Suzuki SX4 S-Cross review | New Release - Car News May 2014

16:44 Monday 11 May 2015

When the Suzuki SX4 was launched back in 2006, it had the market largely to itself. Here was a small car with pseudo-SUV looks and off-road ambitions which should, by rights, have flown off dealer forecourts.

Unfortunately for Suzuki, it didn't, and just a few short years later it was joined by the likes of the Skoda Yeti and the Nissan Qashqai, the latter of which became one of Britain's best-selling cars.

Now, however, Suzuki is aiming to take a slice of that market back, and this is the car it will be using. The new Suzuki SX4 S-Cross shares nothing with the old SX4 and is both bigger and better than the model it replaces. But is it good enough to steal sales back for Suzuki in this highly-competitive marketplace? Well, that's what we're about to find out.

We'll start with the looks. The new S-Cross doesn't look drastically different to the old SX4; however, the overall increase in dimensions and the addition of styling creases along the car's flanks makes it look much more grown-up and solid than its predecessor. It's not the most attractive car in its class -- it's a tad too conservative to our eyes to take that accolade -- however, there's something pleasingly unfussy and utilitarian about the S-Cross's looks.

Suzuki SX4 S-Cross

There's more evidence of this no-fuss attitude on the inside. The interior is well laid-out, with all the major controls coming easily to hand. Some of the interior plastics feel very cheap indeed; however, everything feels robust and well-screwed together, and you get the genuine impression that, 20 years and 200,000 miles of abuse later, the S-Cross's interior will still be in one piece.

Of course, one of the reasons why many buyers opt for crossovers is interior space and, on this count, the S-Cross is a mixed bag. You'll seat four six-footers relatively comfortably; however, the full-length panoramic sunroof we had on our top-of-the-range SX5 model eats into headroom considerably. Don't get us wrong, it's a lovely touch; however, if rear passenger space is important to you, you'd be better off going for a lower-spec model. Boot space is perfectly acceptable, if unspectacular, at 430-litres but, on the plus side, it has a false floor which helps with loading heavy items.

Where the S-Cross really shines, however, is on the road. Okay, it's not exactly a Lotus Exige; however, the Suzuki handles exceptionally well for a car which has clearly not been designed with driver enjoyment as a priority. The steering is precise and well-weighted, if a little feel-free, and Suzuki has managed to strike a good balance with the ride, mixing driver enjoyment and comfort with aplomb.

There's also a surprisingly lack of body roll for a car of its height and there's plenty of grip thanks to the optional ALLGRIP four-wheel drive system fitted to our car.

Suzuki SX4 S-Cross

You can spec the S-Cross as either a petrol or a diesel, both of which get 1.6-litre four-cylinder units. We drove the diesel and are happy to report that it's excellent. It only produces 118bhp; however, it serves up 236lb-ft of torque, which is enough to pull strongly from just 1,500rpm. This makes the S-Cross an extremely easy and relaxed car to drive, and although the headline stats are unspectacular -- 0-62mph in 13.0 seconds and a top speed of 108mph -- the S-Cross feels quite brisk.

It's efficient too. The diesel S-Cross managed a combined 67.2mpg on the official EU tests, with the all-wheel drive model nearly matching it at 64.2mpg. The petrol is less impressive, returning 51.2mpg; however, all of the S-Crosses are frugal and the most efficient diesel also emits just 110g/km of CO2.

One criticism we do have of the S-Cross's drivetrain is, however, the gearbox. The six-speed manual we had in our test car was a tad notchy; however, compared to the alternative (a CVT) it's by far the better option.

Suzuki SX4 S-Cross

The S-Cross scores particularly well in the value-for-money stakes, with all models boasting a good range of standard equipment. The base SZ3 model comes in at just £14,999 and gets alloy wheels, air-conditioning, cruise control and a USB socket, while the range-topping SZ5 model we had costs from £19,749, boasting leather seats, automatic lights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors and, of course, that panoramic roof.

All-in-all, the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross is a bit of a Ronseal car. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and although it doesn't really excel in any one area, it is more than capable in all of them. And while that sounds like we're damning the S-Cross with faint praise, that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, in our eyes it's the S-Cross's quiet and unremarkable nature which is its main appeal. It's just such a likeable car.

Because of this, it's likely to be ignored by a huge slice of the car-buying public. However, if you are looking for a small crossover, we'd urge you to try the S-Cross.