S Cross - What Could Have Maruti Done Better
S Cross had a strong customer base of Maruti, looks that were going for it and an engine powerful enough to propel the car into the heart of the Indian automotive market. So what went wrong with the car that should have added the ‘Premium’ feather in Maruti’s cap? Let's find out.
Launched on August 05, 2015, S Cross was supposed to be a Creta killer. It had a lot of fuss until its launch as it was Maruti’s ‘Premium’ product after a long time. Also, the car was to be retailed out of the new Nexa dealerships which added more flair to the already hyped product. All Maruti lovers were eagerly looking forward to the car, plus there was an added fanbase of all crossover fanatics who enjoyed the occasional off road trip in between the monotonous life. It had a strong customer base, looks that were going for it and an engine powerful enough to propel the car into the heart of the Indian automotive market. So what went wrong with the car that should have added the ‘Premium’ feather in Maruti’s cap? Let's find out.
1. Competition
S Cross was to take on the Hyundai Creta and in turn, defeat EcoSport and Duster. Hyundai, smartly launched Creta before S Cross and hence received most of the bookings from customers who were looking for a crossover in the Rs. 8 to 12 lac segment. Coming to the features, although S Cross has an amazing feature list, it does not have that appealing exterior compared to its competition.
2. Size
Although the car is a not a true blue off-roader, the mere fact is that it will be used in the city most often, makes the size of the car very important. S Cross is the second longest car in the segment after Duster. When compared to Creta, the car is longer by 30 mm. This does not make a big difference in the real world but, for customers who are size conscious, this could have been a big factor.
3. Absence of Automatic Transmission
The recent trend of automatic transmission in the Indian market has forced automakers to introduce 2 pedal variants of their models. Where Creta has an automatic transmission, S Cross does not and has lost some customers here. However, Maruti has now announced that they will be removing the third pedal and will soon introduce an automatic variant of S Cross which will again attract customers.
4. Price Difference Between DDiS 200 and DDiS 320
The ex-showroom cost of Delta DDiS 200 is Rs. 9.4 lac and the cost of Delta DDiS 320 is Rs. 12.3 lac. Yes, a massive Rs. 3 lac (approx) just for the powerful engine. The difference has to be there as the 1.6 litre engine is sourced from Fiat and is imported. The DDiS 200 felt a little underpowered for the car but opting for the more powerful engine was not possible for the majority of customers as the budget did not allow. Creta offers a 1.4 litre CRDI which generates the same power but, provides 220 Nm torque over S Cross's 200, that too at a lower rpm making the car feel zippier and more responsive in city driving. Some work is still required by Maruti to get the pricing right.
5. The “SUV” Factor
In India, SUVs have a massive fan following. People buy them for their families as they look rigid and provide the mental satisfaction of being safer than a sedan or a hatch. Also, they serve the purpose of an occasional off-road drive in vacations. They cope better with the Indian road conditions and look tough and masculine which appeals to a lot of people. All this has resulted in customers opting for SUVs over other cars and, when the choice came of picking a cross or an SUV, majority of the customers opted for Creta.
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