Personal Choice

Exterior The car looks simple and definitely not a head turner. But it isnt too bad and is something we can live with. The build is good and definitely better than the currently available cars from MS. Double barrel headlamps would have been nicer. It appears small in the pictures, but in reality its quite a long car.  

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The interior quality is good, but definitely not in the league of Hyundais. The power window switches are not illuminated and the quality of these switches are not up to the mark. The in car entertainment system is good with steering mounted controls. Im really not sure regarding the quality of the system. Yes, it has bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming. The indash navigation is good with quick GPS lock times. I have not used the navigation system extensively to write more about it. The automatic climate control AC is missed and so is the rear AC vents. The 1.3 Zeta gets automatic AC. 

The best feature is the space management. I usually take long to find my ideal driving position, but not so in this car. Its close to perfect. The rear seats are very comfortable with ample knee room with the front seats pushed all the way back. The underthigh support could have been better for tall people, but generally would be adequate. There is no lumbar support for the front seats and the passenger seat is not height adjustable. Leather seat covers are reserved for the top variants only. The steering and gear knobs are leather wrapped. 

The boot is sufficient but is lesser than competition and could have been a bit larger. 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox A gem of an engine. Drivability is good and the torque is addictive. The car reaches the ton in quick time and is not apparent till you see the needle. Below 1800rpm downshift is a must for quick moves, but the engine will still pull from a highre gear, albeight slower. Gearbox is good, not as snappy as the one on the swift, but slots perfectly each time. The 6th gear is a boon for relaxed cruising as well. A light tap on the accelerator is all that is needed to overtake when cruising in the powerband.

Ride Quality & Handling The ride quality is surprisingly good and comfortable. Rides over bad roads are very comfortable with minimal roll. It might not be the segment leader, but still is better than many other cars. The NVH levels are well contained at city limits and one can hardly hear the engine while idling. The steering is light at slow speed and gradually weighs up. Though not the benchmark, it still does the job both in the city as well as the highway.

Final Words I personally feel Marutis are always over priced and the same holds good for this car too. It is not a VFM car. If we look beyond this, this is a new segment for MS and I think they have done quite well. I do think the S cross owes its success largely because it was launched in UK and Australia much earlier and has tasted moderate success there. It might not set the sales chart on fire, but sure might do better than expected. But MS is busy promoting Baleno, so this might take the back seat for now. 

Areas of improvement Rear AC vents, Auto AC, Double barrel headlamps, better switches, Tweeters at the back.

Engine, Driving Position, Rear Seat Comfort,Lack of ESP, Rear AC Vents. Auto AC only in Alpha 1.6