What is it?
It’s Suzuki’s stab at a car that does a little bit of everything, part SUV, part, family hatch, part off-roader and partly electrified.
This is the latest version, the previous model was around for more than eight years, much longer than the industry norm so it probably deserved a new outfit and that’s what it’s got. New styling and the latest technology have turned the S-Cross into quite a desirable model.
Suzuki claims 47.92mpg is possible while I averaged 44.9 over a mixed bag of motoring, the majority of which was non-motorway and I had the manual transmission which I admit seems to make me drive more enthusiastically. Acceleration and top speed are at the slower end of the spectrum while there is four-wheel-drive capability which may drive fuel consumption down a little. Lower spec models come with 2WD only.
What do we think?
The Suzuki S-Cross feels like a very well put-together car but it’s a brand that seems to remain quite anonymous on the road and hence it probably doesn’t feature very high on peoples’ shopping list – unless you have owned one before. That said Suzuki is actually rated the UK’s most trustworthy car seller according to the Institute of Customer Service., ranking third overall behind John Lewis and First Direct.
The S-Cross does everything pretty well, it might not be the quickest family hack but it will bimble around town and country quite adequately and comfortably. The manual gearbox is quite slick and plays its part in providing a smooth ride.
Once you get behind the wheel it’s a joy not to have to spend half an hour searching around for functions, be they on screen or on buttons – there’s proper button-controlled climate controls and even a manual handbrake. It’s comfortable enough back and front although that sunroof does reduce headroom a little, particularly in the back. The 360-degree parking system works really well and there’s even an animation on the touchscreen when you start the car to show any obstacles around the vehicle.
The standard safety equipment is better than most rivals and includes blind spot, rear cross traffic, lane departure, forward collision warning and traffic sign recognition.
The boot is decent in size with 430 litres of capacity, not the biggest but plentiful all the same, and kids in the rear seats might be a little put out by the lack of USB ports in the rear.
Suzuki once again has come up with a well-engineered car which much higher levels of equipment than most rivals and much lower prices – great value in other words. There’s little model confusion either with just the two trims leaving the only choices to make or add are colour and transmission. Suzuki dealers will also give you a 14-day period to change your mind and return the car for a full refund.
Actually there is another choice – do you want two- or four-wheel-drive? Unless you absolutely need 4WD for off-roading why spend the extra £5K when the base model is so well equipped? What about snow? I hear you say. Well, a set of winter tyres will see off most of the white stuff we get and be considerably cheaper than £5,000.
Suzuki S-Cross Ultra Allgrip
P11D value (as tested): £30,349
Engine: 1.4-litre petrol mild hybrid
Max power: 129hp
Max speed: 121mph
0-62mph: 9.2 secs
Fuel consumption: 44.9mpg
CO2: 133g/km
VED: £210 ( yr 1) £145 (yr 2)
