मारुति S-Cross - Big प्रीमियम Hatch

Maruti S-Cross - Big Premium Hatch

Prologue:   We are a family of three, and my daily commute is 130 kms, so we needed a spacious car for a daily commute as well as a weekend getaways, preferably a diesel mill (running cost cheaper) under the budget of 10 L.   After extensive research over the internet, I shortlisted Honda Jazz, Ford Ecosport and Maruti Baleno for the Test Drive.   We were quite impressed with Honda Jazz and Maruti Suzuki Baleno. We went to the Nexa Showroom since it was the nearest. Waiting for the long queues for the test drive of Baleno, the Relationship Manager offered us a ride of S-Cross. Since, we had no other option we chose to take a ride. It appears like an overgrown hatch & evolution of Maruti?s SX4. To our surprise, S-Cross quite exceeded our expectations. Those comfortable seats, practical interior looks, easy accessibility and no waiting period, we finalized 1.3 Delta along with the upgrade kit of Fog Lamps/Alloy Wheels/Parking Camera/GPS Navigation (Better deal) .   Sure Shot Reasons to Like : Solid Build Comfortable seats both front & rear Spacious & roomy interiors Tilt & telescopic steering Standard ABS/ Air-Bags /4 Wheel Disc Brakes Brand Trust   Reasons to Dislike : Relatively smaller boot in comparison to the size of the car Bland Alloy Wheels Not a head turner Evident turbo lag   Detailed Review   Exterior The front has a descent looking two slat chrome grill with the Big Suzuki badge well integrated in between. The front nose down gives S-Cross a very bold appearance. Chrome touch around the fog lamp gives a premium touch. To give it a crossover feel Maruti has added black body cladding all around with Silver matte front/rear skid plates & side skirts to add to the premium feel. The black roof rails gives a stylish accent. ORVMS are tall & broad and decently covers the view behind. 180 mm ground clearance gives you a little freedom of off-road experience as well. The design of the alloy wheels is very boring, and since it is mostly covered so one can mistake it for a wheel cap.   Interior The S-Cross scores really well in terms of interior, with premium features & comfort. To name a few the dashboard is made of soft plastic which feels like carbon fiber. The audio system is 4 speaker remote controlled Bluetooth/USB/FM/CD with steering mounted controls. The instrument cluster is classy with White-Blue rings & 3.5 Inch MID where you can program for locking/unlocking , safety alarms , cabin lamps illumination mode (theater) etc. The steering wheel & window lift switch console is borrowed from other cheap Maruti?s and could have been better since S-Cross is launched under a premium badge. The seats are well cushioned and offers phenomenal lateral & under thigh support with tilt & telescopic steering, sliding center armrest it doesn?t take you long enough to find a comfortable position. Visibility is very good, thanks to higher seating in both front & rear row which offers enough shoulder & legroom, despite the height, ingress & egress is easy. Even though the rear air cons are missing, the AC is chilly & keeps it cool in Delhi?s hot summers. The A- Pillars are wide & could be problematic at some situations. The boot size 353 liters is relatively less compared to 354 liter of Honda Jazz, but you have storage bins on each side of the boot floor. It also include height adjustable seat belts, 1 liter bottle holder in all four doors, illuminated glove box, and storage space under the arm rest.   Ride & Performance Dual Airbags, ABS, EBD, 4 Wheel disc brakes are standard across all variants. The S-Cross is powered by 1.3 DDIS 90PS 200NM which is common with Ciaz & Ertiga. The turbo lag is evident till 1900 RPM mark, but once you surpass that, S-Cross just pulls off. One needs to master the rev range above 1900 vs gear combination for continuous feel of power. Noise filters in, once you cross 3000 RPM mark. Highway performance of S-Cross is marvelous the suspension filters almost all potholes, with rock solid stability but there is a little slack in center & continuously needs correction. At sharp turns, body roll is minimal, however JK Elanzo tires squeal and with lesser grip lowers the overall confidence.   Highway mileage ~20 Kmpl, City Mileage ~16 kmpl   Final Verdict S-Cross doesn't have the looks to twirl your eyes and head, but the features are so well put together showcasing it as a versatile & sensible package. It is not exactly a cross-over rather a full size hatch with premium & spacious interiors. Trusted diesel engine with good records. If you can extend your budget go for 1.6 and you will love the performance.