மாருதி சுஸுகி எஸ்-கிராஸ் [2014-2017] யூசர் ரிவ்யுஸ்

The car is well built with some nice curves and ofcourse with a shabby set of alloys . The use of high tensile steel adds to the built quality and strength. The quality has been improved drastically from the previous cars from the manufacturer. Ofcourse some may not like the overall design as we have got used to the curves and cuts of the other cars we see from Hyundai, ford etc etc. But I do believe that looks do decieve at times.

I test drove the S Cross 1.3 Alfa a few days ago. I was so impressed. I wanted to buy a decent car in the price range of 10 - 14 L ( Onroad price ). I tested i20 Active, Elite, Ecosport and Creta. After testing all these I found S cross is a good buy. The reason being as follows.

1. The Ecosport is Sub 4 m and its small size is very much felt and the handling is also not that great.

2. The i20 Elite and Active also the same. But the looks do decieve a lot where it fails on many issues. Built Quality, Ride quality and other small issues did made me drift away. The same with Creta and only thing which made me take a test drive is its a 4+ mtr vehicle. Nothing more exceptional and over priced.  

Now to mention about S cross, People say its overpriced. Yes I do agree it is over priced for some variants ( Especially the 1.6 ). Just check out for the 1.3 l ZETA variant. It is amazingly priced. Look at the features

7 inch Infotainment system with touch and voice commands including GPS Navigation

Cruise Control,

Climate control A/C,

Push Start / Stop with smart key,

Tilt and telescopic steering coloumn,

All four alloys with decent set of tyres (Not excellent but decent for a 1.3  powered car),

All four disc brakes,

ABS and EBD,

Dual air bags,

Option of opening all 5 doors or only the driver door when the smart key is brought within the range.

And there are many features viz multi display speedo console, electrically adjustable and folding ORVM etc etc are a few to mention.

With all these it is 11,53,000 inr onroad in chennai. I didnt find a car with all these features at this price in the market. With MS pricing smartly at 9,99,000 ex showroom for the 1.3 Zeta with a mere 1000 rs, the customer is benefited of 5% tax as the vehicle is below 10,00,000 inr. So I do feel that this is a very good buy for this price range.

When I did a  test drive of the 1.3 Alfa ( As they dont have a Zeta Test Drive vehicle ) I felt the car really do handle well. The clutc is really very soft and the gear shift was smooth too. The road bumps and pot holes were taken care of the excellent shock obsorbers. The steering feel is very good while driving in the city and at speeds of 100 or 110 ( The max i tried ) the car stayed rigid on road and never felt any kind of sway or lightness on the steering . This impressed me well as I'm not a guy who does high speeds ( above 120 or so ). I did like the all black interior as it gives a sporty feel and the silver lining adds a premium look. The seats are very supportive and are very comfortable. Especially the arm rests for the driver is very comfortable and surely I will enjoy it while i go on long drives.

MS should have thought about the shabby looking Alloys for this nice car and I really don't understand how they could miss out on something which pulls down the appearance of the car to a large extent.

Overall it's worth buying a 1.3 l ZETA.

Built Quality,Space, Features, Handling, Comforts,, VFMAlloys, Price of 1.6 variants

I am using S-Cross (1.3L Zeta) since last 10 days, the car has awesome interior. It has ample of leg space infact much more than Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano and Hyundai Creta. S-Cross has descent pick up and power. I am getting the mileage of around 17-18 kmpl in city (with AC), I still do not have mileage for Highways. Car features (Navigation, Cruise Control) are awesome in this price range. Ground clearance is 180mm which is quite descent and good enough to tackle indian roads. I did not encounter any issue with ground clearance even on bad road conditions. I would recommend this car to everyone who wanted to have crossover. If you can ignore a look for a while then you can definitely buy S-Cross which has more other features than car in this segment. It has feel of SUV and comfort of Sedan. Overall its a value for money.Leg space and ground clearanceLook

I am using the 1.3 Zeta in Delhi for the past 40 days and have driven around 1800 KM. First service cost Rs. 60 (soap pouches for the washer). Kitna Deti hai ?  Around 17-18 KM in the city of Delhi with AC. Went to Chandigarh last weekend and drove 700 KM, got 26.9 Km/Litre of Diesel. Amazing.

A word about the Nexa showrooms. Bought on August 17 from the footpath outside a Nexa showroom as the Nexa showroom was under development. Maruti only knows how to sell cheap cars. 

A word about the service, took it for first servicing at one of the service stations of a dealer. The guys had not seen the car before. Luckily there are no issues with the car except:

1. The left turn indicator does not stop even after the turn

2. The AC stopped on 3-4 occasions randomly while in AUTO position. A turn of the right knob (fan speed) brough it back to life on every occasion.

All said, I am thoroughly  enjoying the drive, especially Cruise Control on highways.

 

Fuel Economy is excellentPickup is rather dull.

Exterior Average look. Could have given bolder crome accesory at back. Better design for alloy whhel.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Fantastic inetrior. 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Very good engine. Fuel economy in Mumbai traffic 12 KPL. Not promising but hopeful of improvement to atleast 15KPL.  

Ride Quality & Handling Very good. Found Smoother than SX4 Petrol.

Final Words Great Car... good value for money 1.3 Zeta. Nexa could have accessarise HID auto focus headlights ( Alpha is having) by replacing conventional. Roof rails crome cover?   It is very risky (draining battery) if boot light remains on (it is not auto off)   Toch screen can not be kept in completely off mode if required? There should have been immulination on central door lock & 

Areas of improvement Nexa could have accessarise HID auto focus headlights ( Alpha is having) by replacing conventional. Roof rails crome cover?   It is very risky (draining battery) if boot light remains on (it is not auto off)   Toch screen can not be kept in completely off mode if required? There should have been luminated central door lock & adjustable OVRM buttons.

Very good pickup @89power. Decent drive. SUV feel, Good value for moneyAverage look. Less color options.

Exterior I personally like the exteriors. The problem in India is; people don't understand the difference between an SUV and a Cross-over. The side and front profile of the car is really good looking. Ground clearance is good enough. A pair of fancy tail lights can make it much better. Alloys could also be much better.

 Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Don't have any complaints here. Good looking all black interiors. Space is awesome. Driving stance is high. Ergonomics are good. The touchscreen system gives a luxury feel. Overall, it is much much better & more than EcoSport. 

Features like cruise control etc. will hardly be used in our country, but its never bad to have such features. At this price, feature list is huge. You won't be dissappointed. You do get a "big car" feel for sure.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox I like the semi-progressive punch after 1800 rpm. Seems like Suzuki has tuned the 90HP DDiS (Fiat Multijet) engine better than Fiat itself. I don't think a calm driver like me or for that matter any driver "in the city" would need faster pick-up than this. It is a fun to drive car, considering the size and the segment.

Ride Quality & Handling A bit early to comment on this, as it has been all city driving yet. But it is much much better than other Aisan cars. Far better than Hyundai cars. More Euro like suspension and handling. 

Final Words Lot of people were against me bying this car, but I was sure of what I was going for. I was buying a cross-over, not an SUV. I guess, in India people are just crazy after these pseudo mini SUVs and for that, they are ready to ditch a genuinely good product from even a veteran company like Maruti. Nevertheless, it gives a chance to people like me to look different on the road.

1.3 Zeta in under 11 lacs is a steal, according to me. And with all these discounts going on, if your budget is around 14 lacs and you are looking to upgrade, blindly go for 1.6 Alpha. It is a gem at that price.

Areas of improvement Fancy tail lights and better alloys can give something to "looks hungry" buyers.

VFM, zippy drive, space, features, "a proper cross-over"Tail lights, alloy wheels, fear of it getting 'end of life' soon

Exterior The Exterior of the car should be more bold and dynamic. But its ok. The built quality of the car is so good and its not like other marithi vehicales.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The seating comfort is verymuch impressive.  Touchscreen and AUTo AC are awesome. Power steering is just like anything. its so smooth.

I am amazed with The voice commands and GPS Navigation. Option of opening all 5 doors or only the driver door when the smart key is brought within the range. And there are many features viz multi display speedo console, electrically adjustable and folding ORVM etc etc are a few to mention.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Th Pickup is good. I drove 2000km as of now and  In city i am getting 17 and on Highway its 20.

Ride Quality & Handling Ride Quality is so smooth and the road grip is also good. When on Bumps the shocks are really responsive and you feel that smoothness.

Final Words S-Cross is a marriage material and not the Girl firend type. Overall it's worth buying a 1.3 l ZETA.

Areas of improvement The deisgn of alloy wheels really need to be improved and they look like wheel caps.

Tocuch screen navigation and Auto AC impressed meExterior and Alloy wheel design

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

It was the best of maruti at that time except i didnt like brezza much Riding and handling is quite nice the only con is sometime the left a pillar is irritating coz u cant see bcoz of that Maintenance is quite low and servicing depends on the service centre Best is its comfort and the new model looks more appealing and attractive

Exterior Best in class of range, great looks compare to duster or terrano, nice headlamp which can compare to a class car.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Very comfortable, need to improve driver's seat comfort, great boot space can easily accommodate three 20” bags, easy approachable infotainment system. Music system is best in class.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Great fuel economy its 18-20 in first 1000 km drive, less noisy.

Ride Quality & Handling Smooth riding, easy handling, comfort during driving compare to other same class vehicle, turning radius is also a good part. As per looks it seems to be difficult in city riding but it is much more comfort than duster and creta.

Final Words Overall great value for money with all necessary requirement based on current scenario.

Areas of improvement 1.3 zeta much have engine capacity of nearly 1350 cc to compete, interior lights can be converted with LED, and head lamp HD projector can be start with 1.3 zeta class instead of top version.

Design, interior, dashboard, driving comfortdriver seat may have much more comfortable