Suzuki S-Cross Review

Compact SUVs have proven a major hit here in Australia thanks to their added ride height, user-friendly nature and the added space of a raised hatchback platform that receives the styling package of an SUV.

Suzuki is renowned for its charismatic and cost-effective lineup, but how does the company’s most expensive vehicles in the ranks stack up against its competitors when you take the cheap out of cheap-and-cheerful? Let’s find out.

Starting Price: $30,490

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Suzuki S-Cross - TURBO PRESTIGE (2WD) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Suzuki S-Cross car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

The Suzuki S-Cross lineup is available in two variants, with prices kicking off from $30,490 for the entry-level S-Cross Turbo, and rising to $31,990 for the S-Cross Turbo Prestige variant.

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What Features Does the Suzuki S-Cross Have?

The Suzuki S-Cross comes riding on a set of 17-inch alloys, and receives fog lights, cruise control, cloth upholstery with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry & start, a reversing camera, roof rails and a 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto that is paired with a four-speaker sound system.

Upgrading to the S Cross Turbo Prestige adds a set of automatic wipers, rear-mounted parking sensors, LED headlights and leather upholstery for the interior.

Range Features:

• 17-inch alloys

• Cruise control

• Cloth upholstery with leather-wrapped steering wheel

• Dual-zone climate control

• Keyless entry & start

• Reversing camera

• Roof rails

• 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• Rear-mounted parking sensors (Turbo Prestige)

• LED headlights (Turbo Prestige)

• Leather upholstery (Turbo Prestige)

Suzuki S-Cross Colours

The Suzuki S-Cross range is available in Cool White as a no-cost colour option, while Silky Silver, Energetic Red, Indigo Blue, Cosmic Black and Galactic Grey are priced as $695 optional extras.

Is it Comfortable to Drive?

The simplicity of driving is a key priority for cars competing in the compact SUV segment, and thankfully, the S-Cross remains an extremely user-friendly and charismatic little car.

The S-Cross comes powered by a perky 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 103kW of power and 220Nm of torque, which is very much on par for the segment, with the engine not afraid to rev its little heart out to get you up and moving.

Power is thrown to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission that isn’t quite as sophisticated as its major rivals, but still offers a heap of responsiveness when pushed and makes for relatively effortless cruising around town.

As you can expect, the user-friendly nature of the S-Cross platform extends to the extremely lightweight steering rack that makes parking a pleasure, while offering a healthy amount of feedback as you pick up speed.

The compact proportions also lend themselves to a narrow turning circle, with a decent amount of visibility from the driver’s seat to navigate any tight situations you might find yourself in.

On a daily drive, the S-Cross’ suspension platform does a great job at ironing out bumps on the road while offering enough support for those travelling on rough B-roads without shaking the cabin around too much.

Overall, it’s a strong performer for the segment, and while it doesn’t lead the pack in any notable areas, the S-Cross, like a number of Suzuki’s cars, does have a certain charm about it that you’ll warm up to over time.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

The S-Cross offers buyers a super spacious cabin for the segment, which is more often than not the pitfall of the compact SUV segment.

In the front cabin of the S-Cross you’ll find a basic but user-friendly cabin that offers the driver and front passenger a decent amount of head and shoulder room to get comfortable, while there’s a nice amount of adjustment in the driving position itself.

While the interior detailing might be a bit bland compared to some of its modern rivals, it remains one of the most practical cockpits for the segment that makes the most of its limited proportions.

Up front, there’s storage behind the gear lever, a pair of cup holders, storage inside the folding centre armrest and in the door bins on either side of the cabin that make for a seriously practical little package.

Move to the second row of the cabin and there’s a truly usable amount of space for rear passengers which, might sound a little strange, but is a stark reality for a number of compact SUVs that are not user-friendly in the back seats.

The rear seats fold in a 60:40 split, offer ISOFIX anchors for child seats and retain some of the most impressive legroom and headroom stats you’ll find on this end of the market.

The practicality package gets even better when you look at the S-Cross’ cargo volume stats, with a boot rated at 430L - which expands to 1,269L with the rear seats folded. This makes the S-Cross one of the best options for space and practicality within the compact SUV segment.

Is it Safe?

The Suzuki S-Cross range has been awarded ANCAP’s maximum five-star safety rating, although it lacks a heap of active safety features that its modern rivals now come fitted with as standard.

The S-Cross comes packing anti-lock brakes, a rear-view camera and airbags throughout the cabin, but that is, unfortunately, where the safety offerings end, whereas a number of rivals offer AEB braking, lane departure alerts or blind-spot monitoring.

Safety equipment is, as a result, one of the major downfalls of the little S-Cross.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

Thankfully, the S-Cross claws back some points when it comes to fuel economy thanks to Suzuki’s fuel-efficient engines that retain decent power and torque figures.

Both Suzuki S-Cross variants remain fuel-efficient for the segment, offering a combined cycle figure of 5.9L per 100km which is on par with a number of its rivals while offering more power.

As a result, the Suzuki S-Cross is undeniably fuel-efficient thanks to its small-capacity, turbocharged engine and lightweight platform.

Our Verdict: Is the Suzuki S-Cross Worth it?

As a complete package, the S-Cross is a strong performer, especially when it comes to interior space and practicality.

The reality of the compact SUV segment’s fierce competitiveness, though, means that the ageing platform is often outshined by rivals offering a more modern package overall, especially when it comes to safety equipment.

With that in mind, we still recommend adding the S-Cross to your compact SUV shortlist because it has an unmistakable charm about it, and offers some of the leading practicality stats of any vehicle in its market segment.

 On that note, if you’re in the market for a new car, you can get a free quote and see how much OnlineAuto can save you on your next car, or call us on 1300 719 925

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year, unlimited KM warranty with a five-year capped-price servicing package

2. 430L of boot space

3. Five-star ANCAP safety rating

4. 5.9L/100km combined cycle fuel use

5. 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol paired with six-speed automatic for both variants

Pros

• Truly spacious and practical cabin for the compact SUV segment

• Large boot outshines the competition

• Fuel-efficient and perky turbocharged engine

Cons

• Uninspiring cabin design

• Lack of active safety technologies

• 2013 ANCAP safety rating

OnlineAuto Rating: 8/10

Suzuki S-Cross Competition