- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.6i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
86kW, 156Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 5.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto (CVT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2013)
Suzuki S-Cross: First drive review
Cars are becoming increasingly hard to pigeonhole, so much so that it is often easier to define a car by what it is not, rather than what it is.
Meet the Suzuki S-Cross, not a sports car, people-mover or rough-and-ready four-wheel-drive, it sits somewhere between hatch and compact SUV on the automotive spectrum.
The S-Cross is Suzuki’s successor to the SX4, a car aimed at people graduating from smaller cars such as the Swift.
Smaller than traditional compact SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 but a tad larger than the new breed of tiny SUVs led by the Holden Trax, the S-Cross occupies a space populated by few other car.
Longer and wider than the SX4 it replaces, the S-Cross is an impressive 110 kilograms lighter than the outgoing car, which helps offset a 26kW drop in power.
The S-Cross is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 86kW at 6000rpm. The motor lacks the technology such as turbocharging, direct injection or variable cam timing that could help it along once on the road.
Power would generously be described as adequate. With enough mojo to move through the suburban slog or along motorways, the S-Cross struggled a little through tight bends and on inclines along a test route in coastal Victoria.
The little engine works hard to produce 156Nm of torque at 4400rpm, and may be more raucous than buyers expect.
A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard in all models bar the entry-level GL (which has a six-speed manual as standard with a CVT as a $2500 option), and it does an admirable job of keeping the motor on the boil.
The cheapest GL model misses out on shift paddles used in the well-appointed GLX and GLX Premium, though it does have sport and low gear modes that keep the engine in its power band during spirited drives.
Suzuki Australia will introduce a more muscular diesel version of the S-Cross as soon as it can receive cars from the brand’s plant in Hungary, though it could not say when such a model will arrive.
We did not sample a manual-equipped S-Cross at launch, as Suzuki says only 10 per cent of buyers will choose to change gears themselves.
Power aside, the little crossover acquitted itself well on a launch route centred around Torquay.
Tuned for comfort rather than speed, the Suzuki soaks up bumps well but can be bouncy compared with hatches that have better body control.
The S-Cross does not roll excessively in the bends, and has direct steering that is easy to get along with.
Its interior is fine without being a stand-out space, particularly in the mid-range GXL which is fitted as standard with a reversing camera and satellite navigation.
But the entry-level GL auto misses out on those features, and feels quite plain for $25,490 plus on-road costs. Hard dashtop plastics point to a car built to a price, though it is screwed together well with no obvious quality issues.
The majority of buyers will feel comfortable in the driver’s seat of an S-Cross, helped by an impressive range of tilt and reach adjustment for its steering wheel.
It has plenty of space for adult passengers and a boot Suzuki claims is the largest in its class.
But with an asking price from $22,990 plus on-road costs for the manual variant, the S-Cross sits dangerously close to more polished cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, or more powerful, feature laden machines like Holden’s 132kW Cruze SRi.
Suzuki has sold thousands of Alto and Swift hatchbacks through sharp drive-away pricing that undercut competitors. The brand says it is not ready to do deals on the S-Cross, but that may need to change if the car is to sell in strong numbers.
Nuts and Bolts
Suzuki S-Cross GL CVT
Price: From $25,490 plus on-road costs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl petrol
Transmission: CVT automatic, FWD
Power: 86kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 156Nm at 4400rpm
Fuel consumption: 5.8L/100km
Weight: 1125kg
On sale: January 2014.