We
first saw the Suzuki S-Cross SX4 crossover at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in
March. First developed and produced in collaboration with Fiat, the S-Cross SX4
is currently in its third generation and for the first time will spawn two
separate models with the same naming convention. We in India
Maruti
Suzuki's anticipated crossover from the 2014 Indian Auto Expo is coming next
month. The vehicle has dropped SX4 tag from the name and is now christened
as S Cross . It was recently unveiled at the 2015 IIFA awards
ceremony in Malaysia
In
terms of looks, the vehicle looks more of a crossover than a compact SUV. The
styling justifies its crossover traits, unlike the European version, the Indian
spec car gets new twin-slat chrome radiator grille. The new grille is flanked
around the humongous swept black headlamps. The headlights get projector
headlamps with daytime running LEDs, projector headlamps are expected to be
standard. Speaking of the side profile, compared to its European country,
Indian version did not get the diamond cut alloys.
Adding
on the cabin, the vehicle gets an all-black cabin with silver inserts and since
it is not a sub-4m vehicle, the space inside is decent enough. The boot space
is also comparable with the rest of the peers in the segment. Moreover, the
company's first crossover in the country will also feature SmartPlay
touchscreen infotainment system, similar to that of the Ciaz. Apart from this,
the vehicle will offer automatic air conditioning with rear AC vents. And in
terms of safety, Maruti will offer dual front airbags while multiple airbags
can be expected on this vehicle along with ABS and EBD.
Mechanically,
the vehicle is expected to come with multiple engine options to keep the prices
varied over the range. Starting with the diesel, the crossover with 1.6-litre
DDiS diesel Fiat sourced engine has been spied in the country and is most
likely to be available with it. Apart from this, there will be engines from the
sedan both 1.3-litre DDiS200 diesel and 1.4-litre K14B petrol.
The
1.6-litre diesel, just like in Europe , will be
mated to a 6-Speed manual while the rest of the motors will be mated to a
5-Speed manual. It is also expected, that it might come with a CVT automatic
transmission, on later stages. The 2015 Maruti Suzuki S Cross will pitch
head-on-head with Renault Duster, upcoming Hyundai Creta, Nissan Terrano along
with Mahindra Scorpio and Tata Safari.
Exterior
The
S-Cross SX4despite being a crossover has a very familiar shape that the Indian
market will be able to recognise, thanks to the presence of the SX4 sedan that
has been on sale here since 2006. The front gets a three piece black grille
with the Suzuki logo prominently standing in the middle. The headlights are the
same as before but now get daytime LEDs. There is a black plastic cladding
running along the base with a bit under the number plate holder and doors in a
silver shade.
The
front fascia gets a bold twin-slat chrome radiator grille with a chunkier logo.
The headlamps get projector headlamps with daytime running LEDs (that is first
for any Maruti till date). The bumper is dual tone featuring faux silver bash
guard and chrome highlights around the fog lamps. The S-Cross gets all-around
body cladding with silver inserts along with dual tone rear bumper. Speaking of
the boot, the crossover will get hatch like boot along with wrap-around
taillamps (non-LED). There's a high mounted LED stop lamp and it also features
rear fog lamp and reflectors on the rear bumper.
The
crossover features subtle silver roof rails and the B-pillar is blacked-out
giving it the much needed tough looks. The outside rear view mirrors get side
repeaters while there is a little antenna mounted at the rear. Moreover, the
vehicle gets muscular lines all over the contour with understated wheel arches.
Exterior Measurements:
In
terms of dimensions, the vehicle will come with an overall length of 4300mm,
which is pretty competitive in the segment. Meanwhile, it will have an overall width
of 1575mm along with a height of 1575mm. Its minimum ground clearance is about
165mm in other global markets, but it is expected that Maruti could slightly
raise it. In addition to this, its wheelbase measures around 2600mm, ensuring a
spacious cabin inside
The
side profile has changed slightly from the previous vehicle with the roofline
being altered slightly. At the back, the S-Cross SX4 retains a similar profile
as the outgoing vehicle but now gets sharper features including a new design
for the tail lamps. The silver and black cladding can be seen here too and runs
the length of the rear bumper. Suzuki has also fitted roof rails but in India
Interiors
Suzuki
by virtue of being known for its mass markets vehicles follows the policy
through and through. This is most reflected in the interiors which look very
similar to the ones found on the smaller Swift. The steering wheel, gauges,
gearbox, stalks and buttons are all exactly the same as is the case with the
layout. In fact, if you were to blindfold someone and seat them in the car, it
would be hard for them to tell which Suzuki vehicle they are sitting in. The
only major difference is that in the four-wheel-drive enabled models there is a
drive selector. The rear can seat three people comfortably and will fold down
to expand the boot space.
The
vehicle will get all-black interiors with a dash of silver for the highlights.
The dual- dial instrumentation cluster features a larger driver information
screen at the center. The multi-function steering wheel is similar to that of
all the pricier Maruti on sale in the country. The vehicle also gets plenty of
storage spaces for all your nigglings along with bottle holders.
It
is a five-seater and has individual headrests for all the five passengers. The
seats are expected to get leather upholstery for the higher trims while lower
trims will get fabric upholstery. And for better cooling, the company has also
provided rear AC vents in the crossover. Moreover, the driver seat is expected
to get manual height adjustment while the seats are expected to get good lumbar
support and likely to be firm compared to any of the Maruti on sale right now.
Adding
on the central console, just like the sedan, the lower trims will get Bluetooth
enabled audio system while the top trims get 7-inch touch enabled audio system
with built-in navigation. Just below the audio system, it features automatic
climate control AC, lower trims are expected to offer manual controls for the
AC. Apart from these, the center console is also expected to be equipped with a
12V power socket for charging mobiles and other electronic devices.
Interior Comfort:
In
terms of interior comfort, the crossover will be decently loaded to take on its
rivals in this very popular segment. To start with, there will be a SmartPlay
touch enabled infotainment system to be offered with it. This system offers
built-in GPS along with smartphone integration with audio streaming along with
calling & SMS read-outs. Apart from this there's also a non-touch Bluetooth
enabled audio system on offer. Moreover, the steering wheel gets button of
audio and calling controls. It also offers automatic climate control air
conditioning which many opponents in the segment does not offer. To add-on the
all-around cooling, the company will also offer rear AC louvers in the
crossover. The vehicle will also get front and rear arm rests. Apart from this,
it will get regular stuff like electronic power steering, power windows, cooled
glove box, etc. The instrument cluster of this model series would be integrated
with a lot of functions that further turn out useful in giving updates about
the vehicle's status. The list would include a low fuel warning light, driver
seat belt reminder notification, an electronic trip-meter, a tachometer, a
digital clock, external temperature display, digital odometer and many other
warning and notifications for keeping the driver updated.
Interior Measurements:
This
upcoming crossover seems quite good in terms of its interior dimensions and
this indicates that it will have enough leg and shoulder room for its
passengers. Moreover, considering its total height, it can also be said that it
gives sufficient headroom. It also gets a spacious boot compartment of
430-litres of boot space, which can be further increased by folding its rear
seat.
Engines
The
S-Cross SX4 is being offered with one diesel mill and one petrol engine. The
oil burner is a turbocharged 1.6-litre unit that produces 120bhp and 320Nm of torque.
Power is transmitted to the front wheels or all four wheels via a six-speed
manual transmission. The petrol is also a 1.6-litre mill but is naturally
aspirated. It produces 120bhp and 156Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to all
four wheels or the front wheels via a five-speed manual or a CVT gearbox.
ACCELERATION & PICK-UP
The
1.6-litre DDiS/MultiJet diesel engine is expected to propel the vehicle to
achieve a top speed in-between 160 to 180 Kmph. And will enable it to
accelerate from 0 to 100 Kmph in nearly 11 to 12 seconds. Moreover, expect the
1.3-litre DDiS/MultiJet to be slightly slower than the bigger 1.6-litre
DDiS/MultiJet. The 1.4-litre K14B will propel the vehicle to 100 Kmph milestone
in approximately 14 seconds while attaining a maximum speed close to 165 Kmph.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE
The
1.6-litre diesel is also expected to be offered with the Suzuki's AllGrip AWD
option (available in Europe ). It will give it
an edge over its rivals as few in the segment offer it. Furthermore, this
1.6-litre oil burner is most likely to feed power through a 6-Speed manual
transmission, giving it a relaxed highway cruising. The rest of the engines
will be mated to a 5-Speed manual unit while CVT automatic is also on cards for
the petrol.
When to expect and price
We
can expect that Suzuki will tounveil the car in the second half of 2014 and is
likely totbe launched at the start of 2015. It will give the Indo-Japanese
automaker an entry into the highly competitive crossover segment and with their
reputation and service network should do quite well. It is likely to be priced
in the range of Rs 8 lakh to Rs 14 lakh putting it in competition with the
XUV500, Mahindra Scorpio, Renault Duster and the Ford EcoSport.
HIGHLIGHTS
July
8, 2015: Maruti S-Cross Crossover bookings has now started and dealers are
taking advance payment of Rs. 11,000 for registering the vehicles for the
prospective customers. The car can be booked at the dealerships across the
country. S-Cross is a debut crossover from India
MILEAGE
Starting
with the petrol, as the engine will be borrowed from the sedan, efficiency is
expected to the somewhat similar. The Ciaz delivers 20.73 kmpl, expect the
vehicle to deliver an overall fuel efficiency of somewhere near 18 kmpl
considering the overall weight of the crossover. Out of both of the diesel, the
1.3-litre DDiS is likely to be more fuel efficient, expect it to deliver nearly
23 kmpl while the punchier 1.6-litre will get just over 20 kmpl of overall fuel
efficiency approximately.
POWER OF MARUTI S CROSS
The
1.4-litre K14B churns out 93.7bhp at 6000rpm and peak torque output of 130Nm at
4000rpm along with the 1.3-litre diesel engine that produces 88.8bhp at 4000rpm
and a maximum torque of 200Nm at 1750rpm. The highlight of the engine line-up -
the 1.6-litre MultiJet diesel musters 118bhp at 3750rpm along with a max
torque of 320Nm at 1750rpm.
STEREO & ACCESSORIES
The
top end variants are anticipated to come with the SmartPlay infotainment
system. The system debuted with the Ciaz in the country. It features a
touchscreen display and supports Bluetooth connectivity. It connects to
different media devices and provides quick access to audio playback. Moreover,
it also supports voice commands as well as satellite navigation. However, the
remaining trims might not be getting this unit instead, these might come with
an integrated audio system with Bluetooth. This will include a CD/MP3 player
and supports USB connectivity as well as Aux-in port. All the variants might be
bestowed with four high quality speakers and two tweeters as well. Besides
these, the mid and top end variants could also be offered with a steering wheel
that is mounted with audio switches. On the other hand, the company might also
provide it with a few optional features, which the vehicle owners can choose as
per their requirement. The list of these optional features includes auxiliary
cable, i-Pad holder, DVD entertainment, scuff plates, cargo liner, portable
cooler, dash and floor mats. At the same time, its exteriors can also be
decorated with headlight and bonnet protectors, hood air deflector, fog light
kit, door visors, rear spoiler and many other such aspects.
You
can now buy MARUTI S CROSS ACCESSORIES ONLINE. Great discounts available.
BRAKING & HANDLING
The
crossover features front wheels fitted with ventilated disc brakes and the rear
ones with solid disc brakes globally. However, the Indian version is expected
to get drums at the rear. And ABS with EBD is most likely to be standard in the
vehicle. In terms of suspension, its front axle will get McPherson strut while
the rear one could get a torsion beam. Moreover, both these axles can be
further accompanied by coil springs that will help in making the ride smoother.
On the other hand, it is expected to have an electronic power-assisted steering
system making maneuverability quite easier to the driver even in heavy traffic
conditions.
SAFETY & SECURITY
It
is expected to be offered with three-point seat belts for all passengers,
wherein front seat should get height adjustable belt and it also has driver
seat belt reminder notification on the instrument panel. This vehicle would
also be incorporated with the Anti-Lock Braking system along with Electronic
Brake-force Distribution and emergency Brake Assist system, which will further
bolster the braking mechanism and are expected to be standard. The driver and
front passenger will be provided with airbags, which enhances the safety
quotient in case of a collision. It might also get the hill assist feature,
which helps in keeping the vehicle stable and under control when driving on
hills. In addition to all these, the list might also include engine immobilizer
for preventing the vehicle from unauthorized entry, high mount stop lamp, rear
defogger, door ajar warning lamp on instrument panel, and a few other such
aspects that should aid in giving maximum protection to its passengers.
WHEELS
It
is anticipated that the neatly crafted wheel arches of this upcoming vehicle
might be offered with a set of 16 steel and alloy wheels, depending on the
variants. This vehicle will also be equipped with a full-size spare wheel with
all other tools required for changing a flat tyre.
PROS
1.
Suspension and braking mechanism are expected to be quite reliable
2.
Robust body structure and eye-catching external features will add to its
advantage
3.
Internal cabin space seems to be quite good
4.
Might be offered in both manual and automatic transmission gear box, which is
going to be an advantage
5.
Projected fuel efficiency of both engines is quite decent
CONS
1.
It might be slightly difficult to maneuver on slimmer roads
2.
Safety standards might need an improvement
3.
Need more ground clearance for light off-roading
5.
Still there is a scope of improvement in its cabin design
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