Suzuki refers to this S-Cross as a ‘new generation’, but that is actually not correct. The model is based on the 2013 S-Cross and has now undergone an extensive second facelift. It doesn’t change the qualities of the crossover. He still offers a relatively large car for relatively little money.
What is striking about the Suzuki S-Cross?
In general, Suzuki is not fond of design. Although we dare to refer to the Ignis and in particular the Jimny as design classics. The Suzuki S-Cross looks a bit interchangeable, like a Japanese SUV from ten years ago, with a dime-a-dozen rear and a nose that would also fit another brand (we’re thinking Chevrolet, in this case) . And that is due to the fact that it is still based on the S-Cross from 2013. The interior is largely the same and the exterior dimensions of the car also match.
What’s good about the Suzuki S-Cross?
There is plenty of space on board. At least, in the first row of seats and in the trunk, in which you can store up to 1230 liters of stuff. The front seats are flat, but are excellent. You have a good overview from behind the wheel, partly due to the large glass surface around you. The rear seat is quite high and that has an impact on the headroom. If you are 1.80 meters or taller, you sit with your crown against the roof. The beautiful panoramic roof in our testauto only makes that worse.
The dashboard is gray, but there are clear physical buttons for most functions. You don’t have to mess around with the infotainment system like in many other new cars. Every S-Cross has one, but only the Style we drove has the larger, 9-inch display. It does what it’s supposed to do, but is slow to respond to your input and doesn’t have the most intuitive menu structure.
Electrification, Suzuki is not that far with it yet. The Swace hybrid and Across plug-in hybrid are Toyota models with a different logo, and the Vitara’s new 1.5 Dualjet Full Hybrid powertrain will not be available in the S-Cross until later. For the time being, the SUV has to make do with mild hybrid technology. That means it has a starter motor/generator, which converts kinetic energy into electricity, stores it in a battery and uses it to lend a hand to the 1.4-litre four-cylinder in the front.
You get an extra 13 horsepower from it for a short time. Enough to fill the turbo gap of the Boosterjet engine and ensure smooth acceleration at the traffic light. You get pleasure from the manual six-speed gearbox, which is perfectly spaced and slides like a hot knife through butter from resistance to resistance. For 1825 euros more, Suzuki supplies the S-Cross with a six-speed automatic transmission. We would keep the money in the pocket.
Always our latest driving impressions or tests in your mail?
Subscribe to the Auto Review newsletter.
On the highway – with the poker in six – the tachometer needle hovers around 2000 rpm. The Suzuki specified consumption of 1 to 18.9 you get with ease. We even got 1 out of 19.2. Compared to other SUVs in its class, the S-Cross is a tad noisy. It is mainly wind noise and tire hum what you hear. The engine remains quite quiet; only when accelerating you can hear him clearing his throat emphatically.
What could be done better about the Suzuki S-Cross?
The Suzuki has a softer chassis than its competitors. That makes it comfortable, but also a bit jumpy, especially due to the nervous shock absorption. It sometimes feels as if the body is dancing on a coil spring, like a jack out of a box. What doesn’t help is the steering, which is as tacky as an old Coke stain around the center position. When you drive straight, you are constantly making small corrections.
What will the new Suzuki S-Cross cost?
You don’t buy a Suzuki S-Cross for its enthusiastic steering behaviour. You buy it because of its price and what it offers for it. The S-Cross falls a bit between the B and C segment in terms of dimensions. It competes with the Opel Crossland and Skoda Kamiq, as well as the Opel Mokka and Skoda Karoq. Suzuki asks 27,995 euros for the S-Cross slip-on, the Comfort, and with that the brand gives you a nice offer.
As standard, the S-Cross Comfort is equipped with a 7-inch multimedia display, 17-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and even partially leather-covered seats. To make the comparison with the Opel Mokka: if you are looking for a correspondingly motorized and equipped version, you pay 32,000 euros. For the smaller, less powerful, but otherwise comparable Skoda Kamiq you will lose 29,000 euros after a hair.
What do I think of the Suzuki S-Cross?
The renewed Suzuki S-Cross aims for a sufficient. And he gets it. Not nine or ten, but a neat seven. The S-Cross is not the finest steering in its class. And not the most beautifully finished or most attractively styled. The Suzuki scores with a no-nonsense mix of space, equipment and reliability. For just under 28,000 euros you have an SUV that is satisfied with a position in the middle bracket. He’s just good. And that’s good enough…