Maruti Suzuki’s Nexa channel has had quite an eventful week. It started with completing five years of existence, during which it clocked over 1.1 million sales across India. Then, two variants of the Ignis received a price hike, thanks to the addition of a touchscreen infotainment system. And now, the moment all S-Cross fanatics had been waiting for has arrived. Maruti Suzuki has commenced accepting bookings for the BS6-compliant (Bharat Stage 6) crossover, with the minimum token amount set at Rs 11,000. We’ll get to know the prices on August 5, 2020.

We would have received the upgraded S-Cross earlier this year. But, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maruti Suzuki had to delay the proceedings. Once it launches, the crossover will complete its maker’s BS6 range of products.

Just like the Vitara Brezza, the S-Cross will ditch diesel power in favour of a petrol-only portfolio. Powering the crossover will be the same engine that also does duty in the Ciaz, XL6, Ertiga and the Vitara Brezza. The 1.5-litre, four-cylinder motor puts out 103bhp/138Nm. Like the rest of them, the S-Cross will have two transmission options – a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic (torque converter). A two-pedal setup will also be the first for the upcoming model.

Apart from new powertrain options, the S-Cross will also gain Maruti Suzuki’s upgraded SmartPlay infotainment system. The 7.0-inch unit offers compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, voice command system and doubles up as a monitor for the rear-view camera. The rest of the package should remain unaltered.

How will it be priced? In theory, it should cost less than before as there’s no diesel engine in the equation anywhere. However, the petrol engine has received some software and hardware upgrades to meet the stricter emission norms. It all depends on how Maruti Suzuki plans to pass on the costs to the customers.

The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross primarily rival the Renault Duster in India. Lower variants of other products, such as the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta and the Nissan Kicks, will also face the heat. Would you choose the S-Cross over others?