Maruti Suzuki has officially released a teaser video of its upcoming hatchback crossover, which will be sold as the Maruti S-Presso. The company has confirmed that this new model will be sold through its Arena dealerships once it is launched in the country on September 30.
The Maruti S-Presso is said to be based on the Future S concept that was showcased by the carmaker last year at the 2018 Auto Expo. The S-Presso thus comes with some SUV-like design cues, including an upright nose, black front and rear bumper with faux skid plates, and black body cladding across the sides. The headlamps appear to be conventional halogen units, while the front grille has U-shaped inserts similar to what is seen on the bigger Maruti SUV – the Vitara Brezza. There are LED daytime running lights (DRLs) placed lower down the front bumper.
While Maruti designers have surely tried everything to make the hatchback look as SUV-like as possible, whether or not the overall design pleases the masses is something yet to be seen. The S-Presso will be a budget-inclined model. As a result, there are visible cost-cutting measures been made. These include old flap-type door handles, no projector headlamps, etc. However, with a ground clearance of 180 mm, the S-Presso will surely be suitable for driving on unpaved rural roads across India.
The Maruti S-Presso is based on the company’s latest HEARTECT platform. This platform is not just claimed to offer better safety, but is also a lot lighter. As a result, the S-Presso’s base model weighs just 726 kg, which is even lighter than the Maruti Alto. With such a low weight, we expect the S-Presso to offer segment-leading fuel economy figures; something that Maruti Suzuki proudly claims as their car’s selling points. However, what effect it will have on the car’s structural strength is something that we will see after a crash test.
The Maruti S-Presso’s chief competitor in India will be the Renault Kwid. At 3,565 mm in length, the S-Presso surely is shorter than its Renault rival (3,7679 mm). However, it is taller than the Kwid by 86 mm. Hence, expect better headroom in the S-Presso, but slightly inferior legroom and boot space.
Maruti S-Presso India teaser
Powering the Maruti S-Presso will be a BS-6 compliant petrol 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine. It will be capable of developing 68 PS and 90 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties will be handled either by a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT automatic.
It won’t be a smooth sail for the Maruti S-Presso, as Renault too is preparing for the launch of the 2019 Kwid facelift. However, Maruti is expected to launch the S-Presso at an aggressive price tag ranging from Rs. 3.3 lakh to Rs. 4.5 lakh (ex-showroom).