Maruti Suzuki S-Presso

The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso looks inspired by bigger SUVs with its taller body and dual-split bumpers along with its upright stance and neat tail lamps that go into the fenders, making it appear wider than it actually is. It also gets reasonable wheel arches with side body cladding, raised door sills and 180 mm of ground clearance. The proportions are not all SUV-like and this may hinder road presence considerably, especially at the rear. The wheels feel smaller even though higher trims have 14-inchers. There is also a lack of proportion. The rear looks good enough although the overall effect may seem polarizing and awkward to some. 

The S-Presso gets the time-tested 1.0 litre K10B petrol engine that dishes out 68 PS and 90 Nm of maximum torque. There is also a manual transmission system with the AGS option. The manual is light and shifts nicely while the AGS also responds swiftly towards any down-shifting. The acceleration quotient is better with the latter although the up-shifting may not always be a pleasant experience. The engine is quite punchy however and likes its revs. However, it does get noisy when you go for those hard revs. The engine is fuel efficient though and performs decently on city roads. 

21.4-21.7 kmpl is the claimed mileage for the S-Presso. 

The S-Presso handles reasonably well and has a good turning circle which makes it easy to handle and maneuver in traffic. It does decently on the highway with good braking levels and stability. The light steering has a vague feeling at higher speeds although the ground clearance takes care of some rough patches decently. The car may also have a floating effect at higher speeds which could sometimes be disconcerting. However, this is not a car that you will be pushing to its limits. 

The interiors offer good space and the dashboard is also well-designed. The headroom is good while shoulder room and legroom are also decent. Boot space is also a winner with this car. The instrument console is at the center while there are body colored rings that hark back to MINI cars while the round air conditioning vents also have similar rings. The instrument cluster is good enough to use although many will take time getting used to its new position. The positioning of the other control is nice enough with smart placements of power window buttons. The rear does not get power windows through. The seating position is good with nice views. The steering may be lower for some drivers though. Getting in and out of the car is comparatively easier. There are also bottle holders for the door pockets in front. There are good storage compartments including a cavity placed above the glove box. There are front and back door armrests as well. It also is the first in the segment to offer steering mounted voice and audio controls while the user interface is compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and other apps in the SmartPlay Studio App line-up. 

The S-Presso has steering mounted voice and audio controls, front power windows, a central digital instrument console, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SmartPlay Studio Apps, and an infotainment unit. 

The S-Presso comes with dual airbags, seat belts with pre-tensioners, ABS with EBD, seat belt reminders, high speed warnings, and reverse parking sensors. 

The S-Presso gets four variants, namely the Std, LXi, VXi, and the VXi+. All variants have standard driver’s airbags, rear parking sensors, ABS, front seat-belt reminders and speed alert systems. The VXi+ version gets the standard passenger airbag and seatbelt pre-tensioner while you can buy this as optional for the lower variants. The Std trim is quite basic although the LXi trim comes with features like sun visors, air conditioning and power steering. The VXi trim is a value pick since it is not as costly over the LXi. It gets almost all the features including the 2-DIN audio unit with Bluetooth, power socket, front power windows, central locking, speed-sensitive door locks, 14-inch steel wheels, and more. If you can stretch your budget, then the VXi+ variant gets more equipment including standard safety features, aesthetic tweaks, the 7-inch touch screen infotainment unit with connectivity features, and steering-mounted audio controls. 

The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso competes with the Renault Kwid and Datsun Redi-Go in the category. The Kwid is the longest and the S-Presso is the tallest although it does not have the most width in the category. Power figures are near-similar for all three models. Feature-wise, the Kwid does seem to have a slight edge, although all the cars are evenly matched in this department as well. 

The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso works well as a micro-SUV that actually functions as a fuel efficient and reasonably peppy hatchback. It looks the part mostly although the look could be polarizing to some, offers decent features at the top-end, and offers good legroom and comfort as well. It also accomplishes all of this at a competitive price tag, something that will make it achieve more milestones in the coming years as per expectations.