Toyota Urban Cruiser vs Suzuki Vitara Brezza – Which one holds its value best
Buyers of the first-generation Toyota Urban Cruiser paid more for what was virtually an identical vehicle to the Suzuki Vitara Brezza, but this may not have translated to better after-sales value.
This is because used-car listing data from AutoTrader shows that depending on the registration year, the Urban Cruiser depreciated faster than a like-for-like Vitara Brezza.
Short-term pain for long-term gain
The Toyota Urban Cruiser was introduced in March 2021 at a starting price of R247,900.
A badge-engineered version of the Suzuki Vitara Brezza, the Urban Cruiser was available in five specifications comprising the entry-level Xi Manual, mid-range Xs Manual and Auto, and top-spec XR Manual and Auto.
In contrast, the Vitara Brezza was already on the market for around a year at that time in four derivatives – the GL Manual and Auto; and GLX Manual and Auto – which retailed from a lower R244,900.
The crossovers were nearly equal in every way, featuring the exact same 1.5-litre petrol powertrain and many of the same amenities, with the Toyota essentially only wearing a different badge, grille, lights, and wheels.
At this point it’s worth noting that the base Urban Cruiser Xi did not have a true equivalent in the Suzuki. The manufacturer usually reserves the “GA” designation for its starter vehicles but there was no GA model in the Vitara Brezza family.
Still, not only was the Toyota pricier than the vehicle it was based on, but it had far shorter after-sales agreements, too, comprising a 3-year/100,000km warranty and a 3-services/45,000km service plan, versus the Suzuki’s 5-year/200,000km warranty and 4-year/60,000km service plan.
It sold like hot cakes, though, and trumped the Suzuki for just about every month they were on the market together.
Now that the new generations of both have arrived, or will soon do so, the first-gen crossovers have permeated to the pre-owned sector where they are still in high demand.
We took to AutoTrader and painstakingly combed through all 500-plus listings of these two vehicles to determine their average selling price right now.
The Toyota Urban Cruiser’s used values right now as per AutoTrader listings, compared to its selling price when new, are as follows:
| Model | Price when new | Average price on AutoTrader | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Urban Cruiser Xi Manual | R247,900 (March 2021) | R244,171 (2021 model) | -R3,729 (2%) |
| R283,200 (July 2022) | R251,325 (2022 model) | -R31,875 (11%) | |
| Toyota Urban Cruiser XS Manual | R267,800 (March 2021) | R264,381 (2021 model) | -R3,419 (1%) |
| R303,100 (July 2022) | R267,174 (2022 model) | -R35,926 (12%) | |
| Toyota Urban Cruiser XS Auto | R289,000 (March 2021) | R237,076 (2021 model) | -R51,924 (18%) |
| R327,100 (July 2022) | R282,008 (2022 model) | -R45,012 (14%) | |
| Toyota Urban Cruiser XR Manual | R294,500 (March 2021) | R275,399 (2021 model) | -R19,101 (6%) |
| R333,300 (July 2022) | R279,515 (2022 model) | -R53,785 (16%) | |
| Toyota Urban Cruiser XR Auto | R315,700 (March 2021) | R317,872 (2021 model) | +R2,172 (1%) |
| R357,100 (July 2022) | R306,177 (2022 model) | -R50,923 (14%) |
Meanwhile, the Suzuki Vitara Brezza’s used values right now as per AutoTrader listings, compared to its selling price when new, are as follows:
| Model | Price when new | Average price on AutoTrader | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki Vitara Brezza GL Manual | R244,900 ( April 2021) | R219,060 (2021 model) | -R25,840 (11%) |
| R255,900 (July 2022) | R230,934 (2022 model) | -R24,966 (10%) | |
| Suzuki Vitara Brezza GL Auto | R264,900 ( April 2021) | R249,930 (2021 model) | -R14,970 (6%) |
| R275,900 (July 2022) | R259,879 (2022 model) | -R16,021 (6%) | |
| Suzuki Vitara Brezza GLX Manual | R289,900 ( April 2021) | R262,124 (2021 model) | -R27,776 (10%) |
| R300,900 (July 2022) | R258,810 (2022 model) | -R42,090 (14%) | |
| Suzuki Vitara Brezza GLX Auto | R309,900 ( April 2021) | R285,870 (2021 model) | -R24,030 (8%) |
| R320,900 (July 2022) | R292,473 (2022 model) | -R28,427 (9%) |
As we can see from this, the Toyota Urban Cruiser is still selling for a higher price than the Vitara Brezza.
However, the 2021 Urban Cruiser range – excluding the Xi since it has no equal in the Suzuki – experienced an average depreciation of 6% compared to the Vitara Brezza’s 8%, whereas the 2022 Cruiser’s average depreciation is pegged at 14% versus the Brezza’s 10%.
Therefore, depending on when an owner purchased the crossover, it could have paid dividends to spend more for the Toyota badge.
Looking at it a different way, Brezza buyers paid less for a vehicle that depreciated slower if you average out the used prices of both model years, and those owners who are not planning on letting go just yet still have a few more summers of warranty to enjoy whereas the Toyota’s is running out soon unless they shelled out for extended coverage.
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