We attended the media drive of the 2017 Maruti S Cross in Udaipur, India and we were behind the wheel of this car for around 6 hours and experienced this car in the city as well as on Highway from Udaipur towards Mount Abu. We drove the car partly during the evening and party early morning. In this review of 2017 Maruti S Cross, we share our experience of the car and try to answer “if this is the right car for you to buy if you are looking for a premium crossover or compact SUV?” So read on for our new Maruti S Cross Review.
VIDEO REVIEW
2017 New Maruti S Cross Review – Exterior Design & Styling
2017 New Maruti S Cross has evolved a lot over the first generation car launched in 2015. The new S Cross looks a lot more butch and bold. There is a lot of use of chrome on the front; aggressive front fascia and premium looks define this car’s front view. It has projector headlamps, which sweep to the sides. LED Daytime running lamps (DRL) intelligently put in the headlamp cluster, chrome surrounded fog maps and a sporty bumper with dual tone colour make it look smart without being in-your-face gaudy. The looks sophisticated and premium with a lot of attitude on its front fascia.
More to the side and you get to see more sportiness here with bold shoulder lines, a lot of cladding, blackened pillars and pronounced wheel arches. Large wheels and machined alloys make it look excellent. The sporty yet subtle roof rails add to the classy looks of the car.
The rear of the car which is least different from the previous generation and it is not a bad thing. It does look smartly designed with a touch of new elements like a newer bumper designed and an evolved tail lamp cluster design which sweeps to the sides of the car as well.
Overall, this car is a looker and will turn heads when it hits the roads. It has a strong road presence along with sophistication.
2017 New Maruti S Cross Review – Interior
Inside the 2017 New Maruti S Cross, you will feel at home if you have driven a Baleno or Ciaz before. The design of the dashboard is similar. It has a large touchscreen infotainment unit in the middle which looks smart. The dashboard and steering design is similar to Baleno or Ciaz which is a good thing. The choice of materials for the dashboard and other surfaces you touch is really good. It feels quite premium and upmarket. There are plenty of storage places all around the cabin.
The seats are also quite good in terms of back support and cushioning, there are arm-rests provided at front and rear for added comfort. The head-restraints at both front and rear are adjustable. There is ample leg room at both front and rear and the headroom is also quite good. I would not recommend seating 3 on the rear seat as it may be a tight fit shoulder to shoulder, but you can occasionally do so without many troubles.
2017 New Maruti S Cross boot is also quite spacious and with 60:40 split seats at the rear, you can get much more space folding one or both parts of rear seat as per need basis. Boot space is more than enough for usual day-to-day commute and enough for a weekend getaway with your family or friends.
2017 New Maruti S Cross Review – Features
2017 New Maruti S Cross is loaded to the gills with features. Below are the key features of the new S Cross-
- Touch screen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple Car Play support
- Steering mounted audio, phone, voice command controls
- Steering mounted cruise control system
- Power folding and electrically adjustable outside rear view mirrors with turn indicators
- Automatically dimming internal outside rear view mirror
- Keyless entry with push-button engine start system
- Reverse camera and sensors
- Safety features including ABS, EBD, dual front airbags
- Automatic climate control for comfort
- Excellent ground clearance
- Rear wiper with washer
- Projector headlamps and LED DRLs
- Automatic Headlamps
- Rain-Sensing Wipers
2017 New Maruti S Cross Review – Ride & Handling
2017 New Maruti S Cross has an excellent platform with high ground clearance and wide stance. The suspension setup is also tuned very well. The resultant is a very comfortable ride without compromising on the handling characteristics of the car. The car handles very well at high speeds (as high as 150 KMPH). It feels very surefooted and does not exhibit any lack of confidence around corners. It does so without any noticeable body roll. So I have to give full marks to this car for its ride and handling which makes it a great driver’s car.
2017 New Maruti S Cross Review – Engine Performance
Under the hood of the 2017 New Maruti S Cross lies a 1.3-litre DDIS engine with a smart hybrid system (similar to SVHS of Ciaz and Ertiga diesel). This engine produces a peak torque of 200 Nm (hence the name DDIS 200) at 1750 RPM and the peak power is around 88.5 BHP at 4000 RPM. The torque is great for in-city driving and relaxed cruising on the highways, but when it comes to a sudden overtake manoeuvre, you may need to downshift the car a gear or two to get the sudden surge of power. This actually also depends on your driving style, I prefer to keep the car at low revs at it keeps the engine relaxed and fuel mileage high, but if you drive with a heavy foot, you may need not downshift frequently as the car is quite agile between 2000 to 4000 RPM. At sub-1500 RPM, the power delivery is very modest, which has been done to make this car more frugal and low on emissions. So long story short, the car feels a bit lethargic until you rev past the 2000 RPM mark, but it is needed only for overtaking so I don’t mind trading the agility for high fuel economy which is in the DNA of all Maruti cars. Overall, it is a fun car to drive if you keep the revs above 2000 RPM mark.
Verdict- Should You Buy 2017 New Maruti S Cross?
Now, the big question, “Should you buy the 2017 New Maruti S Cross?”
The answer is yes! If you are looking for a car with lots of space, great ground clearance, sporty handling, good fuel economy and oodles of features, this is the right car for you.
2017 New Maruti S Cross Review – Image Gallery
So, what do you think of new 2017 Maruti S Cross review and test drive details? Do you think the new SCross can be much more successful than the pre-facelift model? Share your views with us by penning them down in the comments section below. Also, stay tuned to Car Blog India for latest news and reviews on cars and bikes in India.
