Already offered in the Ertiga and Ciaz models, Maruti Suzuki’s range-topper, the S-Cross, will now be the latest model to feature its smart hybrid technology. Our sources tell us that the hybrid system will see a 7 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the current diesel car in the Indian driving cycle. In real-world conditions, though, the benefits will mainly be seen in city driving where the start-stop system will have an impact.

Significantly, this 1.3-litre diesel hybrid will now be the sole engine on offer as Maruti has decided to pull the plug on the larger 1.6-litre diesel-powered version of its crossover. This engine was also sourced from Fiat and powered the top-spec variant of the S-Cross. However, it found few takers due to its high pricing. There is no petrol engine on offer yet, which is contrary to expectations about Suzuki’s 1.4-litre booster jet engine that was likely to make its debut.

The S-Cross’ pricing is likely to rise due to the addition of this technology and the Government’s withdrawal of all hybrid sops under the GST implementation; this is unlike the Ciaz and the Ertiga hybrids that saw a drop in prices during their introduction. Furthermore, the recent additional cess on larger cars will also have an impact on the S-Cross prices.

With the facelift, Maruti has updated the nose of the car heavily to give it a more SUV-like look. The grille is now more upright, larger and comes with chrome inlays. The ‘toothy’ chin is now much more aggressive as well. To complete the look, the car will get a new bonnet and will feature new-design alloy wheels as well. The top-spec Alpha variant will feature LED projector lens headlamps with black inserts, while the rest of the range will get HID projector headlamps. On the inside, the cabin gets new upholstery and minor equipment upgrades.

Sold only through its premium Nexa outlets, Maruti has already started accepting booking for this model which is expected to launch towards the end of this month.