Maruti S-Cross vs Hyundai i20 Active

The upcoming Maruti S-Cross takes on the Hyundai i20 Active

The soon-to-be-launched Maruti S-Cross is a proper crossover which is targeted at the Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta and other such vehicles on sale in India. However, appearance-wise it looks more of a hatchback crossover than an SUV. Which means the general perception could be to view it in the same category as the Hyundai i20 Active. Before we go any further we would like to make it very clear that the two are very different vehicles; the Hyundai i20 Active is a based on a standard large hatchback with some increase in ground clearance and plastic cladding, while the Maruti S-Cross has been engineered to be a crossover from the ground up. How do these two crossovers stack up against each other? Find out here in our Maruti S-Cross vs Hyundai i20 Active comparison story.

Design

As we mentioned earlier, the Maruti S-Cross looks more of a large hatchback that has been given the usual crossover treatment. There is black plastic cladding all around and faux skid plates at the front, back and sides. Up front, you get a grille with two chrome slats which house the Suzuki insignia. On either side of the grille are two large headlamps with LED projector units and LED daytime running lights. There is one single character line which starts from around the fog lamp area and flows along the side taking some of the bulkiness out of the S-Cross’ profile. At the back, you get barely any usage of chrome, something which we really like about the S-Cross and there are split tail lamps which look a lot like the EcoSport‘s. A likeable design overall, just that the headlamps are a tad too big and the alloy wheel spokes are too thick and look like wheel covers from a distance. For the i20 Active, Hyundai has done quite a bit to set apart from the Elite i20. You get a new grille, bumpers, roof rails and cladding, faux skid plates all around. The headlamps get projector units with LED daytime running lights and the fog lamps and rear reflector units are now circular. The i20 continues to a be a very smart looking car even in the crossover guise and, though smaller, looks better than the Maruti S-Cross.
On the inside, both cars get classy all-black interiors which look much more premium than the black and beige combo. The i20 Active gets blue or orange highlights depending on the exterior colour you opt for. The Maruti S-Cross gets a neatly laid out dash with an infotainment system mounted on the centre console which gets a hexagonal silver surround. The steering wheel has been borrowed from the Swift and the dials get nice blue highlights. The interiors of the i20 Active are identical in every way to the Elite i20, except for the colour scheme. No touchscreen on offer. Interior space is bound to be more in the S-Cross owing to its bigger size.

Features

Both cars are equipped with Projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, integrated audio system with USB, AUX and Bluetooth support, push button start, dual front airbags, etc. However, the i20 Active does not come with a touchscreen audio system and does not get a dual zone climate control like the Maruti S-Cross. The higher spec trims of the S-Cross also get automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers, etc. The Maruti S-Cross and Hyundai i20 Active are both very well equipped crossovers.

Specs

	Maruti S-Cross		Hyundai i20 Active
Type	1.6 L diesel	1.3 L diesel	1.4 L diesel	1.2 L petrol
Power	118 bhp	89 bhp	89 bhp	82 bhp
Torque	320 Nm	200 Nm	220 Nm	115 Nm
Transmission	6-speed manual	5-speed manual	6-speed manual	5-speed manual
Mileage	22.7 kpl	23.65 kpl	21.9 kpl	17.19 kpl

Not having to comply to the small car regulations means the Maruti S-Cross gets a bigger engine which is more powerful than that of the i20 Active’s. The Maruti S-Cross comes with two diesel engine options while the Hyundai i20 Active gets one diesel and one petrol option. None of the cars get an automatic transmission option.

Price

There is no doubt that the Maruti S-Cross is priced significantly higher than the Hyundai i20 Active. Pricing of the S-Cross starts, roughly, where the i20 Active’s ends. Which means that the lower 1.3 L diesel variants of the S-Cross is similar in price to the top-spec i20 Active diesel. Both engines are similar in terms of power which gives the S-Cross a significant advantage as it has more space and slightly better equipment levels. The 1.6 L diesel of the Maruti S-Cross will sit above the i20 Active in terms of pricing.

	Hyundai i20 Active		Maruti S-Cross
	1.2 L Petrol	1.4 L Diesel		1.3 L Diesel	1.6 L Diesel
Base	INR 6.39 lacs	INR 7.63 lacs	Sigma	INR 8.34 lacs	–
S	INR 7.10 lacs	INR 8.34 lacs	Delta	INR 9.15 lacs	INR 11.99 lacs
SX	–	INR 8.89 lacs	Zeta	INR 9.99 lacs	INR 12.99 lacs
			Alpha	INR 10.75 lacs	INR 13.74 lacs

Maruti S-Cross vs Hyundai i20 Active – Verdict

The two cars featured in the Maruti S-Cross vs Hyundai i20 Active comparison belong to a different class; one has been engineered from the ground up as a crossover to take on the likes of the Renault Duster and Hyundai Creta while the other is a hatchback that has been given the crossover treatment. But since they both look like large hatchback based crossovers, comparisons are inevitable. The pricing of the S-Cross is definitely on the higher side and if you’re looking for a city friendly crossover then  the Hyundai i20 Active makes more sense thanks to much better looks and affordability. But then, it does is unable to match the space and premiumness offered by the S-Cross which is simply a notch above.