The S-Cross rides on McPherson struts and coil springs up front and a torsion beam with coil springs at the rear. Ride quality is well-sorted and the S-Cross will isolate virtually all but the highest of bumps or the deepest of potholes from the passengers. Small ruts and patches are dismissed without much acknowledgement. On the handling front, too, the crossover feels fairly stable on straights at highway speeds and doesn’t lack confidence on turns either. What could be better is the steering feel. At dead centre there’s a certain vagueness to the S-Cross’ steering that only gets pronounced as the speed increases.
On the whole, the S-Cross should be a decent offering from the house of Maruti Suzuki. It has decent presence, is well-equipped, spacious and comfortable. The fact that it is a Maruti will work like a double-edged sword, promising a widespread and capable service network on the one hand while identifying it with thousands of less premium products bearing the same badge, on the other. Unfortunately, the S-Cross lacks punch in the critical area concerning its powertrain. It’s a powerful engine alright, and one that’s efficient too. It’s just that the turbo lag robs a lot of the joy of driving the S-Cross. Then there’s the pricing. At Rs 13.75 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi, the S-Cross sports a sticker that many may deem a shade too pricey. So, a verdict then. It’s quite simple really. The S-Cross is a good product no doubt, but it will have its task cut out. If only they had taken care of the engine lag and shaved a digit or two from that pricing, things could have been so much easier for India’s only ‘crossover’.
