Indian car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki once again aims at making a comeback in the crossover segment with the new S-Cross. The upcoming model however faces a stiff competition from the likes of Renault Duster in India. Moreover, the onset of the festive season will result in strong competition between the two popular car manufacturers in the country. The following gives an account of the key differences between the upcoming new S-Cross and the Renault Duster in India.
Starting with the exterior, the S-Cross gets sharp LED projector headlamps which are housed neatly with the daylight running lamps (DRLs). It also gets chrome on the grille with vertical stacks, while the rear gets redesigned LED taillamps. The sculpted hood design gives it an upright masculine stance. The current generation Duster which was first showcased at the Auto Expo 2016 received new grille, revised headlamp design as well as a new design for the air intake in front. It also gets new front and rear scuff plates, revised tail lamp assembly and 16-inch wheels. However, the overall design of the crossover has not been tampered retaining its squat stance and model-defining flared wheel arches.
The new Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is limited to a diesel engine powertrain, while the Renault Duster is available in petrol as well as diesel engine option. Under the hood, the new S-Cross will be powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged DDiS 200 engine that generates 90bhp of power and 200Nm of torque. Interestingly, the new model will get the Smart Hybrid technology and the older 1.6-litre diesel option will not be on offer. The Renault Duster on the other hand gets 1.5-litre diesel and 1.5-litre petrol engine options. The diesel is available in two configurations with 84bhp of power and 200Nm of torque and 108bhp of power and 240Nm of torque. The petrol engine on the other hand produces 102bhp of power and 145Nm of torque. The 84bhp diesel and the petrol engine have been mated to a five-speed manual while the 108bhp diesel has been mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The petrol engine also gets an optional CVT, while the 108bhp diesel gets an AMT option.
As for the interiors, the new model will get a satin chrome accent finish, soft touch dashboard and well-coordinated seat fabric designs. The new model gets a piano black central panel and leather finish arm-rest for that premium feel. The company will also offer an intuitive touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in the upcoming new model. The Duster on the other hand offers seat upholstery options, power windows with anti-pinch and a contemporary multifunction steering wheel. It will also get navigation and Bluetooth connectivity like the current car. The adjuster knob for the retractable electrical wing mirrors has been moved from under the handbrake lever to the driver door trim.
The new S-Cross will be priced slightly higher than the current model due to the withdrawal of FAME subsidy on the mild hybrid cars. Currently, the S-Cross is priced between Rs 8.06 lakhs to Rs 10.7 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The Duster on the other hand is priced from Rs 8.43 lakhs to 13.66 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The new Maruti Suzuki S-Cross scores positively in terms of mild hybrid technology which offers better fuel efficiency figures, premium Nexa service and Maruti’s low cost of ownership benefit. The Duster scores better in terms of performance, space, styling and multiple engine options in manual as well as automatic transmission.
