Maruti Suzuki S-Cross sales boom: Crossover's 2017 facelift turns lucky

• Maruti Suzuki launched new S-Cross in October 2017
• Maruti Suzuki sold 30,923 units of the S-Cross in FY 2017-18 with 44.3 percent growth
• New S-Cross found 5,510 takers in October 2017 hinting positive sales in the following months
• New S-cross has been priced from Rs 8.61 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi

Maruti Suzuki, India's largest carmaker by volume, had stepped into the crossover segment in 2015 with the launch of S-Cross. The Crossover received a decent start and gave wings to Maruti Suzuki's premium carmaker aspiration.

However, the demand started dwindling after the initial excitement and Maruti Suzuki was forced to announce discounts to find buyers. The sales also saw a decline and that ended up reaffirming the belief that premium cars are not Maruti Suzuki' cup of tea.

Maruti Suzuki was determined to leave no stone unturned and launched a new S-Cross version on October 1, 2017. The bold new design of the new S-Cross seems to have gone down well among the customers and the latest sales number indicates that S-Cross is back in the game.

Maruti Suzuki sold 30,923 units of the S-Cross in the fiscal ended in March. In the previous financial year, Maruti Suzuki had managed to sell only 24,077 vehicles and that indicates a staggering 44.3 percent growth, reports Autocar India.

"The new S-Cross that was launched last October looks bold upfront which is being admired by our customers. We have also used a smart hybrid technology (SHVS) in the new model which has bettered the efficiency," the publication quoted a spokesperson from Maruti Suzuki as saying.

The shift in fortune was evident from the first month sales after the new version's introduction. Maruti Suzuki sold 5,510 S-Cross units, the best monthly sales till then. The FY sales indicate that the S-Cross has maintained the positive momentum.

The 2017 S-Cross came with more muscular face in place of a bland version. The chrome bathed front grille alone has eschewed wishy-washy design of the crossover. The restyled front and rear bumper, new projector headlamps and redesigned tail lamps are the other major attractions.

Maruti Suzuki also dropped the bigger 1.6-litre diesel engine with the new version of S-Cross. The 1.3-litre diesel mill is also updated with mild hybrid tech. The new crossover is sold only in four variants in the range between Rs 8.61 lakh and Rs 11.32 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The pricing is much lower compared to the pre-facelift S-Cross which was retailed at around Rs 15 lakh for top-end variant. The significant drop in price is also a key aspect that boosted the sales of the new S-Cross.