Maruti Suzuki’s S-Presso has become India’s most affordable car after GST 2.0-led price revision. The base model is now available at about Rs 3.50 lakh (ex-showroom) with a reduction of approximately Rs 1.20-1.30 lakh on some variants, making it stand distinctly lower than its entry-level competitors. The repositioning is partly down to Maruti Suzuki not applying recent safety upgrades to the S-Presso lineup, which kept costs lower even as broader GST changes reshuffled prices across the segment. These shifts change the competitive landscape for small hatchbacks such as the Renault Kwid and Tata Tiago.
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How Maruti S-Presso Grabbed The Cheapest-Car Tag
The recent GST 2.0 revision has made many sub-4-metre
petrol cars cheaper, and manufacturers have been passing the benefits on to customers. The S-Presso is one of those Maruti models that received one of the biggest price cuts, bringing its entry pricing into the low-Rs 3 lakh range. Since Maruti did not implement the same safety hardware upgrades on the S-Presso as it did with some other entry-level models, the company was able to reflect steeper cuts on the model’s price list. This combination makes the S-Presso the “cheapest car,” due to both tax changes and model positioning.
Where Kwid And Tiago Stand Now
Renault Kwid has also seen price cuts due to GST, but its revised ex-showroom prices still do not beat the S-Presso across core variants. Reductions for the Kwid are mostly between Rs 40,000 and Rs 55,000, depending on the trim. It now starts at Rs 4.30 lakh (ex-showroom). Tata’s Tiago sits above both of these models with a starting price of Rs 4.57 lakh (ex-showroom), much higher than the newly revised S-Presso, which keeps the Tiago positioned as a more feature-rich, higher-valued choice for buyers considering entry-level options. Buyers should be concerned not just with the sticker price, but also with features, safety equipment, and anticipated resale value.
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What This Means For Buyers And Rivals
S-Presso’s price perhaps will encourage competitors to respond with adjustments in their discount offers, bundles, and even several features coupled with the main product, hence sustaining demand. The cheapest headline price does not always lead to the lowest overall ownership cost because insurance, state taxes, and equipment levels all weigh in very heavily. Dealers will be watching for an uptick in showroom traffic interested in the cheaper models, while consumers must sit down and make a very careful comparison of the variant-level features and the total on-road costs before making a decision.
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