Suzuki’s S-Cross has been ticking along quietly in the sales stakes for some time, but a refresh was well overdue.
And here it is: the 2023 S-Cross AllGrip, replete with new look and more features as Suzuki aims to gain a more substantial foothold in the small SUV slice of the market.
But a jump in price has accompanied those changes.
Is the S-Cross worth the extra cash?
We tested a top-spec Prestige variant to find out.
Price and features of the 2023 Suzuki S-Cross AllGrip Prestige
There are only two variants in the S-Cross range: the entry-level S-Cross AllGrip ($40,490 plus on-road costs) and our test vehicle, the S-Cross AllGrip Prestige ($44,490 plus on-road costs).
Standard features in the top-shelf Prestige include a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless Apple CarPlay), a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, polished alloy 17-inch wheels, a 360-degree around-view camera system, leather-and-cloth seats, as well as LED headlights, daytime-running lights, keyless entry with push-button start, and upgraded driver-assist tech.
The 2023 Suzuki S-Cross does not have an ANCAP safety rating because it has not been tested.
It has six airbags and driver-assist safety tech includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver fatigue detection, parking sensors front and rear, and a 360-degree camera.
The S-Cross cabin is tidy and well designed, without being overly fancy. What it lacks in pizzaz though, it makes up for with being well built and functional.
There are enough cup-holders, air vents, charge points (USBs and a 12V upfront) and storage spots to keep most happy and while Suzuki prefers old-school analog displays to digital, it’s all easy enough to locate and operate – it’s basic not mind-blowing.
Seats upfront are comfortable without being plush, but the rear seat lacks much in the way of support and comfort. Passengers here also miss out on air vents and charge points.
The boot is a claimed 430L of space, which is the right side of impressive for a small SUV. There is a listed 1230 litres of cargo space when that second row is not in use.
Fuel consumption is a listed 6.2L/100km. On test we recorded 6.7L/100km.
It has a 47-litre tank so, going by that on-test fuel figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 700km on a full tank.
The S-Cross is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty.
Service intervals are set at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs soonest. Servicing costs are $1087 for three years or $1945 for five years, both figures via Suzuki's capped-price servicing.
Driving the 2023 Suzuki S-Cross AllGrip Prestige
The S-Cross is 4305mm long (with a 2600mm wheelbase), 1785mm wide, and 1585mm high. It has a kerb weight of 1260kg and a 10.8m turning circle.
This small SUV has a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, producing 103kW at 5500rpm and 220Nm at 1500-4000rpm.
It has a six-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system, hence the AllGrip moniker.
Steering in the S-Cross is light and precise, throttle response is sharp, and ride quality is balanced and controlled. Overall, this is a lively little beast, although you do have to give the boot to keep it going at a fair clip.
The on-demand all-wheel-drive system is smooth in its application and you can switch between drive modes to opt for front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
This is not a hard-core 4WD, of course, but the fact it has off-road suited functions like its Lock button, which splits drive almost evenly between the front and rear axles, is handy when you’re on a traction-compromised surface.
What we think of the 2023 Suzuki S-Cross AllGrip Prestige
The new S-Cross has a lot going for it – it’s zippy and it’s fun to drive – but it’s the wrong side of expensive for a small SUV.
It’s also missing a lot of driver-assist tech that’s included in its rivals, such as the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Mazda CX-30, Skoda Karoq, and it remains untested by ANCAP at time of writing.
