To tap the growing inclination of the small car buyers towards the SUV-esque vehicles, Maruti Suzuki launched its first-ever micro-SUV, the S-Presso in India on 29th September 2019. Though the sales of Maruti Suzuki cars have declined in recent months amid the recession, banking on the on-going festive season and new models, the Japanese carmaker looks to revive its fortunes in this part of the world. The success of the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso can only be determined in the next few months but there are 10 such things which every auto enthusiast should know about the new Maruti kid on the block. Have a look.
1. Love it or Hate Its Looks
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is inspired by its elder sibling Maruti Vitara Brezza, especially from the front – its U-shaped grille elements and sleek grille flanked by squarish headlamps. The upright stance, high ground clearance and thick body cladding at the front and rear try to give it a rugged look. From the side profile too the car looks like a micro-SUV, however, the small wheels in large wheel arches spoil the fun. The rear is quite simple and featureless with nothing to highlight except the cladding. What’s more, the overall proportion, especially the front and sides, appears a bit quirky and seems coerced, which some may like, some not.
2. Notable Tyre Choices
The S-Presso gets two tyre options – 13-inches and 14-inches, both tubeless radials. The smaller 145/80 R 13 tyres are factory fitted in lower variants such as Std and Lxi whereas the larger 165/70 R 14 wheels are adorned on higher Maruti S-Presso variants – Vxi and Vxi+.
3. Upright Dimensions
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is not the biggest in the segment but definitely a good four-seater small car. It is 3565 mm long, 1520 mm wide and 1549-1564 mm tall. It gets a wheelbase of 2380 mm and a boot space of 270 litres.
4. Cool-looking Interiors & Roomy Cabin
The centre of attraction in the S-Presso is actually in the centre of the dashboard – the circular centre console. It may divide opinions on the interior looks. The speedometer leaves its conventional position and now gets merged with the centre console. The body-colour around the air-con vents and bordering the centre console breaks the monotony of dark theme. Fit and finish of the cabin is spot on. The cabin appears quite airy thanks to large glass area and a commanding SUV-like seating position. The rear seat is good for two passengers; seating three will be a squeeze.
5. Peppy Engine & Smooth Transmission
Powering the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is the 1.0-litre petrol engine of the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10. The BS6 (Bharat Stage 6) compliant motor generates a maximum power of 68 bhp at 5500 rpm and highest torque value of 90 Nm at 3500 RPM. The micro-SUV can be had with a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT transmission as well. The fuel mileage figures of the S-Presso read 21.7 km/l with the manual and a good 21.4 km/l with the AMT gearbox.
6. Engaging Feature List
Falling in the entry-level category, the Maruti S-Presso gets adequate features which include reclining & sliding front seats, internally adjustable ORVMs, AC, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, remote keyless entry, full wheel covers, front power windows, Bluetooth, steering mounted audio and voice control and twin chamber headlamps to name a few. However, the absence of tachometer is a bit surprising.
7. Upright Safety
The small car from Maruti Suzuki is equipped with a bunch of protective gadgets which comprise of driver and co-driver side airbag, speed-sensitive auto door lock, ABS with EBD, speed alert system, immobilizer, seat belt reminder with buzzer, reverse parking sensors, child door lock, centre door locking, seat belt pre-tensioner with force limiter, door ajar and low fuel warning displayed on the 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit.
8. Pleasing Accessories
The carmaker has recently released the list of accessories for the newly launched Maruti Suzuki S-Presso. It gets LED DRLs, skid plates, side and wheel arch claddings, upper spoiler, rear spoiler, boot lid, bezels on the bumper, grille garnish and body side moulding among others. For the cabin, you get a host of seat covers (fabric as well as leather), door sills, colour co-ordinated upholstery, floor mats, chargers, speakers and others along with fixed Packs as add-on embellishments.
9. Tempting Price Label
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is tagged in the price range of Rs. 3.69 lakh – Rs. 4.91 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). It is offered in four variants – Std, Lxi, Vxi, and Vxi Plus.
| Maruti Suzuki S-Presso Variants | Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| Maruti Suzuki S-Presso Std | Rs. 3.69 lakh |
| Maruti Suzuki S-Presso Lxi | Rs.4.05 lakh |
| Maruti Suzuki S-Presso Vxi | Rs. 4.24 lakh (Rs. 4.67 lakh – AT) |
| Maruti Suzuki S-Presso Vxi Plus | Rs. 4.48 lakh (Rs. 4.91 lakh – AT) |
*AT= Automatic Transmission
10. Cut Throat Competition
The direct rivals of the Maruti S-Presso are the Renault Kwid and the Datson Redi-GO. However, with its pricing, the buyer may also want to check out its siblings Maruti Alto 800 and Alto K10.
