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27th May 2020, 10:44 | #1 |
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| My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Greetings Fellow BHPians! Hope you're safe and doing good! This will be the long term ownership review of our Maruti S Cross 1.3 Zeta Limited Edition, which is based on the regular S Cross 1.3 Zeta. Why new car? The search for a new car began in Jan 2016 when Maruti announced Vitara Brezza. We are a die-hard fan of the Fiat 1.3 Multijet. The S Cross would be our 4th car with the same heart. Our Dzire VDi was into its 6th year of ownership and 100k kms old. Due to irregular maintenance schedules and rough usage, the bodyline was ageing very rapidly and a full body denting and painting was required. Also, the engine had it's fair share of niggles near the 100k kms mark and piston rings were required to be replaced as per our trusted mechanic. Hence, it was decided to let go off the Dzire after I learnt driving on it. Finally, after welcoming the S Cross into our steed, the Dzire was primarily used by me to learn driving on and set my hands on a diesel, only to be a die-hard fan of diesels and never go back to a Petrol or CNG. When it was found that we couldn't use the car anymore, it was sold to a taxi operator back in Christmas day of December 2016. The Dzire in her last days with us:(Notice the bad bodyline) What were the primary requirements in the new car?
Options Considered: As our primary requirement was a diesel, hence no petrol cars and no hatchback was considered as a potential buy. 1. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza: The Brezza was about to be unveiled that year in the Auto Expo 2016. As a ritual, we attended the Expo for the 5th time in a row, and Brezza was the show stopper that year. The public had gone crazy over it's looks and MS proven reliability, that it became an instant hit post launch. The prize was spot on by MS. However, ZDi and ZDi+ were the only decently loaded variants compared to the rivals. So, we went to our trusted Maruti showroom and test drove the Brezza. Likes:
After test drive, we were convinced for the VDi optional variant and booked it. The waiting periods were already soaring in March-end and Maruti was taking the bookings on first come first serve basis. Complimenting to that, we'd booked the always popular white color, which had the maximum waiting. After waiting for three weeks, we changed our booking to ZDi variant for those sweet alloys and automatic climate control. The booking was again made afresh and we were again at the end of the waiting list. 2. Maruti Suzuki Ciaz: The Ciaz was considered due to the hefty subsidies by the government on Hybrids. So, the ZDi variant of the Ciaz was comparable to the ZDi variant of Brezza in OTR prices, and hence, it was considered. Dad drove the car, and ground clearance issues were clearly evident. We wouldn't want to be stuck with the Ciaz at Tanglang La, as we were stuck in our Dzire when she had made a trip to the Roof of the World. Likes:
3. Ford Ecosport: The Ecosport was the obvious choice for an automotive enthusiast. However, as the new car was expected to be my Dad's daily driver, the final decision was his of course. Although there were good deals on the Ecosport and the new 1.5 TDCi was re-tuned to churn out a higher 99HP, my dad was skeptical about Ford's ASS and service costs. The showroom manager was a known and he gave us a good discount on the Trend+ and Titanium variants. Likes:
Hence, Ecosport was out of question and Brezza was already booked. Had the car was to be driven solely by me, Ecosport would've been the obvious choice, for it's uber-cool looks, fantastic handling and rigid chassis. While waiting for the Brezza, it was already more than 3-months since we had booked the car. In the meanwhile, my elder brother had also booked the Brezza for replacing his Swift VDi and got the delivery of his White ZDi, exactly the same variant and color that we had booked. As we live in a joint family, there was no point in getting two cars of the same color, same variant and from the same dealership. Also, the Brezza seemed to be lost in the crowd by that time, and it was sweeping all over the city's roads. Everyone seemed to aspire a Brezza. It was proven a blockbuster from Maruti for sure. Hence, we decided to look for more alternatives and I suggested dad to look out for Renault Duster, Mahindra Scorpio and Maruti's own S-Cross. Dad declined the Duster and Scorpio citing as too old and common models. 4. S-Cross: Finally, the day had come when we decided to visit the Nexa dealership to look out for the S-Cross. Upon reaching, the showroom was about to be closed. However, the manager was courteous enough to give a demonstration of the vehicle, offer snacks and coffee, and a thorough test drive. Contrary to the expectations, the initial impressions were simply fantastic compared to the instance when we test drove the alternatives considered. Though I was bent on test driving the 1.6, dad didn't want to sacrifice on Fuel Efficiency. We were already owning the 1.3 multijet, hence, the reliability and FE concerns were out of the mind now. Likes:
Buying Experience: People were advising us against buying the S-Cross, simply due to its understated (ugly?) looks. I found it to be good though. It grows on you and gives you a sense of exclusivity amongst a sea of mass market cars. The size is comparable to Merc GLA. During our first visit to the showroom, we were convinced on the S-Cross. Everybody in our family liked it. The manager didn't had any deal breaker discounts on Zeta 1.3 variant. However, he gave us an excellent deal on Zeta 1.3 limited edition, which was ready in stock. The limited edition is based on the Zeta variant, except it misses out on the SmartPlay infotainment system. Rest of the features are same in the limited edition alongwith certain cosmetic additions. The whole process from booking the car to delivery took 2 days and was butter smooth. I still am in touch with the manager who interacted with us on the first day of test drive. The Nexa salesperson behave really professionally and don't push unnecessary accessories or slow moving models. We only opted for reverse parking camera from the dealership as the accessory. If I knew they'd drill the bumper and place the camera at the center, I would've probably gone for a better quality aftermarket one. The whole experience was unexpected from a budget carmaker. Maruti surely has come a long way since the launch of Nexa. The Delivery Day 23rd June 2016:(Dad is standing 3rd from right and yours truly 4th from right alongwith my brother, sister and mom. Sales managers standing right most handing over the bouquet. The showroom was about to be closed and we were the last one to take delivery on that day) Exteriors: The front facia has understated looks and not at all looks aggressive. The facelifted model launched in 2017 has a much aggressive looking front face with a vertical slat grill. However, I like the pre-facelifted grill with a sloping bonnet line and slim chrome strips. The Zeta limited edition gets the chrome bumper corner protectors as a stock accessory, which can be seen in the snap below. Somewhere on the GT Road: The limited edition gets glossy black painted ORVMs as well as roof spoiler. The spoiler surely gives the car a low stance look and it looks planted. The roof rails in the zeta variant are black colored while the Alpha variant gets a silver colored roof rails. The small and stubby antenna looks subtle and not out of proportion as in Brezza. A typical Indian road trip goes unfulfilled without a natural juice break: The limited edition also gets a chrome strip on the rear hatch door of the car. Notice the rear view camera placement from the dealership. The four reverse parking sensors are a default feature of Zeta variant. Although I'm not a fan of chrome accessories, the one on the S-Cross looks subtle and pleasing to the eyes. Notice the bumper corner protectors, black color spoiler and the faux skid plate. The rear hatch door gets a request sensor button and the electric boot release button. The rear gets minimal badging. As common to all Nexa cars back then, the rear doesn't get neither the Maruti Suzuki badging nor the variant name: Both the driver side and co-driver side doors get a request sensor, and the buttons feel built to last. Notice the planted looks due to black spoiler and ORVMs. The front fenders get DDiS badging as common in all Maruti's diesels. The black cladding does minimal to give the car an aggressive look. The car was India's first true blue crossover as branded by Maruti. The wheel arches do not bulge out which feels convenient in congested traffic situations. Notice the stock JK Elanzos and all 4 disk brakes: Two of the Nexa's earliest launches side by side. Notice the subtle chrome touches on the front facia. The headlamps are large, similar to the SX4 and are seriously under powered for Indian highways. We haven't upgraded them yet. Notice the limited width of the front skid plate which doesn't look aesthetic. The black ORVMs, roof spoiler and roof rails does contrast with the white body color and looks sporty. The turn indicators are mounted on the ORVM. The fog lamps are ingressed into the lower part of the bumper, which are prone to damage if driving on rough patches of roads. The right fog lamp on this car is slightly cracked. Notice the covered tow hook. IMO, this is the best angle to view S-Cross at. Notice the sheer length of the car. Also notice the boring alloy wheels which looks like dated wheel covers: The headlamp cluster. Notice the size of the reflector compared to Ecosport/Brezza: Interiors: The limited edition gets ambient lighting and sporty pedals as a stock accessory(Kindly ignore the worn out floor mat. The replacement was due but this lockdown ): ) The front doors open in a three-stage action and the door trims are typical Maruti style in layout. The doors close with a reassuring thud though. This limited edition gets faux carbon fibre wrap on the door trims. The ORVMs are electronically retractable and switch is located on the door trim. The power window switches are carried over from Maruti's of last decade: The steering wheel is adequately sized and offers good feel and feedback. The stock dual-tone horn from Hella is durable and has lasted all these years without any issues. Notice the Cruise control buttons and audio settings on the steering. Also, the steering leather is of decent quality and blue stitching matches the color of the ambient lighting. It might require a replacement in the near future: All the four doors sports the illuminated door sills as a stock accessory for the limited edition. Notice the blue colored S-Cross branding on the floor mats: The leather seat covers were an official accessory as well and quality is excellent as per Maruti standards and have held up quite well all these years. Notice the blue colored stitching here as well: The engine start/stop button is located just below the steering wheel as per MS standards. Notice the parking sensor activation switch, fog light switch and headlight leveler: The external display for reverse parking camera is located at the left-most end of the dashboard. It was the only additional accessory opted at the time of delivery. Notice the blue-colored ambient light, basic infotainment system and faux carbon-fiber wrap all over the plastic trims and door pads. The automatic climate controls are located below the infotainment system as well. Maruti's all-black color scheme goes well and looks sporty with the dashboard's layout: The sliding armrest acts as a deep storage bin as well. Feels sturdy and doesn't rattle at all! The S-Cross is the only car IMO which doesn't rattle as expected from MS. Notice the two cup holders located adjacent to the hand-brake lever housing the much needed sanitizer these days. Also, notice how close the handbrake lever is to the co-driver seat. The seat cover stitching pattern can also be observed here: The MID is informative and easy to read and use. The blue color theme can be observed here as well: Notice the call controls for the infotainment system. These are attached to the steering wheel and rotates with the rotation of the wheel as well, which is not ergonomic IMO. It should be stable in position for easy pickup and drop of calls. The wiper and indicator stalks feel good and built to last: The rear door trim has the similar pattern and is well padded for long journeys. Notice the sheer length of the rear door, which is comparable to most C-segment sedans. Also notice the faux carbon-fiber wrap: The rear bench is wide enough for three well sized adults and follows the same color scheme as the front seats. The two passengers get adjustable headrests while middle passenger doesn't. The transmission tunnel isn't intrusive and makes space for the third passenger adequately. The armrest comes with 2 cup holders as well. The rear seat angle can be reclined as per passengers comfort level: Ownership experience: It's been 4 years with the S-Cross and the experience with her has been truly phenomenal. There's been no instance when she has left us stranded anywhere on the roads(touchwood!), and the ownership experience has been hassle-free till date. Although the car has not been to much road trips with us since bought home, we still had our fair bit of time spent together on the highways. The car has an odometer reading of 47684 kms as I'm penning down this review. The Vitara Brezza with the S-Cross during a short road trip to Bir Billing in Himachal. Notice the differences in the design language of two of the most capable cars from the MS stable. The aggressive look of the Brezza and sophistication of the S-Cross is clearly visible. It would've been a picture of two similar Brezzas had we not bought the S-Cross home: Notice the similarities in the rear design language and noticeable difference in length: Here, the difference in length and wheelbase is clearly evident. Nonetheless, I like the looks of both the cars and the design have clearly grown over time. Both the steeds following each other during breakfast stop near Baijnath temple. Notice the curvish design language in S-Cross compared to the boxy Vitara Brezza: Service Experience: Till 30k kms and 3 years, the car's routine maintenance schedule was strictly followed in the ASS. The service experience was good and labor charges were reasonable, as common to all MASS. However, they sometimes used to push unnecessary stuff to explode the total bill amount. At the 30k kms service, they quoted Rs.18k for the same. However, I made the total bill amount to Rs.6k by eliminating unnecessary activities. Since then, the car has been serviced by our trusted mechanic having years of experience servicing diesel trucks and cars. One of the parking sensors had gone kaput post the completion of warranty period, and it was replaced from the ASS last year. During the 40k kms service, I used the engine flush from voltronic and replaced the mineral engine oil with fully synthetic from voltronic. Since then, the multijet engine has been running butter smooth. The throttle response have improved multi-fold post the use of additives from voltronic. I'd highly recommend voltronic engine oil to all the S-Cross owners for a much better driving experience and ensuring the longevity of the engine. Post the 40k service, the average fuel efficiency is hovering between 21 to 23 kmpl in the city with AC. The highway FE is 25+ at all trips. The Cross is driven only by my dad and me occasionally, and we both being a relaxed driver, the fuel efficiency is always 20+. We are very satisfied with the 1.3 multijet engine, and this being our 4th set of multijet, we are hell bent on owning the multijet in every car we own or drive The car has been running on all stock parts till date and the odo stands at 47684 kms. Even the brake pads are stock and haven't been replaced till now. The stock JK Elanzos are low on grip on curvy roads, however, they are good for another 25-30k kms. The car is washed and waxed regularly once in 7-8 weeks, hence, the body line isn't left to deteriorate like we had on our Dzire. During one of the many bath sessions: Engine and Transmission: During the 4 years of ownership, we've found that the multijet is the perfect engine to suit our needs and we cannot go back to either petrol or CNG powered vehicles. Our next car would most probably be an EV. The engine churns out 89BHP of peak power at 400rpm and 200Nm of peak torque at 1750 rpm. The engine response is slightly lethargic below 2000rpm and post it, the car flies through the traffic. As said earlier, we both being relaxed drivers, I don't prefer to spool the turbo repeatedly and tend to shift the gears below 2000 rpm. Hence, we find the power on tap to be adequate enough for our daily needs. The 5-speed gearbox is standard Maruti gearbox as can be found in other cars from the same stable. This engine-gearbox combination is perfect for an average Indian car user and I don't find any flaw in it. The gearbox is slick shifting and you will not miss any gear, resulting in minimal gear grinding. The reverse gear is easy to engage and engages in a go. The clutch is light as expected and the drive is effortless. However, the chassis and body combination is capable for much more than that and this is the only car from the Maruti stable which is capable of handling 200+ BHP IMO. This might be due to the fact that Fiat Sedici was its predecessor and it has it's underpinnings. Correct me if I'm wrong. Suspension and Brakes: The ride quality is comparable to the duster and one of the best in the segment. The magic carpet-like ride quality is unmatched by it's closest rivals. The Nexon fares closest in ride quality and comfort. The car is capable for multiple runs to the Himalayas in a year without breaking even a nut! The brakes are progressive and sure-footed. All 4 wheels sports disk brakes which further enhances the bite. The stock brake pads are of good quality and might be the reason of their longevity. They are good enough for another 10-15k kms, hence, I'd be replacing them with the OEM quality brake pads from the ASS at 60k kms. The suspension is going as strong as new. Overall, the car is low on maintenance and high on efficiency if taken good care of. If you take good care of your car, she'll take good care of you! Last edited by blacklist : 28th May 2020 at 16:10. |
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27th May 2020, 23:31 | #2 |
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| re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Miscellaneous bits and facts: The 353 litre boot is adequate for our needs and appropriately shaped to ferry odd items such as construction materials and machinery: The rear hatch door gets a full plastic padding and the quality is top notch. Notice the defogger and ingress for closing the boot using your palm from inside. The boot hydraulics are of excellent quality and have held up all the abuse pretty well: Manufacturer recommended tire pressure: The bonnet is Heavy and feels really solid when closed. You can't lift it up with light hands just like in Baleno or Ignis. The bonnet gets a full cladding to keep NVH levels in check and it's quality is excellent too: Sincere apologies for the dirty engine bay(this lockdown). The National Engine of India! And the fourth in our vehicles. The engine gets a partial engine cover. Till date, the battery and wiper blades have been replaced. The battery was replaced to Exide Mileage Red and wipers were frame less bought from a local accessory shop, as can be seen on the windshield. The engine get a partial under body protection, which is not common in Maruti's (Correct me if I'm wrong): All Delhi S Cross owners meet organised by official Nexa back in 2017: All in all, our S-Cross has been serving us loyally and would continue to do so for Years and Kilometres to come. Our faith in Maruti has been forever and would continue for generations to come. As we see it, no car from our garage needs replacement for the next 4-5 years and we are seeing our future in Electric Vehicles. Hence, our next cars would most probably be EVs and till they become mainstream, we'd continue to drive our respective diesel beauties. Till then, enjoy this parting shot of our beauties: If you don't look back at your car after you park it, you own the wrong car! A huge thanks for taking out the time for meeting me and my beloved S-Cross. I'll try to keep this thread updated with every routine service and consumables replacements in the future. If you have any doubts/suggestions regarding the S Cross or unable to decide in the segment, feel free to reach out! Keep safe and Keep revvin'! Last edited by blacklist : 28th May 2020 at 00:00. |
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29th May 2020, 06:50 | #3 |
Team-BHP Support | re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing! |
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29th May 2020, 09:07 | #4 |
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Congratulations sir! The S-Cross is my favourite car from the Suzuki stable. Unlike other Suzukis, which feel like they are built to a cost, the S-Cross surprisingly feels European in terms of build quality & driving experience. It's a shame that the market didn't respond as expected to what is I believe one of Suzuki's best offerings in India. I can understand your father's loyalty towards the brand, considering most Suzuki's are reliable, efficient and low cost to maintain. Heck, my parents are big-time Hyundai loyalists! Though is the 1.3l Multijet adequate for the S-Cross? Because a beast like this deserves the 1.6l Multijet. That said, that 1.3l diesel is super efficient. I remember travelling to the hills in a Dzire diesel, and man, that engine refused to give up steep inclines or run out of puff!And on top of that, the engine felt like it was invincible. I was quite surprised, considering the fact that it had just 75hp. I do wish that the companies that had licensed this engine from Fiat had worked on refinement, as sounds annoying from the outside. Do stay safe, and keep updating this thread. |
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29th May 2020, 12:10 | #5 | |||
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Quote:
Quote:
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29th May 2020, 12:55 | #6 |
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Good choice of car @blacklist. The S-Cross and the Brezza are definitely built differently than the other Marutis. Two of a kind and you have both of them within the family. The only weak point is the 1.3 engine, which honestly I hate even in my Brezza. It struggles to pull the heavy cars. I had to remap it to make it easier to drive in City and Highway. Keep munching miles and keep updating this thread. Cheers!!! |
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30th May 2020, 01:59 | #7 |
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition
What's the power output you get now? A friend with a 1.3 S cross wants to remap, we were just talking about it today. Last edited by Rudra Sen : 30th May 2020 at 09:11. Reason: quote box fixed |
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30th May 2020, 11:10 | #8 |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Pune
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition
Its no surprise at all, since the S-Cross has Fiat DNA along with Suzuki. The original model was sold as Fiat Sedici. |
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30th May 2020, 17:59 | #9 |
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition A very capable product from Maruti, S-Cross. I test drove this and loved the surge once the turbo kicked in. Also, with its facelift and those vertical grills, it looks fab. Keep enjoying your drive |
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31st May 2020, 01:34 | #10 |
BHPian | Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition A very well written review ! The S Cross is the only vehicle which feels more Suzuki than Maruti, due to the better build quality and better interior fit and finish as well. Yes, the Suzuki Sedici is infact it's predecessor, which was actually sold as the SX4 in India, and even the S Cross is sold in some markets as the SX 4. |
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31st May 2020, 21:09 | #11 | |
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Quote:
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1st June 2020, 09:27 | #12 | |
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Quote:
What has improved is the driveability and the lag is almost non-existent. | |
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7th June 2020, 22:05 | #13 |
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| Re: My Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.3L Zeta Limited Edition Hi all, I've compiled a thorough video review of our S-Cross. All suggestions welcome! Regards Last edited by Gannu_1 : 7th June 2020 at 23:11. Reason: Removing the soliciting bits related to the channel. Please avoid. Thanks. |
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