CAR OF THE WEEK: Suzuki S-Cross has old-fashioned values

By Brian Byrne

‘It’s a bit old fashioned, isn’t it?’ Though no petrol-head, my life partner passenger is by now well-tuned into the general world of motoring, and her opinions matter. We were in the Suzuki S-Cross hybrid, and her observation was correct. But she didn’t mean it unkindly. More that it isn’t a bells and whistles kind of car. That, for many buyers, is a distinct plus.

I have detailed the S-Cross heritage before, so I’ll not go back there. But placing it in size terms, it’s a compact family SUV, a decent 5-s

The style is pleasant, non-threatening to anyone or any competing model. Neat is a good summing up from all viewpoints, with some strength in the front end design. The big S Suzuki logo is comforting, because it stands for engineering prowess and reliability above all else.

Inside it doesn’t feel as roomy as some competitors, though that’s in some measure due to the tall and sit-up space more than actual accommodation tightness. I particularly appreciated the ease of entry — no painful squeezing of head under doorframe.

The dashboard slopes back from a nicely low scuttle line, offering very good visibility which my wife liked. Me too. The windscreen slope isn’t extreme, which helps with this. Instrumentation and controls include a straightforward dual dials setup for the driver’s main information, unfortunately with silvered graphic details that don’t show well in very bright weather. The centre infotainment screen is significantly better, with good graphics and a very clear menu navigation. My usual hurrah! for the proper knob controls for temperature control. Not so much for the virtual slider volume adjustment, though the physical one on the steering wheel worked fine. As also the other wheel controls, full marks for no
ambiguity.

Materials quality throughout is good, even very good. I’ve always felt that Suzukis are built for the often tough treatment a family workhorse will get, and will withstand all that it’s given. Which bells and whistles styling might not do so well.

The S-Cross in its current generation has been around a while. My reason for a revisit is a new full hybrid powertrain option. One that is of Suzuki’s own design and manufacture, notwithstanding a broad cooperation the brand has with fellow Japanese competitor Toyota.

The simplified technicals are a 1.5 petrol engine, an electric motor-generator, and a battery, that mixes EV and ICE motoring as is appropriate to driving load and conditions. Over my time with the car the mixing was quite simple: straight motorway driving was on petrol alone, with an electric boost if you wanted to accelerate in passing. Around town, EV at low speeds, the engine coming in when the battery needed refreshing, or under acceleration. The gearbox is an automated manual, which works well though you can feel, and hear, the shifts more than with a dual clutch or pure automatic. But the setup stays true to a Suzuki policy of light weight wherever possible. The 6-speed also tended to shift down a cog on motorway inclines, making things a bit louder for the duration. Overall the powertrain performed well, if not in quickness terms. Then again, as I’ve said, this is not a bells and whistles car. It’s a faithful servant vehicle that will keep its owners happy into the long term. And it does have all the driver assist tech now expected ... but, joy, the dratted lane assist stays off when you switch it off.

The overall driving experience is good, comfortable and precise ride and handling included. ‘Old fashioned’ is relative, and in this case means a long-term old-fashioned good quality. I’ll take that against new-fangled complication any day. Fuel consumption average was 6.1L/100km.