Launching a new car is a regular thing. But, it is seldom that the new car gets exclusive new showrooms, a tailor-made marketing and selling strategy and focus on it with so much vigour that it overshadows all other products. All this becomes furthermore unlikely if the car manufacturer is Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. which has a long list of cars selling in huge volumes for quite some decades. But, with the launch of S-Cross the rules have changed. Maruti Suzuki is becoming everything it was not.
At the recent test drive for S-Cross held at Nashik, I figured out how the car is, why there is so much buzz around it, and why Maruti Suzuki still could be considered a new manufacturer despite its great past record. Entering into the premium cross-over range for the first time, the manufacturer is doing everything it could to highlight the luxury side of the car. The new S-Cross is a premium crossover car from Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. which is trying to play down its link with brand name Maruti Suzuki so far considered an affordable budget brand.
And for this, it does away with the usual Maruti Suzuki badge at the rear of the car. Instead, this one comes with just the mention of S-Cross. Its selling has been designed in a unique way that is via a relationship manager. The manufacturer will be opening up new showrooms in the name of NEXA. The idea is to provide services in a hassle-free and convenient way through only one relationship manager who would be well-trained in technology and up-to-date with selling details and information.
Maruti clearly has put in much thought behind this one. Its efforts to get into the premium category and to change the buyer’s experience seem futuristic. In the making, the engineers have tweaked with the engine to cut down the noise. The tuning of the engine has been kept at the optimum. And, the car races ahead at a fairly good pace zipping from 0 to 100 kmph in 11.3 seconds. It gives a nice and comfortable feeling to be cruising at high speeds. There is stability and control. But, at lower speeds in the second and third gear the clutch pedal gives you a ticking feeling and a bit of a jerk. The six-speed manual transmission with diesel engine of DDiS 320 delivers a maximum torque of 320 newton metres at 1750rpm. While the other variant of DDiS 200 delivers a maximum torque of 200 newton meters at 1750rpm.
On the designing front there has been emphasis on style and good clean looks. The front of the car, I must say, looks nice with the new well-designed headlights and silvery dual slat grille. At the rear there are strong character lines with split rear combination lamps.
The car keeping aside a few negatives like not-so-comfortable rear seats and not-so-great suspension overall offers a nice drive experience and gives you great fuel efficiency. After all, Maruti Suzuki still is Maruti Suzuki in some ways.
