Maruti Suzuki India had launched the S-Cross two months ago along-with its premium car dealership channel Nexa amidst much hype, but slow offtake of the country’s first true blue crossover has forced the carmaker to sweeten the deal with discounts of up to Rs 90,000 on the car.

In Mumbai, Nexa dealerships are offering discounts including cash benefits of Rs 50,000 and a loyalty bonus of Rs 40,000 on the 1.6-litre DDiS 320 model. While discounts on the 1.3-litre DDiS 200 model range between Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000, depending upon the variants. The DDiS 200 base variant is priced at Rs 10.22 lakhs, while the DDiS 320 sets you back by Rs 14.82 lakhs on road in Mumbai.

According to market sources, most of the demand for the S-Cross at present is driven by the DDiS 200 variant, as the steep price difference between the two models is deterring some buyers from opting for the 1.6-litre variant. Apart from this, stiff competition from the Creta, and discounts on the likes of the Duster could also be the reasons for the discount on 2-month old S-Cross. Industry data for July and August shows that Maruti sold a total of 6,112 units of the S-Cross in the first two months.

At the time of the launch, experts had raised concerns that the steep difference in the pricing of the two variants could dent sales of the DDiS 320 S-Cross, as customers have the option of purchasing a compact SUV at the same price. Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, had then told Autocar Professional, “We will have to study the pricing whether the difference is too much between the two variants.”

However, RS Kalsi, executive director (sales and marketing), had said the price difference is based on the engine quality and performance; the more powerful 1.6-litre diesel compared to the 1.3-litre motor. He is of the opinion that with the pricing the company has tried to be competitive and will attract more customers to the Nexa showrooms. Also while 1.6-litre DDiS 320 is an imported engine from Fiat, the DDiS 200 is an in-house motor.

Now with the festive season re-starting, and good discounts on offer, Maruti Suzuki looks to spur better demand for the S-Cross. With the new Baleno, set to launch this month as well, Nexa will have a second offering and Maruti would want to keep the pricing more competitive this time as the Baleno will take on the segment leader, Elite i20.