[swapzero]

I have been a very long time reader on team bhp . This is the first time I am posting as I need advice from fellow team bhpians about buying S Cross.
I am in the market for an automatic SUV/ CSUV with a budget of ~ 16L to replace my 2010 Figo Petrol.
Usage: Primarily in City. But plan/aspire to go for long drives up to 1000 km once every month or two.

What's important?
• Hassle free, easy maintenance car that I can hold for 8-10 years.
• Also a pleasure (if not downright fun) to drive. I am not an aggressive driver and would rarely cross 110/120 kmph so not looking for outright performance.
• Will be driven by my wife and my mother as well, so it should be easy to drive.
• Good safety
• Good road manners in City and highway.
• Decent ground clearance - Figo keeps scrapping bumpers when carrying 4/5 passengers.


Few doubts on S Cross:
1. Would the 4 speed Torque Converter be sufficient for highway driving?
2. Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights? Reading the thread on LED headlights I am confused on whether they are actually better than halogen or not.
3. Does lack of rear ac vents make a difference. Any imputs from existing owners would be valuable.

Cars considered:
1. Taigun – Really liked the looks. But mom did not find the car footwell wide enough. Nor did she find the arm rest position useful. Also not sure about the long term ASS. Hence it’s out of the race.
2. S Cross – Liked the front and rear seat comfort. Did a TD in city roads and found it easy to drive.
3. Kia Seltos/ Sonet - Haven’t done a TD yet. But the looks look to flashy for my taste with the excess chrome treatment. Plus the low NCAP ratings.
4. City and Jazz - City has always been a dream car. But ruling out due to lack of Ground Clearance.

[Eddy]

I think it is universally accepted that the Zeta is the most VFM variant in S-Cross. I was in a similar dilemma 6 years back and chose Zeta. Not a single regret.

[Everlearner]

The additional features in SCross alpha is LED headlights, LED taillights, DRL, rain sensing vipers and seat upholstery. You need to take a call whether you want these features and if you are OK to pay a premium of more than 1.5 lakhs.

Not just for SCross. In general, the thumb rule for Maruti cars is that second from top variant provides best value for money.

The top end usually have some bling features and they charge quite a premium for it.

[abhishek46]

The LED Headlamps on the S-Cross are LED Projectors (Not LED Reflector).
They are actually quite good.

The Leather Seat upholstery looks good, but as per some reports, it does not last very long.

All said and done, Rs 1.5 Lakh for some LED Stuff (which can be fitted after market) & Seat covers is not worth the cash.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by swapzero

2. Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights? Reading the thread on LED headlights I am confused on whether they are actually better than halogen or not..

If you are going for Alpha just for the LEDs, don't bother. Am a facelifted Zeta owner, the halogen projector is decent and you can save the dough if you think you need better lighting.

3. Does lack of rear ac vents make a difference. Any imputs from existing owners would be valuable.

No. The compressor is powerful enough.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by swapzero

But plan/aspire to go for long drives up to 1000 km once every month or two

How much of long distance are you doing now a days or are you planning to do long drive only when you get a new car? If it's latter, then I think you should wait for sometime to see if you're really having that need

Originally Posted by swapzero

1. Would the 4 speed Torque Converter be sufficient for highway driving?
2. Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights? Reading the thread on LED headlights I am confused on whether they are actually better than halogen or not.
3. Does lack of rear ac vents make a difference. Any imputs from existing owners would be valuable

1. I don't know because I've 1.6 Alpha
2. LED is pure BS; however if you're able to upgrade LED later with auto lights-on, wiper-on, auto dimming IRVM etc., then the premium is worth
3. Absolutely NO!! I've driven in some of hottest Weather without sun control film (44 Tirunelveli & 42 Vellore); as long as you keep moving, no complaints from rear passengers

Go for Nexa/Maruti only if you want a fuss free ownership, care, attention & if you're a person who drives to different states & not to be worried about ASC; from Himalayas to Cape, Tawang to Lakpath you're assured to find atleast one MASS.

[Simhi]

Members have already answered to most of the queries. My two cents:

Originally Posted by swapzero

Would the 4 speed Torque Converter be sufficient for highway driving?

Yes

Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights? Reading the thread on LED headlights I am confused on whether they are actually better than halogen or not.

If you have the budget, go for the top-most variant. Since you intend to hold for 8 to 10 years, you should not regret later.

Does lack of rear ac vents make a difference. Any imputs from existing owners would be valuable.

No.

[Raghu M]

I have a question, does the high end only offer LED lights and leather seats? I am sure there are more features that would be on offer. Please check the brochure carefully. High end models are there for a reason. No matter what the after market fit, the final outcome is never as good as a factory fitted one. Take for example TPMS, the in built software and readings that appear on the LED will always trump something that appears like a screen on the dashboard and occupy extra space.

[condor]

Originally Posted by swapzero

2. Also, is it worth paying a premium of 1.6 L for Alpha for the LED headlights? Reading the thread on LED headlights I am confused on whether they are actually better than halogen or not..

Like others have mentioned here:

1. List out the differences between the Alpha & the next lower model. I think the Alpha also has the connectivity features etc. You will be the best person to decide if you want all that.

By myself, I dont like the 6000k light that these LED's give out. For me, if the lighting was 4300k, then I would look at the LED's. Else, no.

2. Second from top is a good bet in many cases, including the Maruti's.


A friend was looking at the XL6 last year, and we discussed the differences. He finally settled for the second model, with the same 4 speed AT. He has done about 9k during this time, a lot of it on the highways. And he is happy - says he has begun to enjoy driving, again.

[govigov]

In general the zeta is the more VFM variant. Look at the things that you will miss in zeta with respect to alpha - led drl lights, auto lights, auto wipers and leather.

The alpha led's are good, but take a good look at whether they are correct for you, if you need to upgrade them, they cost a lot. Whereas, it is relatively easier to upgrade the halogen projectors. So drive the alpha at night and see if the light output is sufficient for you.

Second thing is, for a city roundabout, the scross is just huge, you turns need a bit of a planning, so make sure that you and your family members are OK with U turns.

PS: try the XL6 auto, the tuning is different and so are the gear shifts, the seating position is also different. For a similar pricing and length, it may be a better choice.

[UPS_Guru]

I would recommend Zeta over Alpha.

What you can upgrade: LEDs, leather upholstery (questionable quality with a mix of man-made material), auto-dimming IRVM (see DIY replacement in this forum), and Silver colored roof rails (if you are picky about this).

What you can't upgrade: Auto headlamps and auto rain sensing wipers.

[IshaanIan]

The Zeta as mentioned, is the most VFM variant. The differences between the Alpha and Zeta are automatic wipers and lights, faux leather, led head lamps, led taillamps and auto dimming IRVM. Everything can be sourced and fitted from boodmo for less than the premium you would be paying for the Alpha variant. The only thing I really like is the auto-dimming IRVM and there are tons of threads on this very forum outlining how to install it yourself. Artificial leather seats are anyway a bad idea since they don't have the breathability of fabric seats making them terrible for our summers, nor do they have the plush feel of real leather so I would definitely keep my money and buy the Zeta variant

[swapzero]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I think it is universally accepted that the Zeta is the most VFM variant in S-Cross. I was in a similar dilemma 6 years back and chose Zeta. Not a single regret.

Zeta does seem most VFM. Hence the confusion.

Originally Posted by Everlearner

The additional features in SCross alpha is LED headlights, LED taillights, DRL, rain sensing vipers and seat upholstery. You need to take a call whether you want these features and if you are OK to pay a premium of more than 1.5 lakhs.

That’s right. I listed only LED headlights as I can live without others. Leather upholstery is actually a negative for me as my car will be parked in the sun and so the black leather seats will be uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by abhishek46

The LED Headlamps on the S-Cross are LED Projectors (Not LED Reflector).
They are actually quite good.

Thanks for the feedback on the LED quality.

Originally Posted by narayans80

If you are going for Alpha just for the LEDs, don't bother. Am a facelifted Zeta owner, the halogen projector is decent and you can save the dough if you think you need better lighting.
No. The compressor is powerful enough.

Thanks for the feedback. Heartening to hear that lack of rear AC vents is not a concern.

Originally Posted by aargee

How much of long distance are you doing now a days or are you planning to do long drive only when you get a new car? If it's latter, then I think you should wait for sometime to see if you're really having that need


1. I don't know because I've 1.6 Alpha
2. LED is pure BS; however if you're able to upgrade LED later with auto lights-on, wiper-on, auto dimming IRVM etc., then the premium is worth

I plan to do long distance only after getting new car. Background - I and my wife would like to go on long road trips. My 11 year Figo does not inspire confidence to take on long trips. This is the primary reason for buying a new car.
Alpha does have auto-lights on, rain sensing wipers and auto dimming IRVM.

Originally Posted by Simhi

Members have already answered to most of the queries. My two cents in-line

Thanks for the succinct advice. The way you explained hit the nail. I do have the budget for Alpha and yes it’s more likely that I will regret missing the features than paying the extra amount.

Originally Posted by Raghu M

I have a question, does the high end only offer LED lights and leather seats? I am sure there are more features that would be on offer. Please check the brochure carefully. High end models are there for a reason. No matter what the after market fit, the final outcome is never as good as a factory fitted one. Take for example TPMS, the in built software and readings that appear on the LED will always trump something that appears like a screen on the dashboard and occupy extra space.

The top end variant has other features such as DRLS, autosensing wipers, auto headlamps and auto dimming IRVM. I only listed LED headlamp as I felt that others were nice to have and I would not miss them.

Originally Posted by condor

By myself, I dont like the 6000k light that these LED's give out. For me, if the lighting was 4300k, then I would look at the LED's. Else, no.

...
A friend was looking at the XL6 last year, and we discussed the differences. He finally settled for the second model, with the same 4 speed AT. He has done about 9k during this time, a lot of it on the highways. And he is happy - says he has begun to enjoy driving, again.

Is that due to personal preference or you find 6000k light to be insufficient compared to 4300k?
Thanks for the feedback of the 4 speed AT.

Originally Posted by govigov

The alpha led's are good, but take a good look at whether they are correct for you, if you need to upgrade them, they cost a lot. Whereas, it is relatively easier to upgrade the halogen projectors. So drive the alpha at night and see if the light output is sufficient for you.

Second thing is, for a city roundabout, the scross is just huge, you turns need a bit of a planning, so make sure that you and your family members are OK with U turns.

Thanks for the inputs. I had done a TD in afternoon on wide roads. Will take another TD at night on narrower lanes to check the turning. Is XL6 build quality comparable to S Cross. My cousin has a Baleno and City and he is trying his best to dissuade me from buying a Maruti due to quality. Online reviews suggested that S Scross build quality is the best among all other Maruti cars. Hence the question on XL6 quality.

Originally Posted by UPS_Guru

I would recommend Zeta over Alpha.

What you can upgrade: LEDs, leather upholstery (questionable quality with a mix of man-made material), auto-dimming IRVM (see DIY replacement in this forum), and Silver colored roof rails (if you are picky about this).

What you can't upgrade: Auto headlamps and auto rain sensing wipers.

Thanks. I guess the only use for auto headlamps might be in basement parking, where one might forget to turn it off after coming out from parking.

[asmr]

Originally Posted by swapzero

Thanks for the inputs. I had done a TD in afternoon on wide roads. Will take another TD at night on narrower lanes to check the turning.

I have booked an Alpha AT and still waiting for delivery.

S-Cross is the same size as that of a Creta. It did perfectly fine in tight streets of Chennai. U turns are something which need planning anyway unless you are turning on an empty runway . You cannot make a U turn in narrow streets like a Santro or Alto, but that's the tradeoff we make for space and comfort.

[condor]

Originally Posted by swapzero

Is that due to personal preference or you find 6000k light to be insufficient compared to 4300k?

4300k is closer to daylight. Our eyes are naturalised to this color temperature. And 4300k is much better in rains than 6000k. Less blinding to the other person, too.