One year of driving 1.3 ZETA S-CROSS

Exterior Personally I like the exterior design. But paint quality is not very good. Somehow I feel the car does not glitter as it should. 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Excellent black interiors. The car offers a very comfortable seating for the driver and the passengers. In last one year I have driven the car mainly on highways on streches ranging from 900km to 1600km...that too alone. Believe me, its so comfortable driving that you hardly feel any fatigue,at least till 600-700 kn in one strech. AC is good. In city, my son and wife say that the back seats are very comfortable. 60/40 seat split allows the leverage to pull down either of the two or both, and increases luggage space significantly. The Music System is loaded with features which assist in confortable and safe driving. Boot space is enough to load luggage for 5 passengers on a weekend holiday. Only drawback being the inadequate sound insulation. Tyre/road friction sound increases as you gain speed. Engine noise too. Some body parts too rattle, adding to the cabin noise.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Its for people who prefer BHP over Torque. Fuel economy reduces significantly as you go beyond 1750 RPM. On highway its normal for the revs to go beyond 1750 RPM. My car gives 19-20km/litre on highway and about 24km/litre under normal city driving. Gear shifting is smooth. Engine noise leaks significantly in the cabin which is annoying, especially on highway. 

Ride Quality & Handling Ride quality is a pleasure. Suspension is good. Ground clearance is enough for Indian roads if the driver drives sanely. The car is heavy so it kisses the road while driving on high speed and gives that feeling of a very smooth drive without sways. Braking is not very impressive. Probably, there's something in my car brakes which the service center has not been able to rectify. The brakes of the test car were impressive. I will get a detailed check up done for my car in the next service.

Final Words Excellent Car. For people who prefer BHP over Torque. However, the 1.6L version will offer Torque and BHP both, but for me the 1.6 L cost was huge. 1.3 L ZETA a lovely car, very comfortable, a beast on the highway, very safe (exception my brakes). Owners, take good care of your car and the s-cross has the ability to take you to the length & breadth of India, Kudos to the Maruti team for coming out with such a good car.

Areas of improvement Braking, Cabin Sound Insulation, the hood of the engine is not properly secured, it vibrates and adds to the noise. Some body part rattling is also audible.

Excellent Black Interiors, Very comfortable seats for driver and passengersJust average fuel economy, Insufficient Sound insulation, Body rattling