In India, the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross was the first offering from the Indo-Japanese automaker, under its premium brand, NEXA. While internationally available since 2013, it came to India in 2014 and next year we will get a mid-life update which is now on sale in Europe. After an online reveal a few months ago, it was showcased at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
On first impression, the S-Cross facelift appears to be more distinctive and upright. The imposing design of the grille gives the car more presence than before and this is helped further by an increase in height, from 165mm to an SUV-like 180mm. The chrome surround of the grille now extends up to the headlamps which are now sharper and incorporates the projector lamps surrounded by the LED strips of daytime running lights. The front bumpers too get an imposing character now, with all black skid plates. There is an L-shaped chrome insert beneath the circular fog lamps. At the rear, the redesigned tail lamps receive an LED treatment lending a fresh air to the car.
On the inside, the car has been updated with soft touch plastics for the dashboard and new colour highlights for the centre console. Some variants of the car will come with new fabric design for the upholstery. The top-end version will get a sliding panoramic sunroof as standard.
The standard feature list on the European spec variant includes seven airbags, ESP, Bluetooth, digital radio, daytime running lights (DRLs), 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, heated door mirrors, and black wheel arch extensions. The most expensive top-spec models get the satellite navigation, rear parking camera, four-mode ALLGRIP system, dual zone auto air-condition, radar brake support (RBS), and heated front leather seats. We believe that the Indian model of this facelift will lose a few features to keep costs in check.
The S-Cross will now have three engine options rather than two. The 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine, previously seen in the Vitara Brezza, which makes 111bhp and 170Nm of torque between 2000rpm and 3500rpm will also be available for the S-Cross. The other two engines are the same 1.6-litre DDiS with 88bhp and a torque output of 320Nm from 1750rpm using a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) and the 1.3-litre diesel engine putting out 89bhp and 200Nm of torque.
Pricing of the S-Cross facelift will be between Rs 8-12 lakh. So when arriving in India next year, the S-Cross will need to be ready to face the competition from Hyundai Creta, Ford Ecosport and Renault Duster.
