Renault Duster vs competition

Renault Duster

What you'll like:

• A Duster on steroids! 154 BHP motor has transformed its personality
• Very fast & loads of fun on the open road. Punchy mid-range will leave you grinning
• Turbo-petrol's refinement levels are terrific, including at high rpm
• Smooth CVT automatic available. It's quick too
• Mature ride quality & sorted dynamics
• The Duster is still a good-looking crossover. Exterior styling has aged well
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction
• Practical boot (475 - 1064 liters of cargo capacity)
• Fair pricing for a 154 BHP crossover. Lakhs cheaper than the Creta / Seltos 1.4 Turbos
• ESP is a crucial safety feature in a fast car, while Hill Hold is very useful with a laggy engine
• 205 mm of ground clearance. Dismisses broken roads with aplomb

What you won't:

• 1.3L turbo-petrol suffers lag at low revs. It's very easy to stall too
• Duster's terribly old & outdated interiors are the biggest deal-breaker
• Feature list is basic by current times (no sunroof or keyless entry & go, just 2 airbags...)
• Ride quality is good, but retuned suspension & 17" rims have taken the "magic" away
• Price premium of ~2 lakhs for the turbo-petrol & 1.6 lakhs for the CVT is way too high
• Red highlights all over the car look extremely garish; we'd get them removed
• The next-gen Duster is already on sale globally, but Renault won't bring it here
• Workhorse 1.5L diesel & competent AWD are gone!!!
• Mediocre rear seat legroom. More like C1 segment sedans than C2
• Road & wind noise are prominent at high speed
• Renault's after-sales service quality is inconsistent

Link to review

Nissan Kicks

Link to Launch Thread

Hyundai Creta

What you'll like:

• A superbly engineered all-rounder that delivers a premium experience
• We find the Hyundai Creta to be well-priced for what it offers
• User-friendly interiors with sufficient space & good quality parts
• Loved the 1.4L turbo-petrol & 1.5L diesel. These are fantastic engines
• Smooth & competent automatic gearboxes available. With the useful "auto-hold" feature too
• Sorted road manners & handling for a Hyundai, including on the highway. You will be surprised!
• The Creta's safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS etc.
• Impressive kit (panoramic sunroof, paddle shifters, Bose sound system, cooled seats, cabin air purifier & loads more)
• Hyundai's competent after-sales service, fuss-free ownership & upto 5-years standard warranty

What you won't:

• Oddball love it or hate it styling. We find the Creta's exterior design to be too weird & futuristic
• Firmer suspension isn't as cushy as the 1st-gen Creta. It is more comfortable than the Seltos though
• Back seat's width makes it better for 2 adults and a kid, rather than 3 adults
• Some misses (no auto wipers, 360-degree camera, illuminated window buttons, full-size spare tyre on top trims)
• Dual-clutch ATs (like the Hyundai Creta Petrol DCT) have a history of poor reliability in India
• Diesel’s 113 BHP & 250 Nm – [I]although adequate[/I] – are the lowest in the segment. Old 1.6L CRDi was superior
• No manual transmission available with the fast 1.4L Petrol (Seltos offers this combo)
• The stiffer Seltos has an edge in the handling department. IMHO, the Kia is better looking too
• You get bigger SUVs & Crossovers for the same money (e.g. Hector, Harrier, XUV500)

Link to Review

Kia Seltos

What you'll like:

• A superbly engineered all-rounder that delivers a premium experience
• Handsome, contemporary styling. Looks very sharp
• We find the Seltos to be well-priced for what it offers
• Nice, user-friendly interiors with sufficient space & good quality
• Loved the 1.4L turbo-petrol & 1.5L diesel. They are BS6 compliant too
• Both the automatics - Diesel AT & Petrol DCT - are simply fantastic!
• Mature on-road behavior, including at highway speeds. A+ brakes as well
• Unusually wide variant offering. Seems there is something for everyone
• Top safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, blind spot monitor, TPMS etc.
• Impressive kit (360 degree camera, HUD, front parking sensors, Bose sound system, cooled seats, cabin air purifier & loads more)

What you won't:

• Firm suspension. Liveable, but bad roads will bother you (especially on 17" wheel variants)
• Back seat's width makes it better for 2 adults and a kid, rather than 3 adults
• Niggles are being reported by owners (details here)
• Some misses (no paddle shifters or illuminated window buttons, thinner spare tyre on top trims, no dual-tone option on GTX+ / HTX+)
• Dual-clutch ATs (like the Petrol DCT) have a history of poor reliability in India
• Diesel’s 113 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – are the lowest in the segment
• Extremely confusing & complicated variant spread. We still haven’t gotten the hang of it!
• Kia's after-sales service quality is an unknown. We await details in our ownership reports
• Waiting periods are already a couple of months long for some trims
• You get bigger SUVs & Crossovers for the same money (e.g. Hector, Harrier, XUV500)

Link to Review

MG Hector

What you'll like:

• Big size & lots of bling for the money! We find the Hector to be well-priced
• A spacious cabin that can easily seat 5 adults. Massive 587 litre boot too
• Fiat-sourced 2.0L diesel is simply fantastic
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension is tuned for comfort
• Lots of kit (panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric seats & tailgate etc.)
• ‘Connected’ Tablet ICE with an embedded SIM & lovely sound quality
• 5-year / unlimited km warranty with roadside assistance
• Top safety equipment includes 6 airbags, ESP, HSA, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS & more

What you won't:

• Awkward styling on the side & rear profiles. Looks weird from some angles
• Sloppy high-speed handling, noticeable body roll & easy understeer
• The petrol engine is “adequate” at best. Its guzzling Automatic variant is unimpressive
• No Diesel AT (Creta, Seltos, XUV500, Hexa offer this combination, which we love)
• Some annoyances like the ~6 meter turning radius, no auto-dimming IRVM, strange rpm meter…
• Small after-sales network. Service quality & long-term reliability are big unknowns
• Waiting period runs into a couple of months
• Don’t get blinded by the British branding. This is a Chinese car

Link to Review

Maruti S-Cross

What you’ll like:

• Solid build & good quality, inside out
• Competent 1.5L petrol offers excellent driveability & practicality
• Smooth torque-converter AT. Gets SHVS tech too
• Mature ride & handling package. High speed behaviour is exceptional
• Practical interiors, spacious cabin and supportive seats
• Features such as LED headlamps, cruise control, auto headlamps & wipers etc.
• Maruti's excellent after-sales support network

What you won’t:

• This 1.5L petrol motor is uninvolving to drive. Enthusiasts, look elsewhere
• 4-speed Automatic gearbox feels old & outdated. No manual mode or paddle shifters either
• No diesel option! Maruti’s BS6 1.5L diesel engine is still some time away
• AT option has a steep Rs. 1.24 lakh ex-showroom premium (will be more on-the-road)
• Unappealing styling. Looks like a big hatchback (not a crossover / SUV). Is quite old too
• Missing features by 2020 standards (6 airbags, sunroof, wireless phone charging etc.)
• 353 liter boot - though well shaped - is small for a car of this size & positioning

Link to Review

Click here to read BHPian comments.

Maruti S-Cross Plus launch on Oct. 11, 2020.

Maruti is gearing up to launch a new variant of the S-Cross. Based on the base Sigma variant, it will be called as the S-Cross Plus.

In terms of new features, we have learnt that the S-Cross Plus will get a 7-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a rear parking camera and chrome elements like a window frame kit and more.

The S-Cross is powered by a BS6-compliant, 1.5-litre petrol engine that comes with a mild-hybrid system. The engine produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. The mild-hybrid system uses a lithium-ion dual battery and has idle start-stop, torque assist and brake energy regeneration functions. As the Plus version is based on the Sigma, it is likely that the carmaker will offer only a manual transmission option.

The S-Cross Plus is also expected to come equipped with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

Thanks to Akshat M for sending these images in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing them with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

Maruti launched this ugly duckling back in 2015, but it instantly won over enthusiasts. Why? Because of that powerful 1.6L Fiat diesel engine, good quality & build and European car-like road manners. The 1.6 engine was a sales flop though because it was outrageously priced. Maruti gave the S-Cross an ordinary 1.3L diesel too, which wouldn't be our choice, but it did alright in the market (especially after the 2017 facelift). Recently, the company introduced the familiar 1.5L petrol variant. 

Positives
• Solid build & good quality, inside out
• Powerful 1.6L diesel with 320 Nm of torque. Superb mid-range and top-end performance
• Mature ride & handling package. High speed behaviour is excellent
• Practical interiors, spacious cabin and supportive seats
• Fuss-free ownership, thanks to Maruti's after-sales service network
• All variants get 4 wheel disc brakes, ABS & dual airbags
• Feature loaded: Bi-xenon or LED headlamps, leather seats, cruise control, 7" touchscreen ICE etc. 

Negatives
• Unappealing styling. Looks like a big hatchback (not a crossover / SUV)
• 1.6L diesel variant has a laggy bottom-end
• 1.6L diesel (our choice) isn't an easy find in the used market
• 1.3L diesel offers very ordinary performance. Nothing special about it
• No AT options in the used market, or even a petrol!
• 353 liter boot - though well shaped - is small for a car of this size & positioning
• Noise insulation is below average for a premium car

Related Threads

• Official Review, Facelift and 2020 S-Cross Petrol
• Dr.Naren's Stage 3 S-Cross 1.6L Alpha
• Mi10's Maruti S-Cross 1.6 DDiS 320
• benzinblut's pre-worshipped S-Cross 1.6
• Keynote's 1.6L S-Cross
• grease.monkey's Pandemonium - a modified S-Cross 1.6
• Sudden death of the DDiS 320 engine
• laluks' Kungfu Panda - S-Cross 1.3L Facelift 
• ajay_satpute's 1.3L Zeta variant
• sudeepg's 1.3L S-Cross 
• sandygordon's S-Cross DDiS 200 Alpha 

Mod Potential:

Get a nice set of alloys along with some chrome delete and see the car transform visually. A remap will get you that performance bump. Overall mod options are just like that for any mainstream car. 

Source

Availability: 

While the 1.6L engine sold in very few quantities, you can get yourself a 1.3L easily. Owners of the 1.6L S-Cross are holding on to it for its performance and due to the fact that the car ages well. Check out some of the examples on sale here.

Click here to read BHPian comments!

What you'll like:

• Solid build & good quality, inside out
• Competent 1.5L petrol offers excellent driveability & practicality
• Smooth torque-converter AT. Gets SHVS tech too
• Mature ride & handling package. High speed behaviour is exceptional
• Practical interiors, spacious cabin and supportive seats
• Features such as LED headlamps, cruise control, auto headlamps & wipers etc.
• Maruti's excellent after-sales support network

What you won't:

• This 1.5L petrol motor is uninvolving to drive. Enthusiasts, look elsewhere
• 4-speed Automatic gearbox feels old & outdated. No manual mode or paddle shifters either
• No diesel option! Maruti’s BS6 1.5L diesel engine is still some time away
• AT option has a steep Rs. 1.24 lakh ex-showroom premium (will be more on-the-road)
• Unappealing styling. Looks like a big hatchback (not a crossover / SUV). Is quite old too
• Missing features by 2020 standards (6 airbags, sunroof, wireless phone charging etc.)
• 353 liter boot - though well shaped - is small for a car of this size & positioning

Driving the 1.5L Petrol MT

Five years after launch, the S-Cross finally receives a petrol engine - the 1,462cc, 4-cylinder K15 that puts out 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. This petrol motor will be the only option available until Maruti is ready with its BS6-compliant 1.5L diesel. The petrol engine is shared with the Ciaz, Ertiga, XL6 and Vitara Brezza. Note that the placement of the air intake is different compared to the other Maruti cars.

While the power figure is higher than the outgoing car's 1.3L 89 BHP diesel engine, it is of no match to some of the modern turbo-petrols in the segment - like the Creta + Seltos' 138 BHP, or the Duster + Kicks 1.3L's 154 BHP! Customers will also have to forget that characteristic mid-range punch and excellent fuel efficiency of the old S-Cross diesel. With the switch to petrol, the S-Cross' weight has gone down to 1,130 kg. The car's power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios are 91 BHP / ton and 122 Nm / ton.

The engine fires up with very little noise and without transmitting any vibrations to the cabin. At idle, it is silent. Press the clutch and you'll find that it is not as light as that of the Ciaz, but is still friendly enough. The gear shifter is light & smooth to use as well.

Release the clutch gradually and the car moves forward without any throttle input. You can even pull away from a standstill in 2nd gear, albeit with some extra accelerator input! Throttle response is quite satisfactory. Power comes in smooth & seamless. Low-speed driveability is good and in the lower gears, the car can pull reasonably well at anything over 1,000 rpm, though it is comfortable post 1,300 rpm. The way the engine is tuned makes the S-Cross a practical car to drive in urban surroundings. What's more, the 1.5L is refined at low revs.

Out on the open road, the car feels adequately quick, but far from being really f-a-s-t. Simply no comparison to the turbo-petrols of the competition. The S-Cross 1.5L is also more of a 'cruiser' rather than a 'racer'. Power delivery is linear and there is enough performance available to get the job done. When pushed, the engine revs to 6,300 rpm. And with a full load of passengers & cargo, you will need to work it hard at times. The S-Cross is more suited to a sedate driving style. Maruti appears to have shortened the gearing for the heavier S-Cross. 100 km/h is seen @ ~3,000 rpm, that's 400 more than in the Ciaz. This will affect your long-distance FE a bit.

We feel that the rev limit of 6,300 rpm is very conservative. Sometimes, in the middle of overtaking manoeuvres, you have to shift up. For the sake of comparison, we'll mention that many other 1.5L petrols touch 7,000 rpm and are more revv-happy too. The best way to sum up this engine is that it's 'adequate' & 'practical'.

Coming to NVH levels, the engine is silent while idling and acceptably refined at low revs. However, it is audible above 2,500 rpm. You can always hear the motor when you are accelerating. It starts getting loud post 3,500 rpm, and a lot more so after 4,500 rpm. At higher speeds, there is a fair amount of wind & road noise that filters into the cabin.

In the area of fuel economy, the S-Cross MT carries an ARAI rating of 18.55 km/l.

The Delta, Zeta and Alpha variants are equipped with cruise control, while ABS + EBD are standard on all variants. The handling, steering and braking of the S-Cross petrol are similar to the outgoing car's (read = very good).

Read Team-BHP's detailed Maruti S-Cross Review.

The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is now available with a 1.5-litre Smart Hybrid petrol engine. It comes in four variants - Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha and prices start at Rs. 8.39 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The S-Cross is powered by a BS6-compliant, 1.5-litre petrol engine that comes with a mild-hybrid system. The engine produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. The mild-hybrid system uses a lithium-ion dual battery and has idle start-stop, torque assist and brake energy regeneration functions. Customers get a choice of either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. The automatic variants come with hill hold assist feature.

The S-Cross 1.5L Petrol comes equipped with a host of features including cruise control, rain sensing wipers, automatic projector LED headlamps and reverse parking camera with park assist. The car also gets a 7-inch SmartPlay Studio touchscreen infotainment head-unit that is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Speaking of safety features, the S-Cross comes with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child safety seat anchors as standard across all variants.

Variant-wise ex-showroom prices:

MT:

Sigma: Rs. 8,39,000

Delta: Rs. 9,60,000

Zeta: Rs. 9,95,000

Alpha: Rs. 11,15,500

AT:

Delta: Rs. 10,83,500

Zeta: Rs. 11,18,500

Alpha: Rs. 12,39,000

The upcoming Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.5L petrol has been spotted at a dealer yard.

Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to introduce the S-Cross 1.5L petrol later this month. Dealerships have started accepting bookings and the booking amount is set at Rs. 11,000.

Maruti hasn't made any changes to the exterior or the interior of the S-Cross 1.5L petrol. The variant seen here is equipped with projector headlamps and has dual-tone alloy wheels. Inside, it has a touchscreen infotainment head-unit. This particular car is equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission.

The S-Cross will be powered by a BS6-compliant, 1.5-litre petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system. The engine produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. In addition to the 5-speed manual gearbox, the S-Cross 1.5L petrol could also get an optional 4-speed automatic transmission.

Source

Maruti Suzuki dealerships have started accepting pre-bookings for the S-Cross 1.5L petrol. Customers can book the car online or at a Nexa dealership. The booking amount has been set at Rs. 11,000.

The S-Cross will be powered by a BS6-compliant, 1.5-litre petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system. The engine produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. The engine will be paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

While Maruti is yet to announce the launch date, media reports suggest that the S-Cross 1.5L Petrol could be launched on August 5, 2020. The crossover could be offered in four variants - Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha. The automatic transmission is likely to be available in Delta, Zeta and Alpha trims.

According to a media report, Maruti Suzuki is likely to launch the S-Cross 1.5-litre petrol version on August 5, 2020.

The S-Cross 1.5L petrol was initially scheduled to go on sale in April, this year, but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. It was reported that the car could be launched at the end of July, however Maruti seems to have re-scheduled the launch once again.

The S-Cross will be powered by a BS6-compliant 1.5-litre petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system which produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. The engine will be paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Reports suggest that the Maruti S-Cross 1.5L petrol will be offered in four variants - Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha. The automatic transmission is likely to be available in Delta, Zeta and Alpha trims.

Source

The Maruti S-Cross 1.5-litre petrol version is expected to be launched on July 28, 2020. Sales training for the car has commenced.

The S-Cross is expected to come with LED projector lamps, rear disc brakes, 60:40 split seat, telescopic steering and automatic climate control.

Powering the S-Cross could be a BS6-compliant 1.5-litre petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system which produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. The engine is expected to be paired to a 5-speed manual transmission as well as a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The mild hybrid system could be offered in the manual and the automatic variants.

Thanks to BHPian LeoShashi for sharing this with other enthusiasts!

Sales training for the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.5-litre petrol version has commenced. A soft launch could be expected soon.

According to the image, one of the cars benchmarked against the S-Cross could be the Kia Seltos. The crossover is expected to get features like the LED projector lamps, rear disc brakes, 60:40 split seat, telescopic steering and automatic climate control.

The S-Cross is expected to be offered with a BS6-compliant 1.5-litre petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system. It produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. Maruti Suzuki might offer a 5-speed manual transmission as standard, while a 4-speed automatic gearbox could be available as an option.

Thanks to BHPian LeoShashi for sharing this with other enthusiasts!