By Khulekani Dumisa

Getting over your hatch but still budget conscious? There seems to be a whole new world opening up for you with compact / entry level SUVs like our resident Vitara Brezza. You will upgraded on space and ride height but you will not break the bank.

Major Savings

In some instances, you will save money. The biggest selling point of our Vitara Brezza must be the fuel consumption. Nope, not in the highway but in the city, doing everyday tasks. We have seen figures as low as 5,8l/100km which actually beats some hatches. The 4-speed auto works well in the city but might frustrate you with the drone noise it makes on the highway as it revs high or holds on rather too long to the few gears at its disposal. Even that is not a deal breaker as fuel consumption remains relatively low and the car drives well.

Driver conveniences

Other than space, you will get conveniences such as alloy wheels, folding mirrors, parking sensors, reverse camera and an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Some of these are available at the entry into the range which retails from only R244,000.