S-Cross Full Hybrid | First Look

Suzuki likes to keep things simple for its buyers, and with the new S-Cross range you get 17” alloys, keyless entry and start, blind-spot monitoring, roof rails, adaptive cruise, heated seats and parking sensors. Upgrading adds part-leather seats, a large panoramic sunroof, built-in sat-nav and a 360-degree parking camera.

The level of safety equipment is good too with automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assist and intervention, plenty of airbags and traffic-sign recognition. 

The 113bhp 1.5-litre hybrid has a 0-100 km/h time of 12.7s, it’s not as quick as the 1.4 or the competition but it can shuffle around town quite happily.  What this means is that the energy generated by the battery is enough to move along totally under electric power but full electric power for long distances isn’t available. It brings with it better fuel economy, lower Co2 and, a little more weight (40kgs) extra but also some hesitancy while it kicks in at roundabouts or Yield signs. 

The new S-Cross has a completely new infotainment system that is simply laid out. The built-in functions are logical and it comes with wireless Apple Carplay/Android Auto as standard.The Bluetooth connection takes a  moment to sync up and audio quality is invariably better using the single USB port, you also get a single 12 V charger for other devices. Without the option of a wireless charger, you’ll need to plug in your mobile to keep it charged on longer journeys. The adaptive cruise control works well and the safety systems are easily turned off using physical buttons to the right of the steering wheel. Although there is speed limit recognition, it is not linked to the cruise control.

In the back there’s no extra air vents and no USB ports, which is quite a major omission in a family car in 2023. The boot is adequate, smaller than a Qashqai’s, and other than a movable boot floor and a 12V power port, has no special features like hooks or dividers. Plenty of space for a dog or two on a day out though and the cubbies on either side are great places to store muddy leads.

One of the S-Cross’s distinguishing features is the ‘Allgrip’ four-wheel drive. Suzuki is proud of the fact that it’s offering four-wheel drive with both manual and automatic gearboxes. The soft suspension brings with it some body roll for a modern car but that means it’s unperturbed by bumpy roads. Ultimately, it’s reasonably well damped and doesn’t get floaty, so it’s no real cause for complaint.

If you live in an area where snow and inclement weather is a real possibility in the winter and plan on using the S-Cross for light off-roading then the all-wheel-drive system offered can handle most simple tasks. There is a button on the centre console to switch between Sport and Automatic on 4×4 modes, or to lock it in 4WD, but the difference between auto and Sport is minimal. 

All versions come with 17” wheels and when picking up the pace the S-Cross can grumble a bit so it’s best to gently pull away as there can be a bit of lag on the hybrid model at roundabouts. There’s wind and tyre noise at the limit on motorways but the S-Cross is fairly long-geared and cruises best around 2,000 rpm at 100 Kp/h in sixth.

The steering is feather light which means it’s great at parking in awkward city centre spots but out on the open road it can feel a little loose. Push too hard and you’ll hear all about it, feather the throttle and keep it at a constant pace for the most peace. The 1.5 litre engine pushes along if not too hurriedly, it takes around 13 seconds to move from standstill to 100 km/h.

The suspension is soft, so there’s quite a bit of body roll. In general there’s plenty of grip and Suzuki’s optional four-wheel drive system sends power to the rear axle when it detects any slip or you can lock it in four-wheel drive mode if you’re driving it through extreme or inclement weather.

The boot space is reasonable with 430 litres available but is a lot less than the Qashqai and Peugeot 3008 have. And with the full hybrid you lose more space. Suzuki has won fans the world over and mostly down to its customer care. Many of its loyal customer base return to the brand again and again and this is mainly due to the respect the brand shows them. And who doesn’t want that Rolls Royce experience when handing over their hard earned, no matter what the price. Suzuki owners always return.