The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross will be competing against the Renault-Duster and the likes in the segment and will be launched in January 2015 in the country.
You read it first on MotorBeam. With a slew of launches planned in the compact SUV space for next year from different manufacturers, our sources inform us that Maruti Suzuki is planning to take a head start in the segment and will be launching the S-Cross by the end of January 2015 in the country. First showcased at the Auto Expo earlier this year, the S-Cross is the Indian auto giant’s next major offering in the premium space right after the Ciaz and will be locking horns against the Renault Duster, Ford EcoSport, Nissan Terrano, Mahindra Scorpio and the likes.
Compared to the international version, the Indian spec Maruti Suzuki S-Cross will get a number of changes including a revised twin-slat chrome grille along with black cladding all across the underbelly for a more rugged and purposeful appeal. More comprehensive changes are expected on the inside with an India centric layout and possibly a dual-tone dashboard. The S-Cross will also be sharing several parts with other models in Maruti’s lineup to ensure higher economies of scale. The model will also be feature loaded much like the Ciaz with projector headlamps, fog lamps and LED DRLs expected to be standard across the range.
Coming to the engine options, earlier reports had suggested that the new Maruti S-Cross could come with the 1.6-litre MultiJet diesel engine sourced from Fiat for the top-end versions, while the 1.3-litre diesel will do duty on the lower spec models. Our source also tells us that the 1.4-litre K-Series petrol motor is also on offer on the crossover. While the S-Cross will not be a full blown SUV, the automaker could offer the top-end variant with Suzuki’s AllGRIP all-wheel drive system to compete against the AWD versions of the Duster, Scorpio and Safari at a value for money price tag. More details on the SUV are expected to come out in the following weeks, while prices are most likely to start at around Rs. 8 lakhs (ex-showroom).
