For those familiar with the Suzuki range of passenger cars will no doubt know the Swift and Vitara, these are the bread and butter for Suzuki.
Lesser known ones include the Ignis, Alto and Jimny, but also on that list is the S-Cross, which has never really attracted much attention, and probably bought by those who thought it was a Vitara, as they were very similar to look at. Only a close examination of the badge, for many could tell them apart. Different they were, with the S-Cross really being a slightly larger version of the ever-popular Vitara.
But now a new S-Cross has been launched, and it couldn’t be any different, what the previous model lacked in style, this all-new model makes up for. It has bold and striking lines that make the exterior look very handsome.
We drove this new car on the UK Press event in Cheshire, on a variety of roads and it proved to be good in all conditions. We did not however take it off-road, but with previous experience of using the Suzuki AllGrip four-wheel drive system, I can be pretty confident in saying it will be great on any slippery surface.
The new S-Cross is powered by a 1.4-litre BoosterJet petrol engine with 48v Mild Hybrid technology that produces 129ps, goes from 0-100kph in 10.2 seconds.
The mild Hybrid system, put quite simply is a way of generating electricity that is stored in a separate battery. This stored energy is used when accelerating away from standstill and helps reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions. During the short time I drove the car it achieved 42.2 mpg (6.694 litres per 100 km) which for the type of roads and journey was a good result.
The interior, is well, a complete change, Suzuki have thrown everything away from the previous model, and started again, a huge step forward, in design, materials used and quality. It is comfortable, easily fits in five adults and enough room in the luggage compartment for plenty of luggage or shopping.
Suzuki have moved away from their usual badging, or naming, and instead replaced it with Motion and Ultra, they’ve kept it simple with just two models. I drove the Ultra 6-speed manual, and it was fully loaded with standard equipment, and the cost of this car in the UK is £29,799, a lot of car for your money. The Motion is not at all basic, and costs £24,999, but for the bit extra, I’d go for the Ultra.
I drove the car from England into Wales, and back then there were different rules for both countries, but the route only took us over the border for a short time, so didn’t need to get out the Rule Book.
This all-new S-Cross is such a departure from the previous car, and I can imagine those who had never considered one before, for a variety of reasons, might just be temped by this much improved one. It does offer a lot in terms of style, quality, design, fuel consumption and value for money.
