OVER the years of doing this job one marque that has consistently delivered well engineered and well put together motors is Suzuki… but on the design front their cars were perhaps sometimes a little underwhelming.
However, this latest offering in the shape of the e Vitara has definitely ticked that final design box with a bold new look which projects a purposeful profile.
Particularly at the front this small SUV has lots of presence and lets you know it really means business… particularly so in the range topping Ultra ALLGRIP-e version we got to test out.
With two electric motors and four wheel drive there’s 183hp on tap meaning a top speed of 93mph and 0 to 62 time of 7.4 seconds. Several driving modes including a ‘Trail’ option ensure never getting stuck whatever the weather and on that all-important range question the figures are good too – up to 326 miles extra urban and around 245 in the city.
Another electric car concern is battery life, but if you have the e Vitara serviced at a Suzuki dealer then your battery is under warranty until 10 years or 100,000 miles.
One more plus point is the level of equipment, which even includes a 360 degree camera system that pans around the car on start up making sure all is clear to move away.
Other standard kit on our Ultra spec model includes wireless phone charging, glass sunroof, adaptive cruise control, three driving modes plus that trail setting, heated front seats with power adjustment for the driver, power fold door mirrors and a 10-inch central display screen for sat-nav and infotainment plus another ahead of the driver.
Suzuki’s first electric car it is not just the standard Vitara with the engine swapped out but a totally new vehicle, which is built in India and shares a lot of parts with the Toyota Urban Cruiser.
The e Vitara is quite comfortable on the road with a good balance between body control and soaking up imperfections plus well-weighted steering which make for confident progress. Inside there is a surprisingly large amount of room, particularly for rear seat passengers.
Off road ability is also impressive, particularly in Trail mode, which applies the brakes on the wheel with the least grip when activated and hill descent control is also a useful feature.
You sit quite high and front windscreen pillars are slim giving a good forward view while large rear windows and that 360 camera system plus parking sensors inspire confidence in reverse.
During a week of mixed driving the Suzuki impressed, comfortable both at motorway speeds and on twisty B roads, most particularly when I had to take a large fridge freezer to the tip which surprisingly fitted in with suitable seat adjustments.
With a maximum charge rate of 150kW, the e Vitara should take around 45 minutes to charge up from 10-80% with a fast DC charger.
There is a cheaper smaller battery version that has a 49kWh motor with 142bhp and a 0-62mph time of 9.6sec. The e-Vitara range is from £30,550 up to £37,799 for our range topping Ultra 61kw version.
For more information see www.suzuki.co.uk
By Motoring Editor Steve Howarth