2017 Maruti Suzuki S-Cross facelift likely to be launched with 1.3L diesel SHVS hybrid engine

The launch of the new S-Cross via Nexa premium dealership range is expected by the end of September.

Maruti Suzuki is gearing up for the launch of refreshed S-Cross crossover, which will be sold via Nexa premium dealership chain. Rumours are rife on the new powertrain as well as the introduction of petrol mill in the new S-Cross.

While Maruti Suzuki is tight-lipped on the rumours, a new report claims that the company is planning to introduce SHVS smart hybrid technology. The hybrid tech will be attached to the 1.3-litre diesel engine and Maruti Suzuki will ditch the 1.6-litre diesel mill as there is no significant demand for the bigger engine, Gaadiwaadi.com reports.

The addition of the SHVS hybrid system is expected to increase the fuel efficiency of 23.65kmpl from 1.3-litre mill. The SHVS hybrid system makes use of a lithium-ion battery that gets charged with the help of regenerative braking. The system converts the kinetic energy of rolling wheels into electricity for charging the battery. Combined with the idle stop/start system, the new S-Cross will return increased fuel efficiency.

If the report is anything to go by, it will be an interesting move from Maruti Suzuki. Under the new Goods and Services Tax structure, taxes for hybrid models were increased in order to push manufacturers to bring electric models in India. Following the implementation of GST from July 1, the company had increased prices of SHVS mild hybrid system equipped Ertiga and Ciaz models. In such situations, will bringing hybrid setup to S-Cross be a wise move?

The report also claims that Maruti Suzuki is considering adding a 1.5-litre petrol engine later. The petrol mill is expected to produce 100 hp of maximum power at 5,900 rpm and 133 Nm of peak torque at 4,100 rpm.

Maruti Suzuki dealers have already unofficially started accepting bookings for the new S-Cross. The launch of the new model with a heavily reworked face is expected by the end of this month. The price of the new S-Cross is expected to remain same as of the current range.

Source: Gaadiwaadi.com