Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Long Term Report : October 2015

With so much travelling last month, I, sadly, didn’t get much time to drive the S-Cross. But I did manage to clock some 400-odd kilometres in the city. Once back in the S-Cross and behind the wheel, I realised how comfortable the seats were. It’s obvious that Maruti Suzuki has spent additional time in the comfort department. The seat squab and the backrest have side bolsters, which keep you snug. The front seats also provide decent thigh support. The seat’s ergonomics scored big brownie points, as it allowed me to fully extend my legs and I could also rest my hands comfortably on the steering wheel. The front seats are structured in such a way that they match the body’s natural shape – therefore, no stress on the back. The seating stance also provides a commanding position. The rear seats, on the other hand, get sufficient legroom, but they’re a bit too flat and could have had a more supportive seat squab. The biggest plus point to these 60:40 split seats is that they also recline. This lets tall passengers, over 6-feet in height, sit back and relax.

Apart from comfort, Maruti has kept a keen eye on the luxury quotient and the cabin does manage to feel quite plush. The all-black interior and leather upholstery beautifully complement each other. The clever use of soft plastic on the dashboard panel is a masterstroke. I’m not so fond of the plastic quality of the switches, and with a lot of talk on being a premium vehicle, the buttons shouldn’t have been similar to the Swift’s.

But I have fallen in love with the 7-inch infotainment system. The more I use it, the more I feel it’s like a smartphone. Simplicity is the key, as all functions are more or less in front of you. It will take barely 5-minutes for anyone to get familiar with the command keys.

With a roomy cabin, fully loaded with features, and one that comes standard with twin airbags, the S-Cross is a good place to be in – when it comes to safety and comfort.