Dealerships in Mumbai are offering discounts beyond Rs. 5.5 lakhs on the Maruti S-Cross DDiS 320 in a bid to clear inventory as sales have taken a nose dive.
The thing about failed Maruti products is that there aren’t many, but the ones that have are remembered for eternity. Case in point being the Grand Vitara, Baleno, A-Star, SX4 and by the look of things the S-Cross as well. The Indian auto giant’s answer in the compact SUV space isn’t raking up the volumes as expected, as a result of which NEXA dealerships have resorted to offering heavy discounts on the 1.6-litre version. Now, our source states that discounts have crossed the Rs. 5.5 lakh mark on the S-Cross DDiS 320.
This shouldn’t be surprising as the odd-ball Maruti S-Cross could not replicate the same macho styling as the Renault Duster and Hyundai Creta in the segment. Hence, the model is finding a hard time to connect with the target group despite several positives to its credit including the Fiat sourced engines. Moreover, the 1.6-litre diesel motor (DDiS 320) was overpriced by the automaker that made sure customers turned away from the variants right from the start.
Our source further states that dealers and Maruti Suzuki both have a huge inventory of the S-Cross DDiS 320 that needs to be cleared; which is why such a massive discount is being offered only five months post the launch. That said, discounts are also available on the 1.3-litre DDiS 200 variant of the S-Cross that has further reduced the base price of the premium crossover and now brings it in-line with the Ford EcoSport in the segment.
Maruti won’t give up on the S-Cross yet and is ensuring to take the necessary steps to build at least decent volumes for its flagship offering. Nonetheless, the company has also been working on the Brezza (YBA) sub 4-metre compact SUV that is likely to be revealed at the upcoming Auto Expo and is expected to be a volume puller for the automaker rivaling the Mahindra TUV300, Ford EcoSport and the likes. Is the market still reluctant towards a premium Maruti or was the automaker being over ambitious? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
