surge as the engine builds momentum. It isn’t the kind of turbo engine that suddenly punches you in the back and pins you to the seat. Instead, the power delivery is progressive and predictable.
The six-speed manual is one of its biggest strengths
The new six-speed manual gearbox complements the turbo engine extremely well. The gear lever has a clearly defined gate, and the shifts are short enough to make frequent gear changes enjoyable without becoming tiring. There is no excessive notchiness or hesitation, even when you are shifting quickly under hard acceleration.
The clutch is also light, with a relatively short travel. That becomes particularly useful in bumper-to-bumper traffic, where a heavy clutch can turn a fun manual car into a tiring daily driver. The pedal placement is also well judged. There is enough room around the clutch, brake and accelerator pedals, while the dead pedal gives your left foot a comfortable place to rest.
NVH
The Brezza Turbo isn’t a loud car. At around 80 km/h in sixth gear, the engine is barely audible inside the cabin. Even when you push the engine towards its redline, the sound levels aren’t particularly intrusive. However, there is noticeable wind noise at higher speeds, particularly on the highway. During my drive, with Mumbai’s monsoon winds adding to the situation, the wind buffeting was more prominent than the engine or tyre noise.
A slightly more characterful exhaust note could have made the Brezza Turbo feel more special without compromising its family-friendly nature. But I can also understand the decision. This is still a Brezza, and most buyers will use it for daily commuting rather than hunting down corners.
Handling
If there is one area where the Brezza Turbo reminds you that it is fundamentally a family-oriented compact SUV, it is the steering. Maruti Suzuki’s EPS systems are known for being light, and the Brezza is no exception. At low speeds, this is fantastic.
There is some dead area around the centre, and even at higher speeds, the steering doesn’t gain as much weight as I would have liked. It isn’t vague, but it isn’t particularly sharp or communicative either. Make a lane change and the car responds predictably. You know where the wheels are pointed and the Brezza doesn’t suddenly surprise you. However, attack a series of fast corners and the steering doesn’t give you the same confidence or connection that you would expect from a genuinely driver-focused SUV.
Ride quality
If the steering is a reminder of the Brezza’s family-car DNA, the suspension reinforces why this car will work so well as an everyday vehicle. Mumbai’s roads are hardly a fair test for any suspension setup. Broken surfaces, bumps and uneven patches are part of the daily commute.
Thankfully, the Brezza Turbo handles them very well. The suspension is tuned to offer a comfortable ride without becoming excessively soft. It absorbs bumps and broken surfaces with confidence, and even when you encounter rough patches, there aren’t excessive thuds coming into the cabin. At highway speeds too, the car feels stable and comfortable.
Braking
The Brezza Turbo gets disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. For a turbocharged version that is positioned as the more enthusiast-oriented Brezza, four-wheel disc brakes would certainly have made for a nice upgrade.
The car slows down predictably and remains stable under braking. The pedal doesn’t have the sharpest or most confidence-inspiring initial response, but it is easy to understand. There is no sudden bite that catches you off guard. Tap the pedal and the car slows progressively.
Fuel Efficiency?
This is where the Brezza Turbo becomes even more interesting. After driving it for around 130 km through Mumbai and on the highways, including some high-speed runs, hard acceleration and multiple 0-100 kmph attempts, I managed around 14 kmpl. That is not a bad number at all considering how the car was driven.
With a more relaxed driving style and longer highway runs, 15 kmpl or more should be achievable. Even with a full load of occupants, a long highway journey such as Mumbai to Goa should offer reasonable efficiency.
Missing ADAS
Interestingly, the Brezza Turbo doesn’t get Level 1 or Level 2 ADAS. Instead, you get features such as blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. Personally, I don’t think that is necessarily a deal breaker for this particular car.
ADAS can be useful, but in Indian traffic conditions, some systems can become intrusive. With unpredictable traffic, motorcycles cutting across lanes and constantly changing road conditions, overly aggressive driver assistance systems aren’t always helpful.
Verdict
The Brezza Turbo isn’t the car you buy if you want the sharpest handling or the most thrilling driving experience in the segment. But if you want a compact SUV that can comfortably handle the daily grind and still put a smile on your face when you find an open stretch of road, this turbocharged Brezza makes a surprisingly strong case for itself.
Also read: 2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift Review
