With so many offering in the sub-compact SUV space, it can be quite a challenge to choose the one that's best suited to your needs. While some do comfort like no other, the others offer greater value with more technology and features. It's always easier to make a buying decision when you know what you are looking for. And if you are planning to buy a sub-compact SUV based on its performance, which one should you go for?
Well, here we will be comparing the performance of two of the most popular offerings in this segment - Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza vs Kia Sonet - based on how quick they accelerate from nought to 100kph. For this, we have the 1.5L petrol-manual variant of the Vitara Brezza and the 1.0L turbo-petrol iMT variant of the Sonet. For the performance enthusiasts, Kia also offers a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT gearbox with the Sonet turbo-petrol, but the iMT variant could just be the sweetest pick of the lot.
Also Read : Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza vs Hyundai Venue - Acceleration Comparison
Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza vs Kia Sonet - Specification Comparison
| Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza | Kia Sonet | |
| Engine | 1.5L Naturally Aspirated 4-Cyl Petrol | 1.0L 3-cyl Turbo-Petrol |
| Power | 105hp | 120hp |
| Torque | 138Nm | 172Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual | 6-speed iMT |
Both the sub-compact SUVs have a very different engine configuration. While the Vitara Brezza adopts the old-school formula of a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine, the Sonet uses a modern downsized 1.0L turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol engine. And naturally, the Sonet has the advantage, both in terms of power and torque. Also, the Brezza gets a 5-speed manual gearbox while the Sonet comes with an intelligent and unique 6-speed iMT gearbox.
Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza vs Kia Sonet - Acceleration Comparison
| Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza | Kia Sonet | |
| 0-100kmph (First Attempt) | 12.43 seconds | 12.80 seconds |
| 0-100kmph (Second Attempt) | 11.97 seconds | 13.33 seconds |
While the Sonet clearly had the advantage on paper, their real-world performance actually had a surprise in store for us. In spite of the Sonet having more power and torque than the Brezza, it was the latter that was quicker of the two in both the runs. The gap in the first run is only marginal but in the second run, the Brezza manages an even better time and ekes out a considerable gap over the Sonet. The Brezza managed a sub-12 second time whereas the Soent was only good for 12.80 seconds. This could solely be down to the gearbox, depending on how the iMT gearbox is tuned and the ratios are spread.
We recently also conducted an acceleration comparison of the Hyundai Venue vs Maruti Suzuki Brezza and we got very similar results in that test as well. The performance of both the SUVs were almost identical but it is the Brezza that has the best 0-100 kph time of all the three sub-compact SUVs in their respective best runs. A naturally aspirated petrol manual powertrain anyway isn't going to linger around for long. If performance is your priority, perhaps the Vitara Brezza is the best of the lot for you.
Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more such acceleration tests and other four-wheeler news.
