Motors: Suzuki S-Cross Full Hybrid – Do you really get more for your money?
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Among the catalogue of car brands offering us their latest productions, there’s one which is consistently worth considering.
Yet Suzuki is often overlooked by buyers who are tempted by the attractions of more flamboyant specimens in the showrooms.
Not that it has affected the Japanese brand’s sales in the UK where they sell immediately almost all the cars they can get hold of from the factory.
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Their owners seem pretty happy too, coming in the top five of more than 260 companies across a range of industries in a survey by the Institute of Customer Service. More impressive though was that they were named the number one car brand for customer trust.
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The reason is their seven-car range may appear to be understated but from the entry-level Ignis, through the lively Swift and the Vitara SUV to the joint ventures with Toyota, the Swace and Across, they all have superb build quality and technical excellence.
The latest to be unveiled is a full hybrid version of the successful small SUV, the S-Cross, building on the mild hybrid model of the third generation which has been around for about a year and continues as a manual.
In simple terms it adds 140v electric power to a four-cylinder 1.5 litre petrol engine for greater economy. It isn’t the quickest, with the featured test car coming with the Allgrip four-wheel-drive system, it takes 13.5 seconds to get to 62mph, but this is not a car you’d buy for performance but will appeal to those looking for green efficiency and lower running costs.
The electric set-up is low-key and while you can choose to run for a few miles on electric-only power, it is pretty limited and designed to squeeze the most out of the petrol unit.
It comes only with a six-speed AGS automated manual transmission designed to give the driver a more direct experience with the convenience of a full automatic but the result is a leisurely progression to full speed. Paddles on the steering wheel allow manual changes.
There are two driving modes of eco and standard and through one switch, the driver can change between the two to alter the frequency of EV driving.
The motor generator unit or MGU acts as both a generator for the battery and starter motor to assist the petrol engine as it moves off. Electrical energy recovered from deceleration and braking is stored in the lithium-ion battery and the car’s brains automatically decide when that is needed to provide extra boost for the petrol engine.
There are two versions – the base level Motion which is expected to be the most popular and Ultra, which for almost £5000 more adds the Allgrip system, 360-degree camera, leather seats, a double sliding panoramic sunroof, a larger nine-inch infotainment display, satnav and polished 17-inch wheels.
Suzuki says to get that level of equipment in the equivalent Nissan Qashqai would cost an extra £6000 or around £7000 in the Peugeot 3008.
So there’s a lot for your money and the interior is well laid out, with a clean and efficient look with everything to hand – and well put together.
The infotainment screen is high on the dash and easy to navigate and I’m delighted that the physical controls for the climate are kept separate for quick access.
Visibility is good all round thanks to the raised poise on the road, large glass area and narrow pillars and leg and headroom feels generous in the front but slightly less so in the back.
The Allgrip system is simple but effective with a dial for the driving modes of auto, sport, snow and lock, for the limited slip differential, next to the conventional manual handbrake lever. Those last two should keep you out of trouble on slippery grass and wintry tracks but might struggle in serious off-road conditions, especially as ground clearance is only 175 mms.
Vital stats: Suzuki Full Hybrid S-Cross 1.5 Ultra Allgrip four-wheel drive
PRICE: £31,549 (£32,099 as tested)
ENGINE: 1462cc petrol 4 cylinder six-speed automated manual transmission
POWER: 115 PS
TORQUE: 138 Nm
TOP SPEED: 108mph
0-62 MPH: 13.5 seconds
ECONOMY: 48 mpg combined
CO2 EMISSIONS: 132 g/km
