Suzuki Across long-term test: report 6

The car Suzuki Across 2.5 PHEV E-Four E-CVT Run by Will Williams, senior photographer

Why it’s here To see if plug-in hybrid power can suit someone who covers lots of miles, yet still remain as practical and appealing as a conventional large SUV

Needs to Carry all my camera gear and still have room for my family, while also lowering my running costs and functioning as a mobile office when needed

Mileage 14,243 List price £45,599 Target Price £45,599 Price as tested £45,754 Test economy 64.0mpg 

7 January 2022 – Santa lights the way

By frosty January, I’ve had a thorough chance to try out my Suzuki Across in all weather conditions, and I’m pretty pleased with the standard-fit dipped and main beam LED headlights.

Just like Father Christmas, I cover many a wintry evening dash home from shoots on unlit roads, so decent lights are important to me, helping to keep me focused and relaxed while illuminating the road ahead.

The Suzuki doesn’t have fancy matrix lights that some manufacturers are now using, but the units it does have work so well that I rarely wish for anything more.

The only thing that I’ve found slightly less successful is the automatic main beam function. They only react when you’ve already seen an approaching car, then switch back to dipped beam.

So I’ve gone old school in my approach, and the automatic main beam remains switched off. To be fair, many other similar systems I’ve tried suffer the same idiosyncrasies, so this isn’t unique to the Across.

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