More efficient and safer Suzuki S-Presso revealed in India

Three years after making its debut as rival for the Renault Kwid and the soon-to-disappear Datsun Go, Maruti Suzuki in India has handed the S-Presso more specification items and a newer engine as part of its first mid-life facelift.

Although aesthetically unaltered, Suzuki has put the main emphasis on safety following the S-Presso’s zero-star Global NCAP rating not long after its reveal.

As such, all models in India come as standard with dual front airbags, ABS, EBD and rear parking sensors, with Electronic Stability Control and Hill Hold Assist premiering on models equipped with the five-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) Suzuki calls Auto Gear Shift or AGS.

Electrically adjustable mirrors and a new air-conditioning filtration system on the VXi and VXi+ models round the specification tweaks off.

Up front, the S-Presso still makes use of a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, albeit now the K10C unit from the Celerio.

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Delivering 49kW/89Nm, the unit is down one kilowatt and one Newton Metre from the current K10B, but fitted with Suzuki’s DualJet system that has resulted in fuel consumption improving from 4.6 L/100 km to 3.9 L/100 km for models fitted with the five-speed manual and four litres per 100 km for AGS derivatives.

As before, the Indian S-Presso line-up spans four trim levels; base, LXi, VXi and VXi+ with only the latter models being privy to the AGS ‘box. Pricing kicks-off at INR 425 000 (R90 529) with the VXI+ AGS priced at INR 599 000 (R127 593)

Locally, the S-Presso is offered in VXi and VXi+ equalling GL and GL+ trim levels with an aesthetically enhanced S-Edition being offered on the latter. Prices range from R156 900 to R184 900.

The recipient of a three-star rating by Global NCAP last month as part of its #SaferCarsForAfrica campaign, which attracted significant attention from India, no plans are currently in place to offer the new engine in South Africa, however, expect this to possibly change within the coming months.

Additional information from Autocar India.