Maruti S-Cross Facelift Review

• Published On: 5 October 2017
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The S-Cross gets an updated new face, a tweaked interior and features mild hybrid technology.

The S-Cross is the first car the company sold out of Maruti’s new and upmarket Nexa retail chain. The outlets no longer sell the Grand Vitara and the Kizashi, so the S-Cross is now the flagship and the most premium offering of the range. The S-Cross is back with a fresh face now, a host of tweaks and with a mild-hybrid system

On the Outside

There’s a muscular new bonnet, with strong character lines and there’s a large, toothy grille with strong chrome accents. The top Alpha model is now fitted with LED projector lights and LED daytime running lamps. The lower three variants make do with halogens. There’s a new eye-catching bumper and the overall design is appealing.

On the Inside

The interiors are largely carried over, and, the company has added more soft-touch materials. The overall cabin feels a bit plasticky and not as good as some other cars in this class. The touchscreen display remains unchanged, but it supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now. The system is a bit slow to respond though. The top two variants come with new, high-gloss piano-black treatment for the dash and also gets some satin-polished chrome trim. The top Alpha variant features leather upholstery as well.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive. The driving position features levels of adjustment and there’s reach and rake adjust for the steering wheel. There’s enough space at the back for passengers to be seated comfortably – there are no rear-AC vents though. The 375-litre boot also has a 12V power outlet and a large enough boot and the seats fold flat in a 60:40 split for more space.

The S-Cross comes with a lot of tech, including auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, and cruise control. You don't get the lovely full-colour multi-information display from the Baleno in this car though. As far as safety goes, the S-Cross now offers dual airbags, ABS and rear Isofix mounts as standard on all variants.

How Does it Drive?

The previous 1.6-litre diesel from the line-up has been dropped, so the range now only features the 1.3-litre diesel engine. There is no automatic option either and that is down to the fact that the only option is an AMT, which the company doesn’t think is good enough for its its flagship model. So, what you get is the 1.3-litre diesel with a five-speed manual gearbox, but the engine features Maruti’s smart-hybrid technology now.

With 90hp and 200Nm, the engine is about adequate for the S-Cross for most of your regular driving but when you drive fast, it starts to feel a bit underpowered. The gearbox, however, has a nice and slick feel, and the clutch is not overly heavy. The engine now features a start-stop system and brake energy regeneration. The car’s ride is good and you’ll be comfortable for the most part – the suspension can absorb all but the nastiest potholes. The car’s got generous ground clearance, and its high-speed manners are excellent as well.

Should I buy one?

The S-Cross is just the right size to be a practical family car, and will be launched in a few days. The car will be priced similar to the outgoing version, but with a slight bump. Expect prices to fall between ₹8.2 and ₹11 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).