Maruti Suzuki S-Cross launched at starting price of Rs 8.34 lakh

Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday launched the crossover S-Cross at a starting price of Rs 8.34 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The price of the 1.6 litre diesel version goes up to Rs 13.74 lakh.

The S-Cross for India measures 4.30 meters in length, 1.765 meters in width, 1.59 meters in height and 2.6 meters in wheelbase. It has a ground clearance of 180 mm, and all variants are shod with 205/60 R16 tyres.

S-Cross gets a dual-chrome grille up front, and rather toned down 16-inch alloy wheels. The rest of the car looks identical to the model sold in Europe. The design of the dashboard is identical to the European S-Cross, save for a few minor differences.

The company and its suppliers have invested over Rs 600 crore towards development of the vehicle over a period of four years.

"There is a segment of customers in India who want power and performance in their vehicle, but also the comfort and refinement of a sedan. It is in that spirit today, we are launching S-Cross," MSI Managing Director and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said.

The S-Cross will be available only in diesel engine options of 1.6 litre and 1.3 litre.

The DDiS 200 (1.3 litre) variant is priced between Rs 8.34 lakh and Rs 10.75 lakh. The DDiS 320 (1.6 litre) trims are priced between Rs 11.99 lakh and Rs 13.74 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi).

It's positioned to take on Hyundai's newly-launched SUV Creta and Renault's popular SUV Duster, which are priced between Rs 9.12 lakh and Rs 12.49 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for comparable engine variants.

The S-Cross has features such as cruise control, rain sending auto wipers, self-adjusting hydraulic clutch and rear seat recliner.

S Cross, will be the first model to be sold through the NEXA outlets. The company has already formed a new organizational structure in place led by Partho Banerjee and his team. The company will have over 100 new outlets under NEXA brand by the end of this fiscal year, a feat which has taken more than 3-4 years for its MNC rivals.