Competes with SUVs but its a crossover
The S Cross was launched in Indian automarket back in 2015. After that , car received 2 facelifts. One of them is received in 2020. This facelifted version fulfils BSVI emission norms. Let’s talk about how good is it.
Exteriors –
The exteriors of this cars are good and look premium. The lights are full LED which are bright and also comes with DRL’s. The grill gets a chrome treatment and Suzuki’s logo at the center. Silver skid plates and chrome treatment on the front gives a sporty look. Definitely these things put smile on your face. Side profile is not also much changed. The black wheel arches(cladding) retains the SUVness of this car. Not much to talk about the rear.
Interors –
The car really shines when it comes to the interiors. Quality of materials used in it is much nice and that makes the interiors feel more premium. Use of Hard plastics , soft touch materials and leather treatment done very smartly and gives you premium feel. MID is analog and still manages to tell about DTE , temperature and all that stuff. The infotainment system to which Suzuki calls smartplay studio is 7.0 inch and you might feel it smaller as compared to newer cars. Cupholders are placed well and the place below the front armrest is noot much good but still it is okay. The glove box is okay in terms of space. The rear seat is so good in terms of legroom but it lacks rear ac vents and rear charging point too. Isn’t it surprising? The third person won’t feel good as there is no any headrest on offer. The windows are big and due to them cabin feels airy and roomy. When it comes to roomy and airy cabin you might feel the lack of sunroof. Being a flagship car from market leader , buyer could expect these things. The boot is 360litres which is good and if you want more room , fold the seats and you’ll get plenty of space. 60:40 split is offered by seats. Let’s talk about safety , ride and handling.
Safety –
The S Cross does well in safety department. It scores 4 stars in Global NCAP. You might feel disappointing as it comes with only 2 airbags. Being a flagship car I expect 6 airbags. The features like ABS , EBD are offered as standard while ESP , Hill hold assists are offered in higher variants.
Ride and Handling –
Now the car comes with BSVI emissions , the engine is changed and now it comes 1.5L petrol engine which Suzuki calls K15 engine which produces 105hp and 138nm of torque which is not sufficient for a car of its size I feel personally. The refinement is so nice and now it has became more smoother. The power delivery is nice , good throttle response and fuel economy of 18.5 kmpl for manual and 18.4 kmpl for auto which is good. Thanks to its SHVS (Smart Hybrid Behivle by Suzuki) system which helps you to get good mileage and power. SHVS does its job nicely which is brake energy regeneration. The steering is light but you might not feel good when it comes to feedback. The clutch is not heavy which lets you drive in heavy traffic easily. But one thing you’ll miss and that is the punch that the diesel engine used to offer. The diesel engine was more puchier and had more torque than this one. Still it manages to give all the performance you need while a quick overtake. The suspension is on stiffer side. That stiff suspension makes this car more stable at high speeds. When it comes to transmission , ot offers both 5 speed manual and 4 speed AT torque converter gearbox. 4 speed AT feels more old school especially when the cars are getting 10 speed AT the S Cross is still stucked with its old school gearbox. The engine is not turbocharged. If we talk about Venue with whom it doesn’t compete is offerd with 1L turbocharged engine. That offeres more power and toque as compared to this car. But the power you get from this vehicle is not also too bad. The overall driving experience is good and the features like Auto headlamps and rain sensing wipers and cruise control give more premium experience. You’ll not feel that you are driving the SUV(crossover). It feels like a hatchback while driving and these things give you confidence and the 16 inch wheels and all disc brakes lets you lead the way with confidence.
How friendly it is with pocket –
Price of S Cross ranges between 8 lakhs to 14 lakhs and the features it offers makes it a value for money package.
Pros –
1. Good Exteriors
2. Premium Interiors.
3. SHVS technology
Cons –
1. 7 inch infotainment system might feel small.
2. Lack of headrest for the person at middle.
3. Lack of rear AC vents and 12V charging socket.
4. Lack of 6 airbags and Sunroof.
Competition-
The S Cross compares with Hyundai Creta , Kia Seltos , Tata Nexon , Mahindra XUV300.
If you want a car which does good at features , drive and value for money then S Cross will be a great pick for you. If you are looking for a car which is good at performance and comfort then you should prefer one of the remaining cars.
MOTORBUZZ 