Maruti Suzuki is a brand that has historically suffered from failures when it comes to their offerings in the premium segment. This is clearly evident from the past portfolio of their premium products such as the Kizashi, Grand Vitara and even the S Cross 1.6 DDiS. However, Maruti Suzuki should bring the 1.4 Boosterjet to India. Read more what is written ahead in the article to know why are we saying so.
Prologue
The S Cross originally started life as the first generation SX4 sedan when it came in its first-ever iteration in India, having come in the form of a sedan that went up against heavyweights like the Honda City and the Hyundai Verna. However, with Maruti Suzuki being late to the party, the SX4 could never really catch up and as a result, it got promptly replaced by the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz in 2014.
With the Ciaz replacing the SX4, Maruti Suzuki decided to give the SX4 a new lease of life by launching it as the S-Cross in September 2015. Maruti Suzuki went all out to actually promote the S Cross as one of their premium offerings. They even went as far as creating a new chain of showrooms by the name of NEXA for it. To top it off, they even introduced a brand new engine for the top trims - the 1.6 DDiS 320 that produced 120 BHP and 320 Nm of torque. However, an exorbitant price tag of 17 lakhs back in 2016 meant that there were not too many takers for this engine which in the end died a slow death and got discontinued when the 2017 facelift got launched.
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The Crux of the matter
The S Cross when launched had a lot going for it. First of all, there was the brand trust of Maruti Suzuki there which really could have inspired a lot of confidence in the minds of the buyers. Also, the chief competitors in the compact SUV segment, the Duster and the Terrano had started to feel outdated. However, just like the previous times, the customers could not really see the value that the S Cross 1.6 DDiS offered, more so at a price of 15-16 lakh rupees at which it was being sold. Only the select few who bought it realised the punch that this engine packed. In fact, most of the sales for the S Cross came from the variants that came with the de facto national engine of India - the 1.3 DDiS.
Come 2020 and BS6 emission norms, the 1.3 DDiS had to make way for the newer K15 petrol engine that produced 103 BHP and 138 Nm of torque. While people appreciated the fact that the new engine was refined, many of them did not really like the fact that the engine did not have the punch as compared to the competition. Also with turbo petrol engines gaining popularity with almost all its competitors having a turbo petrol engine in their line up, the S Cross is indeed lagging behind.
So what exactly needs to be done?
Well, first of all, Maruti Suzuki should get the 1.4 BoosterJet engine in the S Cross and try to offer it in at least the topmost trim. An internationally acclaimed engine, it has proven to be a strong performer across the various cars that it has been used in. At 140 BHP and 220 Nm, it may not be the most powerful of the turbo petrol engines in the segment but it can surely help in Maruti Suzuki establishing themselves as a serious force in the compact SUV segment that is currently being dominated by the Hyundai-Kia twins.
Another reason as to why this engine needs to be brought is the fact that the chassis of the S Cross is dynamically very stable and literally begs for more power and torque. It would be a shame if such a dynamically well-sorted car isnt given a good engine. With 140 BHP and 220 Nm on the tap on a vehicle with hatchback-like handling, enthusiasts will flock to this car.
Pricing is still going to remain the key, however, it's important to note that the market has become more mature than before. Any car that comes with a good engine and hassle-free ownership is going to be well received in the market. Realistically speaking, if the S Cross 1.4 Turbo comes, the pricing is going to cross at least 14 lakhs. In fact, it would be fair to expect the pricing to be close to 14.6-14.7 lakhs OTR for the 6-speed Manual variants which would be enough to help Maruti Suzuki to undercut the Korean rivals by a significant margin.
Conclusion
The S Cross indeed is a well-rounded car apart from the fact that the current engine isnt really an enthusiast-friendly engine. The reason why Maruti should bring the 1.4 Boosterjet is that it would not only help them gain a good chunk of sales in this segment especially with the turbo petrol engines gaining popularity as evidenced by sales of the Creta and Seltos. But the fact that an enthusiast-friendly car coupled to an amazing after-sales network will mean that people would be able to own something from the Maruti Suzuki that is not only easy to own but is fun to drive as well.
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