The Maruti S-Cross emerges as a very practical offering with loads of interior space and a comfortable ride, while the new 1.6-litre diesel engine is very responsive and fun, says Faisal Khan of MotorBeam.com.
The highly competitive compact SUV segment will see several new launches in the coming weeks with both Maruti and Hyundai making their debut in this space.
The eyes though are set more inquisitively on the Maruti S-Cross that will also be the company's most expensive model to go on sale in the country.
With competition coming from established products like the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano and Ford EcoSport, will the S-Cross manage to make the cut.
MotorBeam drove the premium crossover around Nashik to find that out.
Maruti has chosen to call the S-Cross as a premium crossover, which is evident once you look at the hatchback-like profile of the vehicle.
The S-Cross sits lower in height than most rivals and gets softer lines rather than the butch appeal. You do get lower black cladding with faux skid plates and roof rails, but the low 180 mm ground clearance does not help.
The front fascia is reminiscent of the old SX4 sedan and the India spec model gets a twin-slat chrome grille while the headlights come with HID projectors and LED parking lights.
The crossover also gets door mounted ORVMs, split tail lights and an integrated roof spoiler. Measuring 4.3-metres in length, the S-Cross rides on 16-inch alloy wheels.
Things take a dramatic turn inside the cabin as the all-black interior pleases you with impressive levels of quality and space.
There are brushed silver inlays and faux carbon fibre finish for a sporty appeal, while the feature list boasts of a 7-inch SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system, multi-function steering wheel, cruise control, MID unit, Bluetooth connectivity, keyless GO, reverse parking camera, push button start, climate control and much more.
The switches though are a letdown, being carried over from smaller Maruti cars.
The glass area is generous aiding for a roomy feel; whereas the seats are supportive with good underthigh support and a healthy amount of headroom and legroom.
There is ample of small storage spaces inside the cabin, while the boot capacity stands at 353-litres, expandable up to 810-litres with the rear seats folded.
The Maruti S-Cross is offered only with two diesel engines in India, both sourced from Fiat.
The tried and tested 1.3-litre unit is carried over and produces 90 PS and 200 Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The highlight though is the all-new 1.6-litre engine churning out 120 PS and 320 Nm of torque.
We drove this engine and are pretty impressed by the end result.
Low-end performance does suffer since the turbo kicks in at 1800 RPM, but there is lots of power in the mid and top range.
The 6-speed manual gearbox is smooth shifting but isn't seamless; while the ratios are taller with 120 km/hr coming up in third gear.
You do need to work up gears within city limits, but highway performance is excellent.
Overtaking is hardly ever a problem. The motor is also economical returning an ARAI certified 22.7 km/l, while the smaller 1.3 unit returns 23.65 km/l.
The S-Cross gets a stiffer suspension setup that offers high-speed stability. Despite that the ride quality is surprisingly good and the vehicle gobbles up bad patches easily.
The really large potholes though do manage to creep into the cabin. An independent rear suspension is missing in favour of a conventional torsion beam.
There is some controlled body roll too given the tall stance, but the handling has been tuned to be more hatchback-like than an SUV.
Steering feedback is decent on the S-Cross, but not as responsive as the Renault Duster. Nonetheless, it is better than the Ciaz in Maruti's premium stable.
In terms of safety, the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross gets dual front airbags and ABS as standard on 7 out of 8 variants.
The base Sigma variant only gets a driver side airbag as standard.
There is no ESP, which is disappointing. Braking performance comes from discs on all four tyres (apart from the Sigma trim).
As Maruti Suzuki's new flagship product, the S-Cross is a mix of hits and misses losing out on road presence and visual appeal, but makes up with the overwhelming levels of equipment.
The automaker has hit a masterstroke with the new 1.6-litre diesel engine that offers enough grunt for those who frequent more on the highway.
The crossover also boasts of an excellent ride quality, spacious cabin and handling capabilities, allowing better driver engagement. It now comes down to Maruti's pricing strategy with the S-Cross that will determine the fate of this crossover.
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