India’s GST logic sometimes feels like it was drafted in the backseat of a politician’s SUV. Take this absurdity: a humble maruti Brezza with a 1500cc petrol engine attracts the same 40% GST slab as a luxury bmw X5 with a 3000cc six-cylinder diesel engine.
Yes, you read that right—your middle-class family SUV and a millionaire’s German beast are in the same “SIN tax” category. And because of this one-size-fits-all rule, customers are forced to shell out lakhs in extra taxes without getting any real value.
Here are seven slap-in-the-face truths about how this GST mess is robbing everyday car buyers:
1. Brezza = BMW? Only in GST Fantasyland
A ₹10 lakh compact SUV and a ₹1 crore luxury machine both fall under the same 40% “luxury” slab. For the government, size doesn’t matter—your car is guilty by displacement.
2. The Dumb 1500cc Rule
Engines above 1.5L are penalised as if they’re destroying the environment single-handedly. The irony? Newer 1.5L engines are cleaner and more efficient than older gas guzzlers. But rules don’t care about science.
3. Turbo Logic, Turbo Savings
If the Brezza had a 1.0L or 1.2L turbo, it would fall into the 22% slab like the Tata Nexon or the Skoda Kushaq. That’s an immediate ₹1.3 lakh saving per car. But maruti won’t do it, as seen with the Fronx.
4. Factory Price vs. Ex-Showroom Punch
A Brezza VXI AT costs just ₹7.6 lakh ex-factory. Add the punitive 40% slab, and it balloons to around ₹10.3 lakh on-road. With the 22% bracket, it could’ve been ₹9 lakh ex-showroom. That’s money straight out of your pocket.
5. Punishing the Middle Class, Rewarding Nobody
What benefit do buyers get from paying the extra ₹1.3 lakh in taxes? None. No subsidies, no infrastructure, no direct relief—just another line in the government’s revenue sheet.
6. Maruti’s Missed Opportunity
Instead of offering a competitive turbo petrol Brezza that could slash costs and appeal to buyers, maruti sticks to the “dumb” 1.5L NA engine. On hilly roads and highways, that’s both less fun and more expensive.
7. A SIN Tax That’s Truly a Sin
The so-called “compensation cess” for larger cars has turned into a blanket punishment. It doesn’t distinguish between affordable family cars and luxury toys—robbing middle-class customers blind.
💡 Final Word:
It’s 2025, and India’s GST rules still treat a Brezza like a BMW. Until policymakers wake up and fix this farce, customers will keep burning extra cash for no reason. And all because of a 1500cc line on a government spreadsheet.
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