BY their own admission, Suzuki’s S-Cross has, in the past, been something of a Marmite car – high on value but not winning many plaudits for its styling.
Safe to say though, it’s been improved over the years and now there’s one available for you to really get your teeth into and satisfy your appetite for a good, all-round SUV. One that does what it says on the tin and won’t cost you your childrens inheritance.
And talking of tin, the lightweight feel as you shut the door belies the fact the S-Cross has a lot of inherent in-built strength, passing all the relevant safety tests.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that its ‘lighter than some’ feel equates to improved economy, helped by its hybrid 1462cc engine. I’ve always found that if a Suzuki says it will do ‘x’ to the gallon you’ll be able to get pretty close to that figure – not something you can achieve with a lot of cars these days, it has to be said.
There’s a purposeful thrum as it revs its little Hungarian nuts up the rev band as you push on, but at cruising speeds it settle down to be no more annoying than any other engine you might come across. Depending on your driving style, the auto transmission can have a tendency to lurch on upshifts, at which point it’s wise to use the steering wheel mounted paddles which will smooth it out.
Suzuki have always been renowned for an unblemished ability to build good, workmanlike cars as well as decent motorbikes – but the arrival of the S-Cross in 2013 marked them out as a car maker capable of a bit more.
The latest S-Cross is fairly easy on the eye, loaded up with equipment and its overall lightness gives it an agility than belies its chunky look and interior space on offer.
Vitally important to anyone parting with their hard earned for a car is how they settle behind the wheel, and the S-Cross is no letdown. There’s good head, leg and shoulder room and with a good range of adjustment to the seat and steering wheel.
S-Cross comes in two trim levels – Motion and Ultra – but the entry-level version gives you pretty much everything you’ll need. The top spec Ultra adds a bigger nine inch screen, 360 camera, sat-nav, leather seats and a double opening panoramic roof.
And it just about rewrites the book on what safety equipment to fit to a car – it’s all supplied in the price.
The only engine on offer – a 1.5-litre petrol with a 140V hybrid power supply – will give you around 50mpg, and 132g/km with the full hybrid ALLGRIP setup.
The crossover sector of the market is ‘Sales Central’ these days and one that Suzuki firmly has a foothold in.
S-Cross was born out of a mix of their compact car expertise and their ability to build workmanlike sport utility vehicles. The result is a car with the best bits of most motoring worlds.
Suzuki S-Cross Ultra Full Hybrid ALLGRIP
Price: £31,549
Engine: 1.5 litre, four cylinder, petrol + electric motor
Power: 113bhp
Torque: 101lb/ft
Transmission: automated manual 4×4
Top speed: 108mph
0-62mph: 13.5 seconds
Economy: 48.7mpg
CO2 emissions: 132g/km
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