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Pros: Rugged SUV looks, efficiency, value for money.
Cons: Dated interior, small boot.
The new Suzuki S-Cross Full Hybrid joins the S-Cross range. It seriously undercuts rivals like the Nissan Qashqai, Toyota Corolla Cross, Skoda Karoq and Kia Sportage on price but is it the one to have?
Suzuki S-Cross Full Hybrid Design
The new S-Cross arrived in Ireland last year and it’s a big improvement on the model it replaces. The styling is more boxy and rugged than before. Altogether it’s a compact SUV with a fair bit of charm. Whether you go for the mild hybrid or the full hybrid, all models come very well-equipped as standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, roof rails, rear privacy glass and silver skid plates under the bumpers at the front and rear. For the moment the S-Cross Full Hybrid is only available in the Motion trim level. So, there’s no option as yet to upgrade to the Ultra trim with more gear like a panoramic sunroof, 360 camera and Allgrip four wheel drive. That’s still reserved for the S-Cross Mild Hybrid only.
Suzuki S-Cross Full Hybrid Interior
The new cabin design is an improvement on the previous version of the car and feels well-made in keeping with this SUV’s durable image. However, it does feel quite dated already compared to the competition with dull plastic and quite old-fashioned graphics for the driver display and touchscreen. But the S-Cross bites back with some serious levels of equipment as standard including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, keyless entry and start, dual zone climate control, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and lots of other high-end safety features.
The S-Cross is also the first Suzuki to work with the new Suzuki Connect app, so you can remotely lock the car, review the driving history, and find its location when parked.
Two adults or a couple of children should be comfortable in the back with decent enough legroom for a compact SUV. The full hybrid does compromise some boot space to accommodate the battery. Volume is down to 293 litres from 430 litres in the mild hybrid, which is still usable but more akin to a small hatchback.
Suzuki S-Cross Full Hybrid Performance & Drive
The new S-Cross Full Hybrid uses the same Suzuki-developed, 1.5-litre hybrid as in the smaller Vitara. It has 115hp and 138Nm of torque, which is a bit less than the mild hybrid on both counts. You’ll pay about €2000 more for the S-Cross Full Hybrid, but there’s the potential to run it more efficiently and it's the only one in the range now with an automatic. The S-Cross Full Hybrid uses Auto Gear Shift (AGS), which is like an automated manual transmission. It’s lighter than a conventional automatic but it’s not quite as smooth in its operation. There’s a tendency to hold on to gears for longer than natural and a little bit of lag between the point when you press the accelerator, and the car moving forward with any real intent.
The S-Cross Full Hybrid is lightweight when compared to rivals so it feels nicely agile on the road and real world consumption of 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres is easy to achieve. The full hybrid doesn’t feel as lively or smooth on the road as the mild hybrid, but it does offer similar levels of comfort making it an easy and straightforward drive.
Suzuki S-Cross Full Hybrid Pricing
The new Suzuki S-Cross Hybrid Motion goes on sale from €31,895, and costs about €2000 more to buy than the equivalent S-Cross Mild Hybrid.
Carzone Verdict
If you’re looking for an efficient, good value, compact SUV, the Suzuki S-Cross is really worth looking at. It’s a lot cheaper to buy than rivals and comes very well-equipped. Unless you really need an automatic, the S-Cross Mild Hybrid feels like it’s still the better buy. It’s cheaper with more boot space and there’s not too much difference in efficiency in real world driving.