2017 All-new Maruti Suzuki S-Cross road test review

EXTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES OF THE ALL-NEW MARUTI SUZUKI S-CROSS

The new S-Cross is a good looker. The front has been radically changed and has been replaced with a brand new design element. The all-new Maruti Suzuki S-Cross looks a lot more elegant and bold than the previous model. The chrome tipped grille with the ten vertical slats gives the car a fine character. Adding to that chic element are the projector LED headlamps, the DRLs and the fog lamps. The machine finished alloy wheels add to the smart character of the car. The rear seems to have been untouched. The roof rails and the skid plates further enhance the macho appeal of the car.

Talking of wheels, the car now gets a set of better tyres which are definitely better than the earlier ones. Though the car continues to come with tyres from JK Tyres as an OE fitment, this time, the tyres have got wider and better.  The car is now fitted with 215/60 R16 UX Royale brand of tyres from JK Tyres that have been created for enhanced stability and better grip.

INTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES OF THE ALL-NEW MARUTI SUZUKI S-CROSS

The interiors of the all-new S-Cross too have been revamped with satin chrome accent finish with a soft touch dashboard. The intuitive touchscreen infotainment system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The interior hosts many more features like premium meter cluster- high definition TFT screen, rear parking sensor display, automatic climate control, tilt and telescopic leather steering wheel, among others. The car has a piano black coloured central panel with a premium leather finish arm-rest which can be extended and which also comes with a storage that has a USB slot.

The car has steering mounted audio controls and buttons which manage your cruise control that lets you pick cruising speeds over 40kmph. Very strangely, only the driver side comes with anti-pinch window, while the other three windows have no such facility. That’s a bit strange, we feel.

The new S-Cross comes with rain sensing auto wipers and internally adjustable ORVMs. There are enough cubby holes inside the vehicle for storing your knick knacks and bottles. The seats look premium and offer adequate comfort both for the lumbar as well as the under thigh area. The rear seats come with 2-position seat back adjustment. But unfortunately there are no rear AC vents. That could be a tad uncomfortable for those seated at the back. The rear seats, however, come with a 60:40 split which in effect means a flexible storage space in the cargo.

ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE OF THE ALL-NEW MARUTI SUZUKI  S-CROSS

When it comes to driving, the real change is that the DDiS 200 diesel engine which now comes with smart hybrid technology. The company has done away with the more powerful DDiS 320 1.6 litre diesel engine. A few of the guys out there looking for more power are bound to complain. Features like idle-stop-start, torque assist, brake energy regeneration system and a gearshift indicator, makes the car a lot more energy efficient on the road.

With the new set of tyres, the company has definitely tweaked the suspension settings a bit. The car is now more planted on the road while driving and even at high speeds cornering is a lot better. As for braking at high speeds, the tyres along with the car behaved immaculately well, stopping almost immediately without a whimper. Yes, a bit more power from the engine would have done wonders to the car. Those with a massive dose of spare adrenalin in their bodies will find the new S-Cross lacking the massive surge of power. But then, this is a family car with a lot of elegance and not a true off-roader. So, the majority of people who buy this vehicle will find it having the just the right mix of power and comfort.

The company has also made sure that the new S-Cross is already compliant with new safety norms like frontal offset crash, side impact and pedestrian safety. The car also comes with air bags and rear seat ISO-FIX child seat safety mount which come standard in all variants of the new S-Cross.

VERDICT

The all-new S-Cross from Maruti Suzuki is a lot more elegant than the previous model and more environment-friendly.  As for the driving part, it continues to offer good road handling and safety with disc brakes on all four wheels. The car has definitely undergone a meaningful transformation.

JK Tyre UX Royale tyres

The new set of tyres from JK Tyre & Industries which come as an OE fitment in the all-new S-Cross has changed the driving dynamics of the car. It is definitely better that the earlier ones that came with the older version of the S-Cross. JK Tyre claims that new UX Royale brand of tyres for passenger cars have been created for enhanced stability and better grip even in the most slippery of conditions.

 This power tyre from the JK Tyre is a 5 rib tyre designed keeping in mind the needs of modern cars and drivers. Specially developed for premium hatchbacks and sedans (in 16 inch rims with V rated (240 km/h) capability) the tyre has been equipped with Aero Wings design for reduced noise at high speeds. The company claims that the UX Royale has recorded the fastest and shortest braking against other sample tyres of the same size. The Variable Draft Groove Technology platform used to design the tyre gives it added handling and traction.

Motown India tested the tyres at speeds of 140kmph in the all-new S-Cross and subjected the car to some tight cornering and also braking. It was very evident that the suspension of the car has been finely tuned to the new tyres, making the car more stable and planted to the roads even at high speeds.