Maruti Suzuki S-Presso 2019-2022

First things first, unlike the exterior, the interior of the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso does seem to have a visual connection with the concept. The S-Presso's doors open widely, allowing you to enter the cabin with ease.  The small dashboard, the peculiar circular feature in the centre, and the speedometer situated in the middle all command immediate attention. A compact glovebox, a convenient shelf for your phone and wallet, and 1-liter bottle holders are all there. Two cup holders and a tiny cubby for trinkets are included on the floor console. It features the 7.0-inch SmartPlay Studio infotainment system and in words of the carmaker, its design has been inspired from the dial of a modern-day digital wrist watch. The steering comes from the Maruti parts bin and looks pretty sporty, while the plastic quality is acceptable for a car of this class.

The Maruti S-Presso isn't a huge car by any means, but the inside will undoubtedly give you the impression that it is. The cabin is spacious and can fit four persons who are fully grown. The driver gets a fantastic perspective of the road because to the driver seat's elevated position. Now, this is a characteristic of SUVs, and it benefits the small car. There is enough of legroom for passengers in both rows, and the seats are all quite comfortable. But a larger set of headrests is desperately needed for the back seats. The S-270-liter Presso's trunk won't be able to hold much luggage, but it is nearly as large as the 277-liter Kwid's and considerably smaller.

The Next Gen K-Series 1.0L Dual Jet, Dual VVT engine with Idle Start-Stop technology powers the new S-Presso, which produces 89Nm@3500rpm of torque and 65 horsepower of power. Given the low kerb weight of just 726 kg, the low capacity petrol motor makes this budget car a pretty sprightly performer. Even the transmission options come from the K10 and include a 5-speed manual unit as well as a 5-speed AMT.

There’s enough grunt on tap right from the moment you start driving this car and the torque spread is spread out pretty well across the rev range. In fact, the motor loves to be revved till the redline and the performance is so good that it makes S-Presso the most fun car in its segment. Coupled with the low kerb weight, the motor, along with the well-defined gear ratios, enables the driver to pick up speed from as low as 5 kmph in second gear. The great tractability even leads to fewer gearshifts (and hence higher fuel efficiency) when driving on the congested urban streets.

Even the AMT is a pretty smooth-shifting unit with the inherent laggy and jerky performance of Automated Manual Transmissions being well-controlled here. The gearshifts take place at low RPMs when you drive with a light foot but the transmission holds on to each gear till the very redline when you really step on the gas. The downshifts, however, should have been a tad quicker. The New S-Presso offers improved fuel efficiency with Vxi(O)/Vxi+(O) AGS at 25.30 Km/l, Vxi/Vxi+ MT at 24.76 Km/l, and Std/Lxi MT at 24.12 Km/l.

Despite having a little kerb weight, the compact car seems stable even at high speeds, and the steering is incredibly direct and quick. Although there is a minor lack of clarity at the dead centre, we have learned to expect this from all Maruti Suzuki products that are priced reasonably. The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is built on the HEARTECT-K platform used by the automaker. This is connected to the Japanese Suzuki Alto, which is classified as a "Kei car," as well as the HEARTECT platform, which is used on more expensive vehicles like the Swift and the Baleno. As anticipated, the S-Presso boasts good high-speed characteristics thanks to current construction.

Moreover, the steering wheel stays ultra light even as the speeds rise, which is surely something that gets a bit unnerving in the corners but a dull steering apart, the S-Presso is a really fun car to drive. Besides, the light steering is a boon in the urban environment. Another highlight here is the pretty matured ride quality. The suspension is soft enough to keep you comfortable on broken patches of road while the ride stays quite pliant even at high speeds. There is some body roll when changing lanes at high speeds but it’s nothing that can’t be easily overlooked.

Disappointingly, the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso has bagged a zero-star rating in Global NCAP’s #SaferCarsForIndia crash tests. Speaking on the poor performance, Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Global NCAP has said, “It is very disappointing that Maruti Suzuki, the manufacturer with the largest share of the Indian market, offers such low safety performance for Indian consumers. Domestic manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata have demonstrated high levels of safety and protection for their customers, both achieving five-star performance. Surely it’s time for Maruti Suzuki to demonstrate this commitment to safety for its customers?”

While none of S-Presso’s direct rivals have fared well in these crash tests, we would have still liked this small car to have scored better. The S-Presso provides you and your loved ones with a brand-new level of safe driving thanks to its abundance of safety features, including dual airbags, ABS with EBD, pre-tensioner and force limiter front seatbelts with front seatbelt reminder, high-speed alert system, standard reverse parking sensors across all variants, and Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Hill Hold Assist in AGS variants.