Suzuki SX4 S-cross
Suzuki’s small SUV gets an ef ciency boost through a new mild hybrid engine On sale Now Price from £20,749
BACK IN 2009, Formula 1 introduced an innovation called KERS (that’s kinetic energy recovery system), which captured energy that would otherwise be wasted under braking, sent it to a battery and then redeployed it later through a little motor. Proving the old adage that technology from racing eventually reaches showrooms, the same concept, now dubbed ‘mild hybrid’, is becoming common on the road a decade later, even being offered by small manufacturers such as Suzuki.
The latest version of the brand’s 1.4-litre petrol engine, newly available in the Vitara and SX4 S-cross SUVS and the Swift Sport hot hatch, features a 48-volt mild hybrid system. However, unlike
F1 cars, Suzuki uses it to improve efficiency rather than boost performance.
In the case of the S-cross, official economy is up by 17%, thanks to the electric assistance lightening the load on the engine, allowing it to switch off for longer than with a normal stop-start system. We averaged 38.7mpg over 200 miles of mostly motorway driving, so the official 45.4mpg should be achievable in more mixed driving. CO2 emissions are competitive, too.
The engine may be new, but this is fundamentally the same S-cross that has been around for seven years. This means that it steers and handles in a manner that’s secure rather than lively, unlike the Seat Arona, and its ride, while perfectly acceptable at 70mph, isn’t great around town, with the car fidgeting and feeling brittle over potholes.
The S-cross is reasonably practical, being
BUYER’S FILE
FIRST DRIVE spacious enough up front, providing acceptable rear head and leg room for adults under 6ft tall and a decent boot. Its interior is starting to feel dated, though, most obviously in its fiddly, low-res touchscreen infotainment system.
The S-cross would still be competitive, if only it were priced lower. Even the most basic version costs £20,749 – almost exactly the same as our favourite small SUV, the Ford Puma – and you’ll need more than £27,000 for our top-spec test car. Although that does give it four-wheel drive (rare in the small SUV class), you can get any number of far better cars for similar money, including family SUVS such as the Skoda Karoq.
Suzuki SX4 S-cross 1.4 Boosterjet Hybrid Allgrip SZ5
Price Engine Power Torque Gearbox 0-62mph Top speed Economy CO2, tax band