[anurag.somani]

Originally Posted by AkMar

I didn't get what you meant by dealers jack up prices. That is just a result of tax rates in Bangalore, not sure what dealers have to do with it.

To be specific, I'd negotiate with 2 dealers in Mumbai/Thane (Oct-2016); and this is what both offered on the purchase -
================================================== ==========================
Accessories (floor-mat etc.) - free
Insurance - can buy from outside (15k cheaper)
Third & Fourth Year Extended Warranty with RSA - free
Cash Discount - 10K
Handling Charges - None
Registration & RTO Charges - 2.5K only

All the sweet nothings shaved up quite a bit from the final bill.
I don't see the dealers in Bangalore being so generous!

[snaseer]

A brilliant review of a brilliant car. Congrats on your purchase !

The S-Cross 1.6 is very under rater. Only if they had got the pricing right during the introduction it might have clicked. But even now I see many of them in and around Mangalore.

[asitkde]

A brilliant report, keynote. Before my recent purchase 3 weeks ago, I shortlisted the S-Cross very strongly. At the end, I ended up getting a Polo GT TSi, since we already had a bigger car, namely, a Honda City and we did not need the space of back seats and boot, and an automatic would be nice.

What I particularly liked about your review, apart from the beautiful photographs and many minute points, is the discussion on low rpm lag (or rather lack of it) of the 1.6L engine. While it is highly customary in the forum to talk about lag of generally all turbo engines, you have taken a singular view that at least on this engine it is quite possible, with a bit of experience if I may add, to drive comfortably and enjoyably in the city, because even before the turbo kicks in, the bigger engine has enough pull.

You have also mentioned, that, at times in the city in 3rd and 4th gear, very little gear change is necessary for city driving, and the car feels almost like an automatic. I can relate very easily to these statements, albeit in a different car, in my Honda City. Therefore, when I read reports of horrible low end pull in a Honda City (I just read one such report as recently as yesterday, on our forum), I get very confused. Are we driving the same car? I find, the pull from low end is quite good and enjoyable, provided the car has reached proper operating temperature smoothly.

[Keynote]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Review is just brilliant with a fantastic attention to detail and images about are.I am out of words to describe them.

Thank you Anurag. Take sometime out of your busy schedule and describe them... also please show this to your dad too

Originally Posted by Dr.Naren

Loved reading the review buddy

Thanks Naren, your review is very informative too.

Originally Posted by cunnuvila

Ah, the S-Cross 1.6.. I envy you, man! This is one car I'd buy if I had Vitamin M! You can't go wrong with this one. Congratulations on acquiring your own 'tusker' (wonderfully apt name).

Thank you cunnuvila. Chase your dreams buddy, who knows you might get yourself a bimmer and pen down an awesome ownership review here.

Originally Posted by navdeep.rana

Just a word of suggestion, get the alloy wheels updated to some better looking (preferably black) one and it will make a huge difference to the overall looks.

Thanks navdeep for the suggestion. I'll surely consider it as and when appropriate. Right now am just addicted to driving the Tusker in its natural form.

Originally Posted by dinyaar

Am still awaiting my car and bought it after a 15 minute drive of a friends 1.6.

Thank you dinyaar and many congratulations on booking the 1.6L

Originally Posted by dinyaar

Would 215/60 R16 not be a better choice on this car???

Majority of the feedback from esteemed TBHP members and users were that the stock size of 205/60 R16 itself was more than sufficient. Also didn't want to swap the alloys as it doesn't in any way enhance the performance of the crossover.

Originally Posted by sudeepg

Great report! (Great reviews and great photography)

Thank you sudeepg, your review was nothing less.

Originally Posted by sudeepg

I found a workaround though - Use the headlamp leveler to set the light to lowest position, switch to high beams and then use the fogs. You can't see far off things, but if you keep the speeds under 90, then you should be good to cruise with sufficient light. We definitely need the light upgrade.

You're spot on, thats how I used it in one of the unavoidable night trip. But I would still prefer to plan/postpone my trips during the day and avoid night highway drives as much as possible.

Originally Posted by sudeepg

You will love the car more and more as you drive it for sure - I can tell you that. You will start making excuses to go for a drive.

Yay, true that... ONLY reason to get the 1.6L

Originally Posted by sudeepg

your service with Pratham motors (Queens Road) will be a good experience. Talk to Pratish in case of any issues. Their workshop does not have a lot of space but have the required equipment and the expertise.

Will keep that in mind. By the way, Guruprasad and the service manager at the HSR extension,Kudlu gate are knowledgeable chaps too and the service center is quite spacious and relatively less crowded.

Originally Posted by sudeepg

My car has started to give out some rattles. I am basing this opinion out of my ownership with a Honda city. It had seen the same set of roads during its tenure with me and after 5 years, it as as tight as a new car.

I can very well relate to it. My Honda Jazz will complete 5 years this October and is still in its mint condition.

Originally Posted by sudeepg

Your tyre pressure of 36 is high in my opinion. 33 and 35 (with full load) are the recommended ones for comfort.

Will give them a try again.

Originally Posted by qr20de

I was flooring like most of the way, even over the rough patches. I was extremely impressed with the handling and stability. Very comfortable driving position too.

Rough patches and bumps will get soaked in while at higher speeds but not so when in slower speeds or city limits. I guess the low stance of the crossover enables the vehicle in providing great driving dynamics even at triple digit speeds. Wishing you good luck in advance for your upgrade.

Originally Posted by baskar

Superb review - Wishing you many more miles with the car. In the end, I went with a 2nd hand Passat - which is a car in different league of course but S-Cross is still a car to go far.

Thank you baskar, glad you like the review. Passat is definitely a great car to own.

Originally Posted by anurag.somani

The 1.6 diesel is one beast of a machine. It was a strong contender during my purchase process last year as well - My kid's liking of Ecosport looks sealed the deal towards the Ford though!

Thanks anurag.somani. Every car has its own charm and Ecosport is a good vehicle too. After a certain stage in life, we all live for our childrens... don't we? At-least you weren't a selfish guy like me.

Originally Posted by Satyakart

Congratulations and well written review and photographs. Special mention and clap to the 'addictive' part. Glad i did get some company in embassy golf links ��.

Thank you Satyakart, glad you like the review and the pictures. "Addictive" part just happened and was not planned to be honest. Also, the organization I work has moved out of EGL since December, but sudeepg could be of help to you as I've seen his vehicle there quite a few times in the past.

Originally Posted by Baddychat

Lovely car the 1.6 SCross is and super shots which make the review even more awesome.

Thanks Baddychat. Definitely, pictures made a real difference to this review.

Originally Posted by AkMar

That is one heck of a review, Keynote. Brilliantly written with great attention to detail, and of course the fab pictures by your better half. Do keep sharing updates here regularly! The S cross is indeed a special car from Maruti, unlike all others.

Thank you AkMar for the kind words. As I've mentioned, this was a collective effort of many people directly and indirectly which helped in shaping this review to a stage what it is today.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by asitkde

What I particularly liked about your review, apart from the beautiful photographs and many minute points, is the discussion on low rpm lag (or rather lack of it) of the 1.6L engine...

While we wait for KeyNote to chip in with his comments, let me take the liberty to put across a few things from the numerous test drives that we undertook together. The 1.6L engine needs to be understood for a few hundred kms before you get a hang of driving it comfortably in city / B2B traffic. In the first few drives, I too felt that the lag was too high. But on the third instance of test driving the car, I made sure I did not cross into the turbo zone fully in heavy traffic. This ensured that the car was not jumping ahead and I could easily control the vehicle in thick traffic without any trouble. There is enough torque low down to see you through heavy traffic without having to enter the turbo zone each time. The 3rd gear is a boon. It is identical to an auto transmission in 3rd gear where you can control the car with just accelerator inputs in moderate traffic situations. Overall, if you understand the behavior in each gear, you can very well drive the car without any worry and still be ahead of traffic in the city without noticing the lag.

[PatienceWins]

Congrats. A very good review.

I am very impressed with S Cross 1.6, especially the build quality and excellent engine which is unlike Maruti. Wish it came with an automatic transmission.

It seems you work in EGL. I recently moved to EGL from Manyata. Hope to meet you soon.

[arun_747]

Congratulations Keynote !

A very good review of Your car. Excellent photos. Wish You many more hapy miles in Your car.

After Your review, I too wanted to consider changing my current Vento 1.6 TDi (2011 model) for a 1.6 S-Cross.
After a test-drive of the 1.6L S-Cross, observed the following:
Positives:
(1) good ride & handling;
(2) good space for 5 adults;
(3) good feature-list;
(4) good high-speed cruising ability (Above 2,500 rpm)
(5) decent after-sales service cost.
Negatives:
(1) not sure if the car can be well-maintained for over 10 years (considering Maruti's below-par service quality)
(1) turbo-lag below 1,800 rpm;
(2) average fit & finish (for the price);
(3) lower top-speed & 0-100km/hr acceleration compared to the lower powered Vento 1.6 TDi & Rapid 1.6 TDi.
(Considering the fact that kerb weight of S-Cross is just 55kg more but has more power by 15bhp & 7kgm)

Any contradictions are welcome based on the above points.

Regards,
Arun
9945866330
Bangalore

[Keynote]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

OT: Was surprised to read your better half's comments during the test drives. She might be a Bhpian in the making even before the Jr!

Nice observation there. When there is an addicted Bhpian at home, some rubbing-in of that to the better half is guaranteed for sure.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Please convey thanks to your wife also for shooting all the pictures for the review. A set of nice pictures always takes a review to another level.

Message conveyed and she is extremely grateful to receive such nice feedback about the pictures from all of you here. Thank you for appreciating the work.

Originally Posted by kkkkkaran

Congratulations on the beast. This is an extremely well written review from your ( and your better half's) perspective.

Thank you karan for your observations. On a lighter note, my Mentor and good friend often has a piece of advice and says "Never fight with your Wife, else you will only get Tea & Samosa. Keep her happy and you'll get everything" Nevertheless it was extremely important to listen to her perspective as she would be using the crossover too. Involving her in the decision not only got us our Tusker but great set of pictures for the review too.

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

While we wait for KeyNote to chip in with his comments, let me take the liberty to put across a few things from the numerous test drives that we undertook together. The 1.6L engine needs to be understood for a few hundred kms before you get a hang of driving it comfortably in city / B2B traffic.

Thank you very much asitkde and happy you like the review and the crossover. End of the day it boils down to each one's requirement and what works best for them, so congrats on getting the GT TSI. Abhinav is spot on as always here, thanks buddy . Also sometime ago in the official review section, fellow bhpian KiloAlpha has put this nicely and as per him, each vehicle has its own 'sweet spot'. It is upto the person sitting behind the steering wheel in getting to know those 'sweet spots' and extract maximum fun.

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

A very good review. I recently moved to EGL from Manyata. Hope to meet you soon.

Thank you PatienceWins, glad you like the review. Have moved out of EGL since December and currently near Mahadevpura.

Originally Posted by arun_747

A very good review of Your car. Excellent photos.

Thank you for the appreciation Arun.

Originally Posted by arun_747

After Your review, I too wanted to consider changing my current Vento 1.6 TDi (2011 model) for a 1.6 S-Cross.

There are a few reviews of 1.6L already, so just don't go by my review alone as it won't do justice to others valuable inputs. After all it was some expert opinions and valuable feedback from various members I was able to zero in on Tusker and come-up with a review.Again at the end of the day it boils down to each one's requirement and what works best for them and what one can compromise. This is precisely what I did.

Originally Posted by arun_747

(1) not sure if the car can be well-maintained for over 10 years (considering Maruti's below-par service quality)

Maintaining a car surely depends on the individual. I have ONLY had good experience so far with Maruti's service quality and majority of us would agree to that.

Originally Posted by arun_747

(2) turbo-lag below 1,800 rpm;

Explained multiple times in the review. Please take some time out and sift through the reviews.

Originally Posted by arun_747

(3) average fit & finish (for the price);

Except for certain parts bin, fit & finish is a notch above. With the price cuts it is actually a VFM crossover. If MSIL can provide 1.6 Zeta variant, the sales chart will show a different number for sure.

Originally Posted by arun_747

(4) lower top-speed & 0-100km/hr acceleration compared to the lower powered Vento 1.6 TDi & Rapid 1.6 TDi.(Considering the fact that kerb weight of S-Cross is just 55kg more but has more power by 15bhp & 7kgm)

Already explained, please take sometime to sift through previous questions and responses. Above all please take multiple test drives prior making an informed decision.

[Sip]

Hi Keynote thanks for such a detailed review. High class photography is one of the prominent points.

Decision making for car purchase is very important and you were quite logical and effectively expressive too. Hopefully readers would get benefitted from this.

I too considered cars like Ecosport TDCI, Polo GT and S-Cross 1.3. Under speculations of chances of 1.6 discontinuance, I was a bit hesitant for 1.6, but few guys like Shankar.balan, sandygordon and Naren helped allay my fears directly or indirectly and today I feel thankful to those guys.

IMHO when a better car is bought for couple of lacs higher price one assures himself satisfaction for say 7-8 years, it matters much. This additional cost could cater for slightly improved new car launches during next many years. I also feel that this car for considerable (long) time would have edge over most of cars on our roads and the 'relative performance' is perhaps important criteria for us as car owners

[Keynote]

Originally Posted by snaseer

A brilliant review of a brilliant car. Congrats on your purchase! But even now I see many of them in and around Mangalore.

Thank you snaseer, glad you like the review. We see a lot here in Bangalore too but majority of them would turn out be 1.3 Zeta

Originally Posted by Sip

Hi Keynote thanks for such a detailed review. High class photography is one of the prominent points.

Hey Sip, thank you for the kind words and appreciation.

Originally Posted by Sip

Decision making for car purchase is very important and you were quite logical and effectively expressive too. Hopefully readers would get benefited from this.

Partially yes, it would've been a sweeter deal had MSIL provided the 1.6 Zeta version there by saving folks like me a lakh rupees.

[techieaditya]

Congratulations on your new acquisition. Such a detailed buying experience-cum-review. Also, the way you've described the 1.6L engine, I already fell in love with it. You've got excellent writing skills, and the photographs of your 'Tusker' are mesmerizing.

[Keynote]

Originally Posted by Enobarbus

Excellent review and pictures.

Thank you Enobarbus, glad you like the review and pictures.

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Congrats on the car keynote. Done around 13500 kms in about 7 months and enjoying every moment of it.

Thank you arvind. Congrats to you on getting crossover, as long as you've mastered driving the 1.6L it will never disappoint you.

Originally Posted by techieaditya

Such a detailed buying experience-cum-review. Also, the way you've described the 1.6L engine, I already fell in love with it. You've got excellent writing skills,

Thank you for reading the review and kind words of appreciation. For the high standards of content that we all see in tbhp, I feel this is a very minimalist effort from my side in penning down an unbiased review with my limited knowledge about the vehicles.

Originally Posted by techieaditya

and the photographs of your 'Tusker' are mesmerizing.

You bet. Going by the various responses from members and non-members who personally reached out to me, the crossover does look great in its natural form isn't it? Beauty definitely lies in the eyes of beholder, and am thankful to my better half for the creative shots.

[ajay_satpute]

Congratulations !

S-Cross 1.6 is a brilliant choice. Great write up and very good photographs. Every time you go past that 1800 RPM point, you have a wide grin on your face, which makes you forget all the so-called shortcomings of the car.

Now you might say that I am praising the 1.6 so much and why the hell did I buy the 1.3. That's only because when I bought my 1.3 Zeta, 1.6 Alpha was costing close to 17.5 lakhs in Pune. That was like 6 lakhs difference at that time.

Good to see that most of your analogies are also my favorites (MJ's moonwalk). Thanks for acknowledging my humble thread.

Wishing you a wonderful time with your S-Cross.

[Keynote]

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

S-Cross 1.6 is a brilliant choice. Great write up and very good photographs.

Happy that you like the write-up and the pictures, so thank you Ajay!

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Now you might say that I am praising the 1.6 so much and why the hell did I buy the 1.3. That's only because when I bought my 1.3 Zeta, 1.6 Alpha was costing close to 17.5 lakhs in Pune.

I wouldn't have bought it either. But I was lucky second time with MSIL dropping off the 1.6's prices by 2+ Lakhs (first time lucky with Jazz where a similar but rare price cut of ~2 Lakhs was done by Honda) After the numerous test drives we had along with fellow bhpian abhinav.s on the 1.6L, I was constantly reminded either to maintain a status quo with my existing vehicles in the garage or just go ahead get the tusker home. End of the day very happy that we didn't invest on any other vehicle, as I wasn't prepared to live with a disappointment of seeing 1.6L pass by infront of me.

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Good to see that most of your analogies are also my favorites (MJ's moonwalk). Thanks for acknowledging my humble thread.

Honestly, that addictive part and the analogies just happened. Didn't know how else I could've expressed it straight from the heart. Come on Ajay, acknowledging your thread is the least I could've done.

[rosh_aveo1.4]

I always used to think the S cross was a confused product but seeing it over time made me admire it's subtle nature. Saw this lovely one at church yesterday. Loved the work did on the tyres, alloys and the matt grill.