Maruthi Suzuki has a lion’s share of the passenger car market in India. But what we like about it is its desire to maintain that share, constantly innovating and targeting new customer needs, with revamped products and occasionally all new products. The all new S Cross is a step in that direction – A new set of customers, therefore a new showroom (it will be sold through a new network of showrooms branded ‘NEXA’ ) and a whole new driving experience.
‘Cross’ as a word is not something that Indian car owners like very much. Previous attempts to use it (Etios Cross, Polo Cross) have not been very successful. The Indian car owner prefers the alphabets SUV, but the company is betting big on the S Cross, because in reality, it is not an SUV in the real sense of the word but a crossover premium. The Company’s confidence stems from its all new platform and engine. It hopes to compete with the likes of theRenault Duster,Nissan Terrano, Ford Ecosport and the new Hyundai Creta.
Courtesy relationship manager Mr. Ronald D’Souza of Mandovi Motors, the NewsKarnataka team took the S Cross on a test ride to the Thannirbhavi Beach. Join Pushpraj and Wilson as they give you a first-hand experience of their ride with the new beauty in town.
The sporty look:
Suzuki has tried to give the S Cross a sporty look that will appeal to the younger generation. However, it still has the hangover of the SX4, possibly its namesake. It has a stylish aerodynamic body, xenon headlights and auto HID projector headlamps that produce more light than halogen lamps and intelligent LED’s that turn on automatically when it gets dark. It has fog lamps with chrome finishing, automatic rain sensing wipers, and stylish 40.364cm alloy wheels with disc brakes. Aerodynamic outside rear mirrors with integrated turn signals and well designed tail lamps add to the low hanging aerodynamic sporty style that the S Cross seeks to convey and does, rather successfully.
The plush Interiors:
The youth, who the Company is targeting with this product, are likely to feel happy with the interiors of the car- Smart, sporty, contemporary and premium. There is climate control, rear ac vents, great leather seating which is completely adjustable, a full-fledged audio system with Bluetooth and a phone book. The dashboard cluster with blue and red lights, driver’s seat belt warning lamp, 2 front airbags, ABS, key less five door entry, security system, as well as tilt steering with audio control and one special feature called the cruise control are a delight for the connoisseur. Rear leg space is good and there is space for two big and two small bags in the boot. The list volume says 353 Litres, but it really is quite spacy.
The tiger under the hood:
There is no petrol version but two diesel versions: the 1.3-litre DDiS 220 which does duty on the Swift and the all new 1.6-litre, the DDiS 320. We drove the 1.6-litre one which gives out 118bhp and develops 320Nm of torque. It was a great driving experience, but those who have driven the Creta, say that this one is not quite there yet. It has a 6+1 transmission with a unique reverse gear system.
We learnt that we had to lift the knob to put the vehicle into reverse, and if we didn’t, the reverse system would not fall into place, ensuring smooth gear transition into reverse. The 1.6 DDiS 320 comes in three variants – Delta, Zeta, Alpha while the 1.3 DDiS220 sees the addition of two more – Sigma and Sigma (O) making it a total of 8 variants on offer.Safety wise 7 out of the 8 variants will come with dual airbags and ABS, while one variant, the Sigma variant, will have no ABS and only driver side airbag.
The ride:
The S Cross handled well on the ride, though the suspension was a little stiff, which is required we guess, for Indian roads, but that came after we were enamored by its external beauty, its plush interiors and the power under its hood. The company says it’s not an SUV, but when we drove it , it felt like one. The ground clearance is 180 and the host of new features introduced for the first time by Maruti Suzuki make it’s special. It’s steering felt light, the engine responsive, transmission smooth and with the offline maps, we were sure not to lose our way!
Light on the Pocket:
The S Cross is what they call it and that’s what it is –the best of both worlds – the SUV and the sedan and at a price that is competitive and for the quality of ride on offer, attractive too. The S Cross is available at a price between Rs: 8,75,388 and Rs: 14,24,920 in Mangaluru. Not only the price, but the colors too are attractive and some are new: It’s available in Urban blue, Caffeine Brown, granite grey, premium silver and pearl white. Pick yours and drive away!
About the Author:
Working with NewsKarnataka.com, Pushparaj is simultaneously pursuing his B.A in Journalism from Mangalore University. Body Building and Automobiles being is areas of interest, he enjoys keeping himself updated in both these arenas.
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