Maruti Suzuki S-Cross launch delayed to next fiscal year

Due to hike in excise duty, the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross launch has been delayed and is not expected to come before April

After launching the Ciaz in the lucrative C-segment, Maruti is all set to introduce the S-Cross in the compact SUV space. Actually, the Maruti S-Cross is a horse on which the carmaker is trying its luck and they have to be careful to play the gamble in the Indian market currently. The compact SUV is expected to cross the Rs 10 lakh price bracket, getting into a price segment where Maruti Suzuki is not known.

We reported it will be launched in January but due to excise duty concession rollback, the car is becoming too pricey and hence it has been delayed. Maruti is waiting to see the changes in the upcoming budget, so don’t expect the S-Cross to hit the showrooms before April.

The Suzuki S-Cross was first showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo to see the response of the Indian audience. We have been seeing many test mules of the S-Cross since a long time now and we believe it is the most tested Maruti Suzuki model till date. To get the pricing right, Maruti will be localising the S-Cross heavily and hence the extensive testing.

In terms of styling, the S-Cross showcases a safe design language as expected from Maruti Suzuki. The whole silhouette of the vehicle doesn’t appear as a convincing compact SUV design, instead it looks like a grown up hatchback. The S-Cross will be sharing most of its interior elements from the current lineup to keep costs in check. It will be a spacious 5-seater but with black interior trim. Since the “longest sedan in its class”, Ciaz gets the typical 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel and 1.4-litre K-Series petrol engines, we expect the S-Cross to get the same engine options although a more powerful diesel could also be offered.