Currently, Maruti Suzuki sells the S-Cross in just four variants and that could increase when the new petrol SHVS engine comes into play
Maruti Suzuki’s premium phase in the domestic market kicked off with the launch of S-Cross and the Nexa network it began retailing on. Although, the company did not manage to have big sales numbers with S-Cross initially, the addition of Baleno did change the situation. And courtesy of the price drops, the S-Cross has indeed started registering decent volumes and since the beginning of 2018, it has averaged over 3,500 units every month.
When the S-Cross first entered the market, it was retailed with an all-diesel engine lineup: a 1.3-litre DDiS 200 mill producing 90 PS and an imported 1.6-litre DDiS 320 unit making 120 PS. Although, the powerful 1.6-litre engine had its fair share of takers, Maruti Suzuki had to discontinue it when the facelifted model was introduced in October last year.
Also Read: 2018 Maruti S-Cross – All You Need To Know
Instead, the largest automaker in the country incorporated SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) mild-hybrid technology into the regular 1.3-litre diesel motor with improved fuel efficiency of 25.1 kmpl. Ditching the 1.6-litre engine helped Maruti Suzuki to make the S-Cross range more even and reduce the price gap existed and it is now sold at starting price of Rs. 8.61 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base Sigma 1.3 model.
It goes all the way up to Rs. 11.33 lakh (ex-showroom) for the range-topping Alpha 1.3 variant. Although the sales have recovered since the arrival of the facelift, the S-Cross is only offered in four variants with a single engine and transmission option. With customers opting to go with petrol-powered cars of late, the limited buying choice of S-Cross could hampers its sales progress.
Also Read: New Maruti Ciaz Facelift Spied In Production Guise Ahead Of Launch [More Pics]
To resolve the obvious issue, a brand new 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine with a maximum power output of 104 hp and peak torque of 138 Nm could be introduced as soon as next year. The mild-hybrid system is debuting in the upcoming facelifted Ciaz and it will be a no stranger in the years to come.
The same unit is tipped to make its way into other models within the current fleet as well including the forthcoming Ertiga. As for the S-Cross, the new petrol SHVS engine will help in range expansion while automatic transmission choices could be in the offering to lure in more buyers.