Item: Suzuki S-Cross
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

The only engine on offer has plenty of power on offer and will be more than sufficient for normal driving around town and on the motorway. All of the engine’s power is lower down the rev range and there’s no reward for holding onto gears, something that the automatic gearbox seems to enjoy. We’d stick to the manual. 

1.4 Boosterjet 48V Hybrid

Hatchback

Suzuki is well known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but the car brand has been enjoying decent success in recent years, thanks to a line-up of neat, well-equipped and keenly priced models.

Its expertise focuses on smaller cars, although its high-riding SUV range is also hugely credible, especially the Ignis and Vitara, which are both rated highly by What Car?’s testers and which have enjoyed success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

Well priced, decent to drive and full of useful tech, Suzuki’s cars also generally stand out for delivering good fuel economy. The Ignis, Celerio and Baleno have all stood head and shoulders above the competition during our True MPG testing.

SUZUKI

S-CROSS

Entry-level Motion trim comes with plenty of standard equipment, including 17in alloy wheels, heated front seats, dual-zone air conditioning, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, roof rails, an adjustable boot floor, a 7in touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio, Apple CarPlay/ Android auto smartphone mirroring and Bluetooth, blind spot monitoring and keyless entry and start. Our chosen trim.

Motion

1.4 Boosterjet 48V Hybrid Motion 5dr

14-boosterjet-48v-hybrid-motion-5dr

Audi Q2

Citroen C3 Aircross

DS3 Crossback

Fiat 500X

Ford Ecosport

Ford Puma

Hyundai Bayon

Hyundai Kona

Jeep Renegade

Kia Stonic

Mini Countryman

Nissan Juke

Peugeot 2008

Renault Captur

Seat Arona

Skoda Kamiq

Ssangyong Tivoli

Suzuki Ignis

Suzuki Jimny

Suzuki S-Cross

Suzuki Vitara

Toyota Yaris Cross

Vauxhall Crossland

Vauxhall Mokka

Volkswagen T-Cross

Volkswagen T-Roc

The S-Cross's boot space is generous, beating the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a>, but it's no match for the vast chasms offered by the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/duster/estate/review/n67">Dacia Duster</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a>.&nbsp;

Even so, its 430 litre volume is more than enough to swallow a large shopping session, and the wide boot opening makes loading items a doddle. To make loading large items easier, the adjustable boot floor can be raised so that it lines up with the boot lip and, when the backs of the rear seats are folded down, makes the whole area flat.&nbsp;

The boot is square in shape, with a deep cubbyhole on either side. There’s also&nbsp;a removable luggage cover&nbsp;to keep valuables out of sight and various hooks for tying things down or for luggage nets.

While the S-Cross’s dash layout is easy to use and the few switches are nicely damped, it's a very plain and drab-looking cabin. There are lots of scratchy, brittle-feeling materials even in areas that you touch a lot.

Top-spec Ultra trim does help to improve the feeling of quality by replacing the standard cloth seats with part-leather ones, but it’s still a long way short of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/karoq/estate/review/n118/in-the-cabin">Skoda Karoq</a>. Everything is screwed together well, at least.

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

Taking a seat in the Suzuki S-Cross, you’ll instantly notice that the layout is simple, with the infotainment screen nice and high on the dashboard and physical controls for the dual-zone air conditioning positioned lower down. Ultra models with four-wheel drive also have a dial to change driving modes (Normal, Sport and Snow)&nbsp;conveniently placed next to the handbrake.

The pedals line up nicely with the driver’s seat, the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake, and every model provides driver’s seat-height adjustment and a centre armrest. The backrest is adjusted using a lever and can’t provide such precise adjustment as the wheels provided in many rivals. Electric seat adjustment isn’t available.

Ultra trim’s part-leather seats are comfortable, but it’s a shame they don’t offer more side support and that adjustable lumbar support adjustment isn’t available. That’s something that comes as an option on many rivals and is standard on the similarly priced <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris-cross/estate/review/n23440">Toyota Yaris Cross</a> in Excel trim.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

http://example.com

1.4 Boosterjet

14-boosterjet-48v-hybrid

The simple range means that you only have two trim levels to choose from – Motion or Ultra – and both come well equipped.&nbsp;

Even the entry-level Motion has&nbsp;17in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, blind-spot monitoring, roof rails, adaptive cruise control, heated seats and parking sensors.&nbsp;

Upgrading to Ultra trim adds part-leather seats, the large panoramic sunroof, built-in sat-nav and the handy 360-degree parking camera.

For more than 50 years, small no-nonsense off roaders have been a staple of the&nbsp;Suzuki&nbsp;car range, and the latest to join this lineage is the&nbsp;Suzuki S-Cross.

Not only does the S-Cross&nbsp;need to live up to its maker's name, but it also carries the burden of helping the brand to secure a bigger slice of the family SUV market at a time when it’s never been more closely fought.&nbsp;And it&nbsp;really couldn’t ask for a harder task.

After all, the S-Cross is&nbsp;diving&nbsp;head first into competition with such talented rivals as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/tucson/4x4/review/n103">Hyundai Tucson</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/3008/estate/review/n17363">Peugeot 3008</a>. It will also be seeking&nbsp;to prise buyers away from small SUVs such as&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/arona/hatchback/review/n117">Seat Arona</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a>.

To help it take down those formidable foes, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> has equipped every S-Cross with a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 48V mild-hybrid assistance for a little extra power and efficiency. The system looks after itself, so you never have to plug it in to charge, but it won’t power the car on electricity alone, as a plug-in or full hybrid can.

You have the choice of teaming that engine with either a manual or automatic gearbox. Entry-level Motion trim gives you&nbsp;front-wheel drive while top Ultra spec&nbsp;comes&nbsp;with Allgrip four-wheel drive. You’ll have to look elsewhere if you want a diesel engine, but a full-hybrid version of the S-Cross will be coming soon.&nbsp;

Both the available trim levels are impressively well equipped and every S-Cross comes with parking sensors, heated front seats, roof rails and 17in alloy wheels. In fact, the only aesthetic difference between Motion and Ultra trim is the design of the alloys.&nbsp;

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Is it enough to help the Suzuki S-Cross beat the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-family-suvs-2022/n17116">best&nbsp; family SUV</a> rivals and give Suzuki a bigger portion of a very lucrative pie, though? Read on over the next few pages of this review to find out how it performed in our road tests.

If you decide you want to buy an S-Cross – or any other new make and model of vehicle – find out how much you could save by using our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying pages</a>, where you'll find the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki/sx4-s-cross/hatchback/deals">Suzuki S-Cross Hybrid deals</a>.

Even very tall people will have enough room in the front seats of the Suzuki S-Cross. There’s lots of head and leg room, even on Ultra models with the standard panoramic sunroof, which lowers&nbsp;the ceiling slightly.

The front doors have pockets that’ll accept litre water bottles and a few small items. Between the driver and front passenger, there are two cupholders and a large cubbyhole with a flip-up armrest.

Just in front of the gearlever is another large cubby that’s ideal for storing wallets, keys, mobile phones and other items. There’s a decent amount of storage space in the S-Cross’s glovebox, too. The front seats are set quite high, so getting in and out should present few problems, thanks to wide, tall door apertures.

The S-Cross is a little uninspiring to drive in comparison with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ateca/estate/review/n111">Seat Ateca</a>&nbsp;and other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-family-suvs-2022/n17116">family SUVs</a> that have raised the bar for handling. That’s not to say it's bad, though:&nbsp;its light steering makes easy work of low-speed manoeuvres, and it feels stable on a motorway.&nbsp;

What it lacks is a feeling of being involved in the process of driving, and there’s very little sense of connection through the steering. It also begins to lose front-end grip and gradually wash wide in corners at lower speeds&nbsp;than the Ateca and other&nbsp;rivals.

The AllGrip four-wheel drive system&nbsp;will give you more security on loose or greasy surfaces. Its extra traction will also help when towing, but it doesn't make the car any more fun to drive.

The S-Cross's entry-level Motion trim comes with&nbsp;a 7in touchscreen infotainment system, while Ultra upgrades the screen to 9in. Both systems include DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring (so you can use your phone’s apps for navigation and music on the touchscreen) and Bluetooth. Built-in sat-nav is only available with Ultra trim.

We’ve yet to try the smaller screen, but the 9in screen is crisp and shows information clearly. However, while the graphics are good, the delay between your inputs and the system’s reaction certainly isn’t. It gets frustrating when you need to find a location or simply change menus.&nbsp;

The system is almost entirely touchscreen-controlled, with a few touch-sensitive shortcut buttons at the bottom of the screen. That makes operating it on the move much more distracting than if there were more physical controls.

The Suzuki S-Cross’s 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine is powerful enough to feel at ease whether you’re bumbling around town or merging into high-speed motorway traffic. Officially, in two-wheel-drive guise, it’ll get from 0-62mph in 9.5sec, which is about half a second faster than the equivalent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a> and the entry-level <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a>. In Ultra trim with four-wheel drive, it slows to 10.2 seconds, but that still matches those two rivals.&nbsp;

Most of the available power comes low-down in the rev range, and it quickly tails off as the needle works its way around the rev counter. That’s not an issue with the manual gearbox because you can change up to a higher gear when appropriate. The automatic 'box, on the other hand, quickly drops down a gear when you put your foot down but then holds on to gears for slightly too long before changing up.&nbsp;

For that reason, we prefer the extra control you get from the light and positive shift of the six-speed manual. That’s not to say that the automatic is bad, though – when you're driving steadily, it makes good decisions and shifts fairly quickly.

Has a big boot and a gutsy engine, but&nbsp;rivals are more spacious and better to drive

The back seats in the S-Cross are set higher than the front ones, so head room is rather limited. It's worse with Ultra trim’s panoramic roof fitted, and anyone approaching six feet tall will find their head touching the roof lining.

Fortunately, leg room is much more generous, as is shoulder room, so it’s no problem for two adults to sit comfortably. Three passengers side by side will find it a squeeze, though, and the S-Cross has a pronounced floor hump for the middle passenger to straddle. If you regularly carry a full load of rear seat passengers, you might want to look at the more&nbsp;spacious&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/karoq/estate/review/n118">Skoda Karoq</a>.

Storage wise, each rear door has a space for a large bottle of water. Otherwise, the only other space to store things is in the handy map pocket that’s on the back of the front passenger seat. When you don’t have a middle-seat passenger, an armrest with two cupholders can be folded down out of the middle seat.

As you pull away in the S-Cross, you’ll hear a bit of a rasp from the 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, but that quickly fades into the background as you get up to speed and it remains quiet once settled. It’s a different story if you rev it hard – it gets very boomy and coarse.

Thankfully, because of how its power is developed at lowish revs, there’s little call to push the engine hard, so most of the time the S-Cross is hushed. The mild-hybrid system also helps to reduce vibration and noise.

Unfortunately, there’s quite a lot of tyre and wind noise at motorway speeds, so generally the S-Cross is still some way behind the T-Roc&nbsp;and others for offering a peaceful&nbsp;drive.

The S-Cross is too new to have featured in the 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey/n23397">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, but Suzuki as a brand finished an impressive joint third (with Hyundai) out of 30 manufacturers featured.&nbsp;

For added peace of mind, all <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> cars come with a 14-day money-back guarantee and a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. That’s on a par with the Peugeot 2008 and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/karoq/estate/review/n118">Skoda Karoq</a>&nbsp;offering, but can't match the five-year warranty you’ll get with the Hyundai Tucson, or the seven years on the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/sportage/4x4/review/n17352/space-practicality">Kia Sportage</a>.

The suspension set-up on the S-Cross is on the soft side, so there’s a fair amount of pitch and lean when cornering or driving on undulating roads.&nbsp;

The upside of that softness is that the ride is generally quite comfortable because it’s good at smoothing out the worst of the bumps and ruts around town, and settles nicely on a motorway. Expansion joints can send a heavy thump and shiver through the car at speed, though, and there’s quite a bit of noise from the suspension too.&nbsp;

Overall, the S-Cross is a comfortable enough family car, but not quite a match for the Qashqai and far from the Kamiq or the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">Volkswagen&nbsp;T-Roc</a>, which are arguably the best-riding cars in the class.

As a cash buy, the Suzuki S-Cross undercuts the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/tucson/4x4/review/n103">Hyundai Tucson</a> and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/3008/estate/review/n17363">Peugeot 3008</a>. It will set you back more than an entry-level <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a>&nbsp;but it gets a lot more equipment as standard – a Qashqai with the same kit is more expensive. As such, the S-Cross seems to offer good value for money.

Unlike the previous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/sx4-s-cross/hatchback/used-review/n940">(2013-21) Suzuki S-Cross</a>, it’s also predicted to depreciate fairly slowly, so it should sell for more in three years than the Tucson or 3008. That also means that <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-cheapest-cars-to-buy-on-a-pcp-finance-deal/n18999">PCP prices</a> will remain competitive, making it a good option for private buyers. It’s worth noting that the Qashqai is predicted to lose its value even more slowly.&nbsp;

We haven’t put the S-Cross through our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/true-mpg-which-cars-beat-their-official-figures-%E2%80%93-and-which-are-farthest-away/n21535">True MPG tests</a>&nbsp;yet, but our time in an automatic version suggests that around 40mpg will be easily achievable, and the manual should do a little better. The hybrid system helps to keep emissions down (120g/km with the entry-level manual), the S-Cross should stack up well as a company car. However, you could save a lot more on benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax by going for a full hybrid such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/c-hr/hatchback/review/n112">Toyota C-HR</a>, a plug-in hybrid such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/captur/hatchback/review/n20">Renault Captur</a>&nbsp;or an electric alternative such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/e-2008/estate/review/n20552">Peugeot e-2008</a>.

The S-Cross is yet to be tested by <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> for safety&nbsp;but the level of safety equipment&nbsp;that comes as standard&nbsp;is encouraging.

You get essentials including automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a> and lots of airbags, plus a blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assistance and intervention, and traffic-sign recognition. That’s a longer list of safety kit than most rivals offer.

The rear seatbacks split in a 60/40 configuration and you can fold them down by pushing buttons next to the head restraints. This can be done quite easily with one hand because the seatbacks aren’t particularly heavy or stiff.

You can recline the rear seatbacks slightly for a more laid back seating position – a handy feature that's only seen in a handful of other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-family-suvs-2022/n17116">family SUVs</a>, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/sportage/4x4/review/n17352">Kia Sportage</a>.

Even with that feature, plenty of rivals offer greater flexibility. Some, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/tiguan/estate/review/n17357">Volkswagen Tiguan</a> and certain versions&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Karoq, have sliding rear seats that enable you to prioritise leg room or boot space.

motion

Upgraded to the top trim takes everything you get with Motion and adds Allgrip four-wheel drive, leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, built-in sat-nav and a 360-degree parking camera. 

Ultra

ultra

With a gutsy and efficient engine, a generous list of standard kit and a good-sized boot, the Suzuki S-Cross certainly seems like good value for money. It’s a shame, though, that the infotainment system is so slow, and the interior quality so uninspiring. Many rivals are more spacious in the back, too.

The S-Cross’s tall, wide windscreen and slim front pillars make seeing forwards over the bonnet easy. The generous front side windows help you see out at junctions and roundabouts, too.&nbsp;

The view over your shoulder is also good, thanks to a reasonably large rear windscreen and rear pillars that aren’t particularly bulky. To aid with parking, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard across the range, with top level Ultra trim also bringing a 360-degree&nbsp;parking camera.&nbsp;

Visibility shouldn't be a problem, thanks to the automatic windscreen wipers and auto LED headlights that come as standard on both trim levels.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Running costs that won’t break the bank </li> <li>Generous kit</li> <li>Pokey engine and tidy handling</li> <li>Spacious interior</li> <li>Boot big enough to cope with family life</li></ul>

The car-buying public has fallen in love with small SUVs, or crossovers as they’re often called, with thousands turning away from conventional hatchbacks in favour of something that rides that little bit higher.

The original baby SUV is the Nissan Juke, which remains a popular choice, but there are plenty of better rivals to consider instead. We’d recommend you look at either the Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq, because they offer&nbsp;a great blend of practicality and value that keeps them&nbsp;clear of the opposition. Equally, if you’ve got more money to spend, the Audi Q2 and Volkswagen T-Roc&nbsp;are both fine choices.&nbsp;

Small SUV

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Comfortable ride </li> <li>Feature-filled infotainment </li> <li>Space for child seats </li> <li>Robust build quality </li> <li>Practical storage spaces </li> <li>A boot fit for a family holiday </li> <li>Fuel-efficient engines</li></ul>

While we define a small SUV&nbsp;as something&nbsp;less than 4.3 metres long and a large SUV as measuring more than 4.5 metres, family SUVs tread the middle ground.

As the name suggests, the vast majority are&nbsp;designed for family duties rather than serious off-roading, so practicality is paramount. However, that&nbsp;shouldn't come at the expense of a decent drive; the best examples combine tidy handling with smooth engines&nbsp;and a ride that's comfortable&nbsp;enough to ensure the kids aren't left feeling queasy.

The Seat Ateca and&nbsp;Skoda Karoq should definitely be on your shortlist. But if you have a bit more to spend,&nbsp;the Range Rover Evoque is another strong option. If money is a concern, then the Dacia Duster provides comfortable, spacious and well-equipped transportation for an affordable price.

&nbsp;

Family SUV

Suzuki S-Cross review

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Review of Suzuki S-Cross interior by the expert What Car? team. Compare in car entertainment system, driving comfort and visibility with similar cars.

Taking a seat in the Suzuki S-Cross, you’ll instantly notice that the layout is simple, with the infotainment screen nice and high on the dashboard and physical controls for the dual-zone air conditioning positioned lower down. Ultra models with four-wheel drive also have a dial to change driving modes (Normal, Sport and Snow) conveniently placed next to the handbrake.,The pedals line up nicely with the driver’s seat, the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake, and every model provides driver’s seat-height adjustment and a centre armrest. The backrest is adjusted using a lever and can’t provide such precise adjustment as the wheels provided in many rivals. Electric seat adjustment isn’t available.,Ultra trim’s part-leather seats are comfortable, but it’s a shame they don’t offer more side support and that adjustable lumbar support adjustment isn’t available. That’s something that comes as an option on many rivals and is standard on the similarly priced Toyota Yaris Cross in Excel trim.,The S-Cross’s tall, wide windscreen and slim front pillars make seeing forwards over the bonnet easy. The generous front side windows help you see out at junctions and roundabouts, too. ,The view over your shoulder is also good, thanks to a reasonably large rear windscreen and rear pillars that aren’t particularly bulky. To aid with parking, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard across the range, with top level Ultra trim also bringing a 360-degree parking camera. ,Visibility shouldn't be a problem, thanks to the automatic windscreen wipers and auto LED headlights that come as standard on both trim levels.,The S-Cross's entry-level Motion trim comes with a 7in touchscreen infotainment system, while Ultra upgrades the screen to 9in. Both systems include DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring (so you can use your phone’s apps for navigation and music on the touchscreen) and Bluetooth. Built-in sat-nav is only available with Ultra trim.,We’ve yet to try the smaller screen, but the 9in screen is crisp and shows information clearly. However, while the graphics are good, the delay between your inputs and the system’s reaction certainly isn’t. It gets frustrating when you need to find a location or simply change menus. The system is almost entirely touchscreen-controlled, with a few touch-sensitive shortcut buttons at the bottom of the screen. That makes operating it on the move much more distracting than if there were more physical controls.,While the S-Cross’s dash layout is easy to use and the few switches are nicely damped, it's a very plain and drab-looking cabin. There are lots of scratchy, brittle-feeling materials even in areas that you touch a lot.Top-spec Ultra trim does help to improve the feeling of quality by replacing the standard cloth seats with part-leather ones, but it’s still a long way short of the Skoda Karoq. Everything is screwed together well, at least.

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Suzuki S-Cross review

In this section:

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

Driving position and dashboard

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Sat nav and infotainment

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information