The new Maruti Suzuki S-Cross BS6 petrol was unveiled at Auto Expo 2020
Maruti Suzuki may be the leader on the month-end sales chart of February 2020, but has faced a significant dip in numbers, in multiple categories. The primary reason for this is the rather abrupt transition to the new BS6 emission norms, ditching its familiar diesel line-up along the way. In this regard, the new Maruti Brezza BS6 comes only in a petrol avatar and has gone down on sales. In fact, it had to surrender its title of being the best-selling compact-SUV on the Indian market to the Hyundai Venue.
Higher up on the price ladder, things have taken the bigger toll. The flagship Maruti Suzuki S-Cross could not even gather a single unit in sales last month. The company had slowly phased out the production of the BS4 S-Cross which came only in a diesel avatar. Still, this need not mean zero sales in the immediate months. The demand for diesel vehicles is still going strong and one could argue that Maruti Suzuki has made the wrong move by going the ‘petrol way’; at least for now.
The upcoming BS6 Maruti Suzuki S-Cross was showcased at Auto Expo 2020. It replaces the tried and tested BS4-compliant 1.3-litre four-cylinder DDiS diesel motor sourced from FCA. The engine returns decent performance and fuel efficiency, but in the minds of enthusiasts, the old 1.6-litre diesel mill was the star. It made roughly 118bhp and 320Nm of torque while mated to a 6-speed transmission.
However, due to low demand (in Maruti Suzuki figures) for the punchy 1.6 motor, the facelifted S-Cross came with only the lesser diesel variant. The BS4 1.3-litre DDiS, which served duty in multiple products across different brands over the years, made around 89bhp and 200Nm while mated to a 5-speed manual.
The new BS6-compliant Maruti Suzuki products are powered by a 1.5-litre K-Series four-cylinder petrol motor that makes 104bhp and 138Nm of torque. The front-wheel-drive powertrain boasts of SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) mild-hybrid system that promises better fuel efficiency without making a major compromise on performance. The engine is available with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Maruti Suzuki has evidently created a void on the market but is expected to finish updating its products to BS6 specifications in a few weeks’ time. The company still rules the Indian passenger vehicle market even though the lead from its closest rivals is getting narrower like never before.
