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-   -   Maruti S-Cross : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/166376-maruti-s-cross-official-review-77.html)

While I agree with your other points, I don't agree with this point in particular. The reason is that FGT has lesser lag in lower rpm while VGT has higher power at higher rpm. At speeds above 120, the VGT will outgun the FGT (if revved to all the way to 4500 rpm in each gear). But the VGT hardly has any advantage in a dash to 100 (or may be half a second quicker if at all). You can try Punto FGT and VGT to know what I mean.

So, we need to give some credit to Maruti's overall powertrain beyond the flywheel torque figures.

[Edit:] Punto VGT does seem to gain about 1.6 seconds in a dash to 100 (as per ACI). I stand corrected. Nevertheless, I just love the refinement of the Ciaz when compared to the FIAT.

I did TD S-Cross 200 and Ciaz back to back. Surprisingly, same engine in S-Cross is not as refined as in Ciaz. You get to hear when revved hard. Probably Ciaz has more damping on windows/doors?

Well yes, for 14 lacs you will end up paying about 1.25 lacs more in interest for 5 years term, the last I checked a year back the difference was about 3% between new and old, 13.5% for used cars and 10.5% for new. I think it is more about the new car and the used car which are strong opinions right across in all types of buyer profiles.

BTW a Yeti replacement has to be a real replacement, I am sure you will not sell the Yeti when buying a Cooper S :), Evoque may be?

The 1.3 Zeta is sheer VFM, that's the variant most people are after!!

Yes Sir,I did the TD on the exactly same route which consisted of 3km of super dense traffic, 4 kilometers of moderate traffic and 10 kilometers of open runway type roads. The DDiS 200, no doubt, is the sensible choice. It offers the best of all worlds without being under-powered. The light clutch, marginally better NVH than the 320, better low end torque and the wide availability of spares is something which one cannot easily overlook. I, or rather we(my dad and me) were overwhelmed by the 1.6L and its 'Kick', but as time is passing by, we are regaining our consciousness and thinking about the 1.3L.lol:
Let me make a point here that all speeds mentioned here were done in controlled environment, and that anything above 120kmph is just not safe on our public roads. And the S-Cross DDiS 200 cleanly and effortlessly pulls upto 140kmph, with 4 adults, after that I didn't push as I know it will never be used, atleast during my ownership.
If anyone needs extra punch,he/she always has an option of adding a RD box.

Creta honestly didn't feel like it needed a remap!! Its fairly and decently punchy. At low revs, its as good or bad as the DDiS 320, but the turbo boost happens in a more linear way, hence the turbo lag isn't as amplified as the DDiS 320.
I would say TD the DDiS 200 extensively, that would give you practicality as well as the needed boost during solo drives. And RD box option is always available. :)

The discount was not official, but was given as we were a long standing customer for that dealer and that we have family friendship along with them. Sorry, I should have mentioned this earlier. But the RMs are so helpless with the existing stock of the 1.6L, that if pushed hard and properly, extracting a nice discount shouldn't be a problem.



Regards
Shashi

Another visit to the Nexa showroom and finally managed to test drive the S-Cross DDiS 200. I will briefly review the drive and give my impressions. This is my first review of a drive and hope the forum gets some use out of this.

Since I was in a bit of hurry, drove just around 5-6 kms. But I luckily got to test what all I wanted to.

• Bumper to bumper traffic
• VERY BAD roads - with HUGE humps and craters
• Open stretch of road to push the car a bit

I tried a variety of stuff like spirited driving (pushing the rpm to 3500 before up-shifting), sedate driving (no down-shifting in 4th gear until 35-40 kmph), 2nd gear speed-breaker test, moving the car in 2nd gear from stand-still, overtaking in City, etc.

I went to the test drive expecting to be disappointed a bit - with respect to the low-end drivability, turbo lag, NVH etc. But, I should say that the car did very well in most aspects and exceeded my expectations from the engine. It was able to move from stand-still in the second gear without any difficulty and was able to cross huge Bangalore speed-breakers in the second gear without breaking sweat. It touched 100 with ease and with the engine still at around 2500-2750 rpm. That clearly meant the car had the potential to do better speeds if pushed.

Engine, Clutch and Gearbox

• Engine noise was well in the limits of a diesel engine - very decent NVH.
• There was a slight clatter in the beginning but smoothed out on accelerator input.
• Minimal turbo-lag - it was nothing compared to what I feared
• Low end was not bad at all - I was easily doing speeds ~35-40 kmph in the 4th gear and was able to accelerate from there as well.
• Mild turbo kick @ 1800-2000 rpm - it was fun experiencing it (Majority of my experience with diesels was with Honda diesels. Even my FIL's Bolero did not give any sort of kick)
• Free revving for a diesel - When iDTEC would beg to up-shift at 3.5k rpm, the DDiS simply was happy and not at all strained even at 4k rpm.
• Clutch was very smooth and almost petrol like. The pedal was placed slightly higher IMO - a couple of inches low would have been perfect.
• Clutch pedal had slight vibrations, especially on lower gears while riding the clutch - but barely noticeable.
• Gear shift not smooth as my Dzire petrol's but not bad either.
• Gearbox had a sure slotting feel with the slots well defined.

Steering

• Steering was precise and direct - No Hyundai i20-ish or Bolero-ish vagueness.
• Was lighter than my Dzire's steering - Not as light as by BIL's Santro or FIL's Bolero.
• Weighed up sufficiently as the speed increased - Excellent for City use, U-turns but also made sure there was no nervousness in 100+ speeds.
• Did not need to give any corrective inputs to the steering.
• Feedback was OK - I would have loved to have more feedback though

Suspension, Ride and Handling

• Suspension was a revelation - Never experienced such a beautifully tuned suspension (I have not driven a Duster).
• It took the bad roads with majestic composure - With the permission of my RM, I deliberately took the car to deep craters and the car maintained its composure beautifully.
• Same with huge humps, the suspension made sure no unpleasant bump was felt in the interior - I am seriously impressed.
• No wallowy feel I had in the i20, nor any bone-jarring stiffness.
• No suspension thuds, no under body scrapes, it perfectly and smoothly went over bad roads.
• Yes, there is a bit of stiffness in low speeds i.e. less than 35-40 kmph, but that is nowhere close to being bothersome.
• Did not have a chance to test the handling of the car or its cornering ability - but I am pretty sure it will go well considering how well the suspension handled and how well the steering weighed up giving a lot of confidence.

Braking

• Did not try hard braking as the right ORVM in the test car was broken and I did not want to risk a rear-ending.
• Brakes had good bite and it was not a sudden bite like in the i20 I tested.
• Braking instilled confidence and I was sure where and how the vehicle will stop - no dramas here.
• Not sure if it was psychological - but I found the 4 discs to work and feel better than the brakes of the City or Dzire or Bolero.

Driving Comfort, Ergonomics and other goodies

• Finding a comfortable driving position is a cakewalk - I got mine in less than less than 2 minutes.
• All switches and controls fell into my hands easily.
• ACC controls were easy to use and felt good as well.
• AC was a CHILLER. The car was under sun when I went for the TD and it cooled the cabin in less than a minute. Yes, it was not a hot day and this is not the best climate to review and rate an AC, but I was impressed by how quickly the AC made me feel cold.
• Gear shift lever was very good to hold and for the first time, I felt the armrest to be useful - Thanks to it being slide-able.
• Stretching my thumb to reach the horn pad was a trouble though. This is in spite of me having relatively long fingers.
• I accidentally turned cruise control while trying to honk :Frustrati i.e. I had to literally search for the horn pad with my thumbs.
• I felt that the Engine Start / Stop push button was hiding behind the steering wheel and was not falling in my line of vision.
• I had set up a higher driving position and the view of the road was pretty good - better than what I get in my Dzire but not close to what the Bolero gives.
• Tried the reversing camera and the display was clear and had a good resolution. It only had static guide-lines and dynamic guidelines like in the Hyundais would have been great to have. Not sure how clear it will be in dark nights.

Overall Comments

• Excellent tuning of a puny engine with good NVH to make sure it has good low-end drivability and also has enough grunt to do 100+ speeds on an open highway - Will not burn any highways but will keep a normal driver happy.
• Light Clutch + good gearbox makes driving a very easy affair.
• Light but precise and responsive steering could do with some more feedback.
• Awesome suspension gives a perfect balance of ride + handling. If not for the slightly stiff ride in low speeds this would be 100/100.
• Confidence inspiring braking completes the positive ride experience.
• Ergonomically good and well built interiors makes being inside this car a pleasant experience. A better designed steering with a wider horn pad would do a world of good to the drivers.
• Excellent AC with a lot of other useful features makes sure there is enough luxury, a lot of convenience and satisfies most needs one has from a car

I also got a chance to check out the Delta variant of S-Cross. In person, the normal headlight makes the car look duller - replacing it with the HID projectors + DRLs appears to be a must do. The seat fabric also had a contrast white stitching but I felt the quality of fabric was just average and an upgrade will make the interiors livelier. Wheel caps in Delta looks very beautiful compared to the alloys in the higher variants. I still feel the alloys look better in person and appear to be better than the dull ones on the City and Duster.

Looks & Road Presence
I saw a private registered SCross on road near Dara's Dhaba at 6:00 PM or so today. My first thought was, damn, its a bootless SX4. The next one - ROFL. It looked nothing like a 2015 car, looked outdated, and very very ordinary. The EcoSport that was driving along looked more plush and modern.

This car is gonna depreciate fast, very very fast.

LOL! You really don't like the car don't you?

If looks were the main criteria for getting good resale, the Qualis should be the cheapest to buy in the used car market. But the reality is very different. Actually far from it. :D


I have a feeling S-Cross will be much sought for in the used car market. Especially that 1.6. And its a Maruti with an impressive array of talents which are skin deep. Besides, its well built inside out for a change, which means it will age well too.

The twins in blue - Suzuki S-Cross and Nissan Qashqai.

The whole point was to show what good alloys can do to a good car!



MS, please: take note

Team-bhp reviews are always bang on. Attention to details are awesome. How? Scroll to the 1st page and see the comment about rear head rests.

The rear head rests have become a deal breaker for me now. It strains the back when pushed all the way down. When pulled up, it strains the neck and affects the rear view horribly. My wife mentioned that it is irritating even during the short drive:Frustrati. So long drives will be uncomfortable for sure.

I showed the observations made in this review, she mentioned that team-bhp reviews should be made as a certificationclap:


This is a a very practical car for my family but ergonomics of rear seat keeps S-Cross out of my shopping list. Now have to choose between Duster 110 RxL and Ciaz Zdi+. Heart is with Duster but head is pushing towards Ciaz.

Now Epic battle of heart vs head.

Saw the S Cross in flesh yesterday.

Inspite of being decently aware of the Indian Automotive scenario having spent time at this wonderful forum, would actually state that "this does feel like an oversized hatch, say a larger Swift to compete with the Elite".

It certainly doesnot command the Rs. 14 lac for the DDIS 320 top end.

No way. This will have festive discounts sooner.
Suddenly, Creta looks a better deal overall.

I was in my Delhi & Chandigarh over last two weeks and got the opportunity to test drive 3 different S-CROSS cars.
Is it me or every car that I drove would pull towards left. I tried this by letting go of steering wheel on slow speeds & the car would pull towards left, not sharp not soft but would gradually veer to left.
Anyone else noted similar traits.

Once on driver seat, the IRVM view is similar to Ertiga.

Regards-Sonu

Generally due to the camber of the road, RHD cars will pull or rather drift to the left, gradually. This will not happen if the road is absolutely flat, which generally is only if banked for fast curves. It is a problem if the car pulls strongly to either side.

Has anyone got the delivery of S-Cross in Bangalore yet? I will be getting my car Zeta Premium Silver tomorrow, still awaiting the registration status from RM. Will write in detail later.

Agreed!

Today I took a short test drive of S-Cross (1.3 Alpha), and a few pointers:
a) The car felt like a big hatchback, I mean a BIG Hatchback. For easy understanding, we as customers should leave aside marketing jargons such as Premium Crossover, Compact SUV etc here.
b) All round visibility is good, with large windscreen. With the availability of adjustments to Seat, Steering wheel, it is easy to find a position where we can get a commanding view of the road. I felt the rear windscreen to be very small, though.
c) In Alpha version, interiors did feel premium (black interiors, leather seats, soft touch plastics, leather wrapped steering wheel, driver arm rest etc adding to it). The seats were shaped nicely to keep us comfortable over the journey and they are fairly thick. I think in all the versions below alpha, the fabric seats are provided.
d) Lot of legroom in front and rear seats, and the boot is sufficiently large to accommodate things. (Cannot match a sedan's boot though)
e) The sound quality of the speakers are sufficiently good. Operating the controls are easy. I did not try any voice command or the Map though. The test drive vehicle did not have the loaded SD card for this purpose.
f) I found the Gear box to be difficult to handle. Changing the gear was not very smooth and obvious. I slotted into 4th gear twice instead of 2nd gear.
g) The dead pedal was a little intrusive to operate the clutch.
Overall a decent product from Maruti. But I am not fully impressed, due to the price tag. A proper sedan at this price seems more meaningful!:D

Not sure if my RM was correct, but he said only 2 S-Crosses were delivered by Bimal Nexa until yesterday. Even though the vehicles were allotted already, they seem to wait for the RTO formalities and stuff before they start full on deliveries. Looks like the deliveries made till now were for big-shots who had a lot of influence and can afford to drive around even without competing the registration formalities. In fact I saw one White 1.6 S-Cross in the ORR near K R Puram and I guess that was one of thee two delivered by Bimal. My RM told about a big shot in Mahadevapura who wanted a white top end ASAP and he was the first to get the delivery. I was told that he owns the property where the Nexa showroom is.