Japanese carmaker, Suzuki, is one of the last brands to keeps things real and raw. No EVs or plug-in hybrids, just basic four-cylinder petrol engines suited to those who seek fuss-free, risk-free driving.
The updated S-Cross landed in Australia at the end of 2022, seeking more market reach with a fresh look, more features, and all-wheel drive throughout the range.
It competes against the likes of the Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota C-HR, Kia Seltos and Honda HR-V, though with a more limited lineup of four variants; S-Cross, S-Cross Plus, ALLGRIP, and ALLGRIP Prestige.
2024 Suzuki S-Cross ALLGRIP Prestige: Specifications
Engine: 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Output: 103kW@5500rpm / 220Nm@1500-4000rpm
Gearbox: Six-speed auto
Drive type: All-wheel drive
Wheels: F & R: 17in, 215/55
ANCAP: Not testedKerb weight: 1260kg
Power-to-weight: 12.23:1 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 6.2L/100km
Our consumption: 6.4L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 47L/95 RON
Power efficiency: 16.61kW:L/100km
Starting price: $44,490
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2024 Suzuki S-Cross ALLGRIP Prestige: How much does it cost?
The base front-wheel drive model retails from $38,990 and the base ‘ALLGRIP’ all-wheel drive starts from $40,990. We’re reviewing the top ALLGRIP Prestige that retails from $44,490 (excluding on-road costs).
All variants are fitted with a neat little 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine and a six-speed auto transmission.
Suzuki offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, and servicing is required every 10,000km or 12 months.
2024 Suzuki S-Cross ALLGRIP Prestige: Interior & packaging
Still built in Hungary like the previous model, the S-Cross now has a more palatable external design. Edges and contours have been cleaned up to look less chunky, and that awful chrome front grille from before that did not match the rest of the car has gone.
It sports some rugged design elements, like the unpainted lower bumper and wheel arch extensions, with skidplate-look garnishes for the front and rear. Overall, the external design is better-looking in our opinion, but nothing ground-breaking.
The interior is also kept conservative and simple to use for those who don’t like to be overwhelmed by flashy features. Instrument cluster dials are still analogue, and controls are represented by good old-fashioned physical buttons. The layout is as quick to grasp as any. Materials are firm and mostly mono-tone, with only some chrome-look air vents to break up the black plastic. But it all feels sturdy and familiar. Though, the fabric in the sunroof is too thin and lets the sun through.
In the Prestige model, the leather-accented seats are surprisingly ergonomic, with padding in all the right places. Funky thick plastic fibre cross-stitching on the edges of the seats feel hard-wearing too.
Use of space is smart, with lots of legroom in the front and notable headroom on entry/exit. But the centre cup holders and storage hole around the gear shifter are tight. We’d also like to see rear air vents and maybe a wireless phone charging pad – at least in the Prestige trim. Rear legroom is reasonable provided the front passenger or driver are not tall.
If boot space is high on your requirements list, the S-Cross is very good. With 430 litres to play with, it is bigger than the Mazda CX-30 AWD’s 317L, the MG ZST‘s 359L, Subaru Crosstrek’s 291L, and the Toyota Corolla Cross AWD’s 380L. It’s a fairly wide boot, thanks to the sides being carved out around the wheel arches.
In the way of equipment, the base ALLGRIP picks up safety items like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure and weaving warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera as standard.
Other notable features include adaptive cruise, dual-zone climate control, a leather-bound steering wheel, a 7.0-inch touch-screen (9.0in for Prestige) that incorporates wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Bluetooth. There’s also 17-inch alloy wheels as standard with a space-saver spare in the boot floor.
So, you get the important basics among today’s standards. But the $39k asking price is a stretch. It will lose some of its frugal buyers as a result.
Going for the Prestige adds an extra cabin light, the bigger 9.0-inch screen with sat-nav and wireless Apple CarPlay, a seven-speaker sound system instead of four, a very good quality 360-degree camera, sunroof, and polished alloy wheels.
2024 Suzuki S-Cross ALLGRIP Prestige: Powertrain & handling
The 1.4-litre ‘Boosterjet’ direct-injection turbo-petrol engine pumps out 103kW and 220Nm. But it feels sprightlier than those numbers convey, as the S-Cross only weighs 1260kg in top-spec form. With that lightness in its step it gets up to speed wonderfully easily and calmly among the busy daily commute.
When you push it harder a bit of a soul-searching goes on, resulting in nothing more than harsh engine noise in the cabin, and little improvement in acceleration rate. Having said that, we were never in a situation where we needed to get up to speed quicker than it climbed naturally under its own terms.
The engine is matched with a basic but brilliant six-speed auto gearbox. We love that you don’t get stuck with one of those shrill CVT autos that are popular in this market. First gear is nice and low to get it moving off the mark quickly. However, when already rolling along and you need to increase speed, it holds onto higher gears for too long unless you press your foot right down. The engine doesn’t have enough low-down torque to pull away in those higher gears.
Previously, the S-Cross was stricken to front-wheel drive only. But power to all fours has now been added back. It aids grip on the gravel and gives added security in the wet. There are even selectable driving modes, including a ‘lock’ mode, meaning it will be a good choice for light off-roading. 4×4 is also in Suzuki’s bloodline – from the Jimny, Vitara and even the old Sierra days. So, we’re happy it has reverted back to AWD.
The change from front-wheel drive to AWD only minutely increases the official average fuel consumption, from 5.9L/100km in the FWD models to 6.2L/100km. It’s a decent reading. And it doesn’t seem to rise much when you drive with a heavy foot. For once, our average came in only a fraction higher than the official average, at 6.4L/100km.
In the way of driving dynamics, the S-Cross is a tad saggy, resulting in some minor body roll when driven hard around corners. The springs are soft and it seems to pick up the transfer of weight from side to side around corners more than some rivals. But it is only really noticed when driven enthusiastically.
Around town, the overall setup absorbs bumps delightfully. Those softer springs in combination with an overall light weight allows for a smooth ride over bumpy surfaces.
If the most important attribute to you in a car is how easy it drives, the S-Cross will not disappoint. It has light steering, is an overall light car, and has good vision – making it effortless to manage in tight spaces and car parks. It misses out on electric steering, which means it cannot vary the steering weightiness according to speed. This makes balancing it in the lane at highway speeds slightly more of a challenge as the steering stays light.
Yesteryear, the Suzuki S-Cross was a perfect match for those who were after a basic, run-of-the-mill, easy to drive, non-electrified, small SUV for a cheap price. But now it’s all of those things for a steeper price. So, we’re not exactly sure where in the market it squeezes into. It certainly cannot claim itself as premium to justify the cost.
Pricing aside, we love how light it feels on its feet, how the external design has improved, how all the important tech is now fitted standard, how all-wheel drive has been reinstated, and how economical the engine is in real-life conditions.
2024 Suzuki S-Cross ALLGRIP Prestige: Key attractions/reasons to buy
- Fuel economy: We averaged a very reasonable fuel consumption of 6.4L/100km, just up from the official 6.2L rating.
- Spritely engine: Being a turbo means there is some low-end torque that wouldn’t otherwise be available if not fitted with a turbo. It gets up to speed without the need for a heavy foot.
- Simplicity: Simple interior layout is easy to navigate with intuitive controls and familiar layouts.
- Big boot: At 430L, it is one of the biggest in its class, overshadowing the Corolla Cross, MG ZST, and Mazda CX-30 AWD.
2024 Suzuki S-Cross ALLGRIP Prestige: Key considerations before you buy
- Has become more expensive: There are many competitors that undercut it now.
- A bit vanilla: For some, it lack pizazz and elegance in terms of design and features.
- Lacks some features compared with rivals: Small cup holders, no rear air vents, no wireless phone charger.
How does it rate against its rivals?
- Price
- Quality look & feel
- Interior tech
- Powertrain performance
- Ride & handling
- X-factor (does it stand out in its class?)
Final word
Suzuki builds solid vehicles, and the S-Cross is no different. It’s strong points are the real-world fuel economy, practical and user-friendly cabin, and impressive boot space for its class. But it is expensive in top-spec form and the in-car tech is lacking compared with more modern rivals. Even so, it is likely to offer commendable long-term reliability, especially against some rivals.
