[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by swapzero

This is the first time I am posting as I need advice from fellow team bhpians about buying S Cross. Should I buy the Alpha or Zeta variant?

Recently I was looking at the SCross AT (or ATs of Brezza/Baleno/Celerio - yeah, I know an odd lot across 3 segments) for my wife and the SCross
was what we both loved. And the same question zapped me - Zeta or Alpha ? The price difference is substantial and I wasn't sure which to choose.

When I bought the Baleno in 2005, I chose the Lxi (Vxi was only 60K more and within budget), but later wished I had got the top trim because I
anyway got alloys, wider tyres & music system etc added. Plus the driver seat height adjustment, rear spoiler etc would have been good to have.
So decided that henceforth for any new car, I will get only the top trim.

I listed out the differences between the top 3 variants for my reference - hope it helps you in making a decision.
The features at the bottom of the pic are common to all trims.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by swapzero

Few doubts on S Cross:
2. Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights?

This is a personal choice but the LED unit with DRL does look better than the halogen, IMO.
Just adding some info I had mentioned in another thread :
- Halogen headlights are 5500 for either left/right.
- LED unit is about 22000 for left and the right is costlier by 7-800Rs. assuming that the auto sensor would be located there.
- Auto headlight controller is a 30000 unit.

The LED setup is dearer by about 63,000 over the halogen unit (22000x2 + 30000 - 11000) so that makes up a big part of the cost delta, remaining being covered by the auto wipers, leatherette seats and ICE features.

Personally I would prefer the Zeta but would finalize only after looking at the LED unit's performance in rains and fog.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by swapzero

Will take another TD at night on narrower lanes to check the turning.

I think Govi's point was specific about U-turns, which is true and sometimes need to take three point turns.

For normal urban manoeuvring the dimensions are compact. I've taken the diesel MT through gullies, shouldn't be a deal them in an AT.

[amol4184]

They can fit world's best LED and it will still feel unreasonable to pay 1.6L premium for what is essentially a fast evolving everyday, extremely common technology.

The only way I'll give that much dough is if they also threw in AWD at that price but they don't, so no. The top end bling is unworthy of the price.

[DieselAnna]

Originally Posted by swapzero

What's important?
• Hassle free, easy maintenance car that I can hold for 8-10 years.
• Also a pleasure (if not downright fun) to drive. I am not an aggressive driver and would rarely cross 110/120 kmph so not looking for outright performance.
• Will be driven by my wife and my mother as well, so it should be easy to drive.
• Good safety
• Good road manners in City and highway.
• Decent ground clearance - Figo keeps scrapping bumpers when carrying 4/5 passengers.


Few doubts on S Cross:
1. Would the 4 speed Torque Converter be sufficient for highway driving?
2. Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights? Reading the thread on LED headlights I am confused on whether they are actually better than halogen or not.
3. Does lack of rear ac vents make a difference. Any inputs from existing owners would be valuable.

Hi,
I own a Scross 1.3 Alpha 2019 model. Sharing my observations with you here.

1. The TC Gearbox is sufficient to haul normal loads. But during heavy loads, you should expect some underwhelming performance.
2. The Alpha Headlights are white LED projectors. Please note, they will be just sufficient in city driving and you will have to upgrade for highway driving. So, it is a risk of voiding warranty. I upgraded the fog lights instead. Also, the stock Alpha lights are useless in rains. In Zeta, you could do simple bulb upgrade.
3. You won't miss the rear AC vents since MSIL ACs are very good in any condition. With simple additions like window curtains and 3m film, I am very much satisfied with the AC. I keep it at 24-25 always in Mumbai.
4. You are right about the leather seats. It won't hold on for 8-10 years. Mine is showing some ageing as the sheen is gone.
5. The car is very easy to drive with perfect ergonomics and good seating position. The ladies of the house will find no problems there.
6. City and Highway road manners are spot on. There is never a nervous moment. You'll miss a bigger engine here as the car is capable of more power.
7. GC is not an issue anywhere on normal city/rural roads. Be aware of the approach angle at some tight slopes of building entrances. I have scraped my front tow hook (below the bumper) twice .
8. It's a pretty much sorted car with good space and a roomy cabin, which is difficult to find in that segment.

Hope the above helps you in making the choice.

[BMW_Fan]

Wait for the 2022 S Cross, maybe it will be priced aggressively and is expected to come with a lot of features/upgrades which the the last gen lacks.

[anand.shankar]

I recently got the Zeta MT, yets its the most VFM varient, however after 3 months of usage here is muy take -

What I thought I'd miss -
Auto IVRM- the one thing I really wanted from the Alpha is the Auto IVRM, the OEM part is not a NEXA accessory, they have sick looking aftermarket kit, however, there are member who have done the DIY, the Auto IVRM is a direct fit, there are many smaller MASS ready to do the job as well. Cost 4K

What I also miss now after 2 months of usage -

- Stock lighting in the Zeta is sub par, period. If you do night drives on Highways, you will need an upgrade, the low beam is weak. Now am not sure how good the LEDs are on the Alpha, but at least upgrading it will be less expensive to upgrade the Alpha since its Twin beam setup.

- Leather Upholstery - My Punto's Beige Fabric seats held on real well for 6 years under harsh usage, I thought the fabric would do, but, but, but the fabric on the Zeta while it looks good, isnt as rugged, I have threads popping out here and there, also folds forming on the seat base. Its not alarming, but you will need a seat cover sooner or later.

Other features-

Auto H/L and Wipers - Dont care much for them, but makes your overall drive a little less fidgety I guess. I dont miss them much.

Rear LED Tail Lights - This gives the car a slightly upmarket Derrier, you can upgrade them later at ~9K.

[Mr.U]

We have a 2018 Alpha SCross which has covered covered a bit more than 50 thousand kms in 3 years with 85% running on the highways and a few huge road trips of which the longest was about 4500kms. The LEDs are boon for the night highway runs and so is the auto window wipers. The auto dimming IRVM is also very big plus for city as well has highway drives.

The Scross is perfectly sized for a city car ( we hve been using it in the narrow road of Dehradun) as well as a highway car.

You also want to hold the car for a long time so its always better to get the highest trim possible because over time some missing good to have but not necessary features do start to hurt.

If you are thinking of getting better bulbs/lamps from after market or any other such changes you will instantly lose your warranty and the fit and finish will never be the same as factory. As someone has already said before nothing can beat the factory finish.

Also the alpha is not a very popular trim for the already not so popular car, so you get some additional exclusivity.

I couldn’t resist, so just putting a pic of our road runner from one of many trips.

[nsbhagavath]

From an Alpha 2018 Owner

I agree, Zeta is the most VFM as many said. I had the same confusion couple of years back and below are some points which helped me opt for Alpha over Zeta

1. The LED projector headlamps with those DRL's looks damn good and offers good throw. Many existing owners are searching for aftermarket DRL options (Zeta/Delta) and personally nothing comes close to the OEM setup (wish turn indicators are incorporated in the existing DRL's like the latest gen Brezza)
   
2. Auto IRVM is must have.
   
3. Leather seats are of reasonable quality, still intact close to 4 years of usage. Steering leather has to be changed, no damage but grip/feel has diminished due to heavy use.
   
4. Upgraded my fogs to Bi-beam LED projectors, combined output is awesome which aids during my regular highway drives. For city usage, only the fogs are enough and main headlamp's are used for pass function ( get instant way )
   
5. Tail lamps are LED's and looks awesome. Have added 3-way LED strip (Normal/Brake/Turn) in place of the bumper reflector for aesthetic enhancement.
   
6. Auto Headlights with self levelling function and Auto Wipers. Many think these are of no use but personally you will get used to the practicality these offers.
   
7. Price difference over Zeta was 1 Lakh in 2018.
   
8. No warranty concerns with peace of mind as everything is available in OEM.

If budget is not a constraint go for the Alpha, it ages well. I have not regrets even after 4 years.

[suzuki san]

Hi Guys,

My friend has just booked an S Cross Zeta. I advised him to book this variant for the reasons listed below. He is not fussed about auto wipers and headlights. Certainly not bothered about LED lights as the car will probably never see a highway - at night anyway!

Slightly off topic... Can anyone here please tell me what is the GNCAP Rating for the 2021 SCross Zeta?

Slightly off topic again...I understand a new S Cross is being launched soon. Does anyone have the details of the new car? Is it worth waiting for the same? I guess it will be more expensive as it will be a hybrid?

Thanks in advance,
Regards,
SS

[matchvan]

Greetings,
As a fellow Zeta owner who clocked 47,000 kms in 2 years with 40 pecent kms covered in night driving, I advice you to go for Alpha variant.

Zeta lights are poor. Period.

I upgraded my bulbs with marginal improvement, but still I'm looking to replace the headlamps as soon as warranty period is over. I also got seat covers installed for 17k.

Infact I keep scouting for projector every week, and there's a good pair of Morimoto's in our very own classified section.

Not to mention the itch to DIY the Auto dimming IRVM. Thanks to the thread on that.

Every time I have night drives, I curse myself for not buying the Alpha.

Hope this helps.
Drive safe.

[swapzero]

Thanks a lot everyone for the invaluable feedback and advice.
I feel truly honored to be part of this wonderful community, where so many folks have taken the timeout to respond with detailed nuggets of wisdom to a newbie.
Based on all the suggestions so far, I have decided to go for the Alpha AT Variant.

Originally Posted by condor

4300k is closer to daylight. Our eyes are naturalised to this color temperature. And 4300k is much better in rains than 6000k. Less blinding to the other person, too.

Thanks. Yes white light can be blinding to others.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I listed out the differences between the top 3 variants for my reference - hope it helps you in making a decision.

That is a very detailed sheet. Thanks a ton for sharing this.
I am a bit wary of adding aftermarket additions.

Originally Posted by shancz

Just adding some info I had mentioned in another thread :
- Halogen headlights are 5500 for either left/right.
- LED unit is about 22000 for left and the right is costlier by 7-800Rs. assuming that the auto sensor would be located there.
- Auto headlight controller is a 30000 unit.

Thanks a lot. These price estimates are super helpful. I have a better idea of how much Maruti will be ripping me off for Alpha compared to adding these LEDs aftermarket. Good suggestion about checking in rains, I can't personally check in rains for another 6/ 7 months. But the feedback from others in the thread seems to be that the stock LED is not so great in rains

Originally Posted by narayans80

I think Govi's point was specific about U-turns, which is true and sometimes need to take three point turns.

For normal urban manoeuvring the dimensions are compact. I've taken the diesel MT through gullies, shouldn't be a deal them in an AT.

True. But it’s something worth checking as my current car is a first gen Figo and earlier was a first gen Santro with smaller turn radius.

Originally Posted by amol4184

The only way I'll give that much dough is if they also threw in AWD at that price but they don't, so no. The top end bling is unworthy of the price.

Good point. Maruti removed traction control that was present in earlier generations . Thankfully the top end is not full of chrome so less blingy compared to the Kias and other newer cars.

Originally Posted by DieselAnna

Hi,
I own a Scross 1.3 Alpha 2019 model. Sharing my observations with you here.

Thanks for sharing this. Very valuable feedback.
1. Did you go with LED fog lights or better halogens? Did it sufficiently improve the highway driving experience or do you still feel the need for better headlights?
2. Are sun-films allowed now in Mumbai? I had put Huper Optik sun film in my Figo that left a huge hole in my wallet. Faced no problem in Pune. But in Mumbai/ Thane I had to pay fines a few times, before I got tired and removed them. Was fined despite the sun-films having the appropriate visibility. This was in 2017 IIRC.
3. Leather sheets showing aging in only 2 years does not inspire confidence in the quality.

Originally Posted by BMW_Fan

Wait for the 2022 S Cross, maybe it will be priced aggressively and is expected to come with a lot of features/upgrades which the the last gen lacks.

I am very much tempted too. I will at least wait till the 25 Nov announcement to see if I should wait it out. I am not sure if they will launch it in India in 2022 or 2023. And 2023 sounds very distant, though the past 2 years in pandemic seem to have gone by in a blink.

Originally Posted by anand.shankar

I recently got the Zeta MT, yets its the most VFM varient, however after 3 months of usage here is my take -

Thanks a lot for the feedback.
Fabric seats having threads popping out in 2 months seems quite poor quality control. My 11 year Figo's seats look pristine, despite not being cared for.
While I don't care much about Auto H/L and wipers, I think mom and wife may find it useful.

Originally Posted by Mr.U

We have a 2018 Alpha SCross which has covered covered a bit more than 50 thousand kms in 3 years with 85% running on the highways and a few huge road trips of which the longest was about 4500kms. The LEDs are boon for the night highway runs and so is the auto window wipers. The auto dimming IRVM is also very big plus for city as well has highway drives.

Thanks for sharing this. Good to hear that you find the stock LEDs sufficient for nigh highway runs.
Good point about auto-IRVM. I use the manual switch in my Figo, but my mom and wife never got used to it. So auto-IRVM might be a boon to them.
Agree with you on the highest trim.
The road runner looks quite nice in this color.

Originally Posted by nsbhagavath

From an Alpha 2018 Owner
I agree, Zeta is the most VFM as many said. I had the same confusion couple of years back and below are some points which helped me opt for Alpha over Zeta

1. Thanks a lot for your feedback. Yes the LEDs definitely help make the car look better.
2. I have never used Auto IRVM, so your feedback is useful.
3. Which LED projectors did you upgrade to for fogs. Is it a plug and play replacement without any warranty impact?
4. Would love to see a photo of the 3 way LED strip if you could share.

Originally Posted by suzuki san

Slightly off topic... Can anyone here please tell me what is the GNCAP Rating for the 2021 SCross Zeta?

Slightly off topic again...I understand a new S Cross is being launched soon. Does anyone have the details of the new car? Is it worth waiting for the same? I guess it will be more expensive as it will be a hybrid?

I could not find the GNCAP rating either. remember seeing statements online that it’s 5 stars, but nothing that could be verified.
We will have to wait till 25 Nov to for the global launch. Though what comes to India and when is unknown.
I had asked the Nexa salesperson. She claimed Maruti gives them a 6 months heads-up of new models, but she had not heard anything. I don't know if that’s the truth or whether she was just trying to dissuade me from waiting.

Originally Posted by matchvan

Greetings,
As a fellow Zeta owner who clocked 47,000 kms in 2 years with 40 pecent kms covered in night driving, I advice you to go for Alpha variant.

Zeta lights are poor. Period.

Thanks a lot for your advice. I will go for Alpha based on your and others' advice.

[dust-n-bones]

Originally Posted by swapzero

We will have to wait till 25 Nov to for the global launch. Though what comes to India and when is unknown.
I had asked the Nexa salesperson. She claimed Maruti gives them a 6 months heads-up of new models, but she had not heard anything. I don't know if that’s the truth or whether she was just trying to dissuade me from waiting.

I feel the imminent arrival of the next-gen is something one should pay attention to.

Even if it takes 5-6 months to arrive, would one be comfortable with an old-gen model for the majority of the 8+ years of ownership, specially when the car is already dated on the date of purchase?
If you have no urgency, there is a case for waiting for the launch. Or going for a 2-3 year old s-cross could save some dough for you.

All the best.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by swapzero

Based on all the suggestions so far, I have decided to go for the Alpha AT Variant.

Good call, reading the experiences makes sense.

Originally Posted by suzuki san

Can anyone here please tell me what is the GNCAP Rating for the 2021 SCross Zeta?

S-Cross isn't GNCAP rated. The NCAP rating being talked about is ASEAN NCAP as shown here.

Although safety kit may vary but the structure and build is similar to that model if not the same and hence the reputation of a safe car which is reasonable IMO

[MaheshY1]

If ground clearance is all you want, a used Freestyle diesel will do well. Because of the Ford exit, they're going for peanuts. Even the regular Figo has 175mm of it. With a little bit of tyre upgrade (taller sidewall) you can easily get closer to 200 with the Freestyle and 185+ on the Figo.

The S-Cross has only 180mm. I'm driving a Beat with 5% taller sidewall (~184mm ground clearance) and with 4 adults, it occasionally scrapes its bottom.

If you absolutely want to stick with a new car, then I think you're better off with the Nexon diesel AMT, or Sonet turbo ACMT (auto clutch), Sonet diesel TC AT, or Seltos 1.5L ACMT.