THE all electric version of Suzuki’s Vitara is the first of a quartet of battery electric vehicles (BEV) from the Japanese manufacturer in the next few years.
The brand has very much built its sales base on loyalty – seven out of 10 customers are those buying another Suzuki, which says a lot about brand satisfaction. The aim for e Vitara is for it to be responsible for a third of all future sales.
So what’s it like to live with? Very user friendly, to be honest, and you can appreciate why people are loyal to the brand – it does what it says on the tin. 
Only now the tin has a more robust quality to it.
It’s got a more solid feel than past Suzukis, in that there’s a more weighty clunk when you shut the door – not the tinny sound of the past.
The steering feels a touch heavier than I remember from the UK launch last year but it’s no deal breaker. Ride quality is what you’d expect and while you’ll pick up a little wind noise on open roads it’s not something that’s going to scupper the deal.
And then we head inside. The seats are firm and supportive and the interior space is fine – it is a small SUV after all – and it has sliding rear seats to increase the load capacity if you need it.
You get a clear view of the instrumentation ahead through the steering wheel, flatter at the top and also at the bottom to make getting in and out easier.
Standard kit is impressive. All versions have front and rear sensors, reversing camera, wireless phone charging, keyless entry and a host of safety features.
The only available option is paint. Metallic white is standard, but there are 11 to choose from.
Two trim levels are available – Motion and Ultra – both of which offer four wheel drive, a choice of either 49kWh or 61kWh battery and a heat pump to support the battery range. The latter is usually an extra on many BEVs, and very few at this end of the market offer the reassurance of four wheel drive (named ALLGRIP-e in Suzuki’s world, a dual motor electric 4WD system with Trail mode and hill descent control.
The e Vitara uses proven blade battery technology covered by the up to 10 year/100,000 mile warranty. DC rapid charge time from 10-80 per cent is 45 minutes. Our spell with the car showed a return of 2.4 miles per kWh.
The 61kWh Ultra model here features 19-inch alloy wheels, wireless phone charger, Adaptive high-beam system, Infinity audio system with subwoofer,, 360-degree camera, glass roof panel, LED front fog lamps, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat and half-synthetic leather seat material.
Suzuki e Vitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e
Price: £37,799
Engine: 61kWh lithium ion battery
Power: 180bhp
Torque: 226 lb/ft
Transmission: single speed
Top speed: 93mph
0-62mph: 8.7 seconds
Range: 245 miles
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
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