To further increase the lure of Crossovers in India, India’s largest carmaker has launched its first ever premium Crossover ‘S-Cross’ and with that it becomes the first model to be retailed via company’s premium “NEXA” showrooms. With the launch of S-cross Maruti wants to get rid of small car maker image that is associated with them. The concept of compact SUVs and Crossover is the fastest growing segments in India which also has enticed Maruti to join the bandwagon. The S-cross is definitely different from other Maruti car which is not only a completely new product but it is also designed from the scratch. Here is a detailed look of Maruti’s premium Crossover in terms of price, specifications and features:-
Price:
Maruti Suzuki S-cross is attractively priced which undercuts most of its competitors and is a great move by Maruti to eat huge share of crossover segment. The base Sigma variant with DDis 200 badge is priced at Rs. 8.34 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi) while its top trim cost at Rs. 10.75 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi).
The DDis 320 variants come at an introductory price of Rs. 11.99-13.74 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi).
Engine Details:
Maruti Suzuki S-cross has been launched with two engine options and seven trim variants. The DDIs 200 variant is available in Delta, Zeta, Alpha, and Sigma while the 320DDis is offered in Delta, Zeta and Alpha trims
The Indian variant is mechanically different from the international markets; here Maruti is offering S-cross with two set of fiat sourced diesel engines-the 1.3L DDis and 1.6L DDis. The traditional 1.3l multi-jet diesel engine that does duty in many Maruti cars churns out max power of 88.7bhp power@4000rpm and 200Nm of torque@ 1750rpm, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The new introduced 1.6l Multijet engine is capable of putting massive 118bhp power@3750rpm and an enormous torque of 320Nm@1750rpm. This engine comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox and 2WD only. As per now, there is no AWD, petrol or automatic transmission on offer, which is shocking.
The DDis 200 can deliver 23.65 Kmpl of ARAI certified mileage while the peppier DDis 320 has an ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 22.7 KMPL.
Space and Dimensions:
Maruti Suzuki S-cross not a sub 4m vehicle, hence it won’t be getting the benefits which our government provides to sub 4m vehicles. A five seater premium crossover by Maruti is 4300mm long, 1765mm wide, 1580mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2600mm to ensure plenty amount of space at rear. The car offers 353 liters of boot space but with rear seats folded down, space reaches up to giant 821 liters which looks larger than the competitors and well shaped too. It has a ground clearance of 180mm which is on the lower side.
Exterior and Interior:
The S-cross is based on SX4 hatchback which is on sale in international markets but not in India. The front fascia is quite similar to the SX4 sedan which is quite conservative the front side is dominated by raised muscular bonnet, two slate horizontal front chrome grille with Suzuki badge at centre, big HID projection headlamps sporting LED daytime running lights and bumpers with enclosed wound fog lights and silver skid plates to up the premium factor.
Moving to the sides and rear, the features like side black cladding, multi-spoke alloy wheels, flared wheel arches, adjustable ORVMs with turn blinkers, silver roof rails, wraparound tail lamps, third brake lights and two LED reflectors have been integrated to add sportiness of the vehicle with the premiumness.
The premium story continues inside the cabin as well which is a rare sight for Maruti but with S-cross the brand is trying to get rid of that image. Step inside the cabin, the crossover adorns the premium black soft touch dashboard with chrome accents around the AC vents, faux leather upholstery with stitching there is a nice three spoke steering wheel with audio and voice controls while the driver side digital MID which consists of HD TFT screen with blue lighting which displays info like driving range, trip meter and fuel consumption meter.
In addition, you also get a 7-inch touchscreen Smartplay infotainment system with navigation, bluetooth connectivity and multimedia support, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, automatic climate control, electrically retraceable ORVMs and cruise control, engine start/stop button, 60:40 rear seat spilt and electric back door opening which makes it one of the feature rich cars by Maruti till date.
Colors:
The S-cross is available in five chic to add some premium feel in it they are- Urban Blue, granite grey, Pearl arctic white, Caffeine brown and premium silver. The white color always has been the favorite color of the Indian masses so expect it to be the bestselling among all.
Safety:
Besides new design and premium interiors, Maruti hasn’t neglected the safety aspect of the Crossover as it gets anti-lock braking system (ABS), all wheel disc brakes and dual front airbags as standard features across all variants which is undoubtedly a positive and great move by Maruti. The S-cross is build on Suzuki’s total effective control technology (TECT) which is complemented by high use of extensive steel to keep the occupants safe from any kind of impact.
Other than that, it comes loaded with features like anti-theft security system, engine immobilizer, front fog lamp, front seat belts with pretensioners and force limiter, auto dimming IRVM, reverse parking camera and rear parking sensors with display aid, central locking, keyless entry, anti-pinch windows technology which stops the properly close down if there is an obstacle in between and cruise control button.
CarZoom’s Take:
Maruti Suzuki S-cross looks a promising product initially with premium cabin, long list of features and powerful 1.6l engine. The new model may not able to achieve the great numbers as it will be exclusively sold via NEXA dealerships which are few in numbers right now but the brand has taken new marketing approach with NEXA which is bold step by the carmaker towards achieving the premium brand image.
