Suzuki South Africa is currently going full steam ahead in local sales, having been in the top 3 month to month for the past 3 months. It's no surprise, given that they've captured the sub-R500 000 mark so well with a lovely array of products to suit different lifestyles, you'll capture the hearts of many. Cue the Across, the latest flagship SUV from the brand. Overseas, in India, this vehicle is sold as the Victoris, while the Across nameplate is attached to the Toyota-Suzuki alliance Rav4. The Across offers a well-specced range and, according to our research, could be the cheapest hybrid vehicle to buy in South Africa at the moment.
Related: New Suzuki Across: Flagship SUV with budget-friendly price tag
Styling
The Across shares a similar design language to the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Styling cues like body cladding, bolstered fenders, rounded rectangular shapes, and slim LED lighting signatures indicate that these two vehicles are related. However, you can tell the differences between the Across and the Grand Vitara quite easily. The Across opts for a more subtle front and rear end. In front, there isn't a large air dam as you'd typically find in SUVs nowadays, but it still commands presence. In the rear, the LED light bar is nicely positioned against the rear windshield, and the lights taper off into some body contours in the side profile. The design is visually appealing and looks good in motion.
Interior and Space
Inside the Across, you can feel it's premium for its price point. You have ventilated leather-and-cloth seats with 8-way electric adjustability in the GLX variants, and cloth-only seats in the GL trims. The seating is pretty comfortable. Soft-touch material is found on the dashboard and door cards. Ambient lighting is available on the GLX trim, and across the range, you'll find some gold trim around the air vent surrounds, with this colour reflected in the digital instrument cluster meters and dashboard stitching. I'm not sold on the gold trim personally, but it is different from the usual silver we tend to find in vehicles like this. There is gloss-black trim on the steering wheel controls, but I would personally prefer these to be matte, as gloss black attracts fingerprints. I do quite like the new steering wheel design, though; it's great in the hands. The front seating is roomy enough, though taller individuals will find limited headroom in the rear.
A new 10.2-inch infotainment screen crowns the centre stack. I like this infotainment for its clarity, snappy controls, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In the GLX variant, you can have an Infinity by Harman sound system with a subwoofer. The system is decent enough, but I would've preferred more controls for the equaliser and subwoofer, rather than just 3 presets. Get this, though: there are physical controls for the air conditioning and a rotary knob for volume control, which is welcomed with open arms. However, I would have liked a dedicated button for Auto air-conditioning control. Speaking of, it's a pity we didn't get climate control here; dual-zone climate control would've been a winner, along with drive-away locking doors. Despite that, I have to give gold stars for the Across's NVH levels; it is quiet inside and doesn't suffer from weird rattling or noises. Though the CEAT tyres are quite noisy, and it permeates into the cabin. Regarding boot space, the GL variants have 347 litres, while the GLX has 333 litres due to the integrated subwoofer. The cabin is alright, I say.
The Drive
We sampled the Across travelling across the Cape Bay area, with a mix of highway, mountain, and beachside roads. One thing about the Across is that it feels surefooted and taut, but I'd argue the brake pedal does need some calibration. It feels mushy, and when the hill holds control disengages, it almost clings on for a little longer than it should. Propelling the Across range is the K15C engine. This is a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine paired to a 12V mild-hybrid (Parallel setup) system with an ISG (Integrated Starter Generator, 2.2 kW/55 Nm). This setup makes 76 kW / 137 Nm and is sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.
The K15C is certainly efficient in this setup, as we were averaging around 5.0L/100km during our extended drive. I had one driving partner and our luggage on board, and the Across felt fine. It's an agreeable sort of power output and delivery for this vehicle, and the 6-speed automatic helps. The gearing here is good rather than opting for taller gear ratios. Though the standard K15 engines like to rev out, the Across can get into its stride without too much throttle mashing, but you will need to step on it a bit to overtake. One thing I would like, though, is a larger instrument cluster option that indicates the hybrid system status, much like the Toyota Corolla Cross. It gamifies the drive a bit and helps you adjust your driving style to optimise efficiency. The Across drives elegantly, but maybe a bit more power would be nice; I'd say it doesn't need turbocharging. We're curious to see how it performs in the thinner air of Johannesburg.
Safety
NCAP Rating:
Adult: ★★★★★
Child: ★★★★★
The Across comes standard with the following notable safety features:
- 6 airbags
- ABS, EBD, ESP
- Hill-Hold Control
- 360 View Camera (GLX)
- GLX ADAS - DSBS ll (Dual Sensor Brake Support), Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Auto Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Protection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitoring, Front and rear parking sensors, High Beam Assist
Pricing
| Model | Price |
| Suzuki Across 1.5 GL Manual | from R349 900 |
| Suzuki Across 1.5 GL Auto | from R372 900 |
| Suzuki Across 1.5 GLX Auto | from R464 900 |
The Across's purchase price includes a 4-year/60 000 km service plan and a 5-year/200 000 km promotional warranty.
Hang on, some of you may be wondering why the Across's pricing is quite close to the Grand Vitara and whether it undercuts it even further. After speaking with Suzuki South Africa's Brand Marketing Manager - Brendon Carpenter, I interpreted that while they are aware that the pricing is similar, Suzuki's offerings aim to suit different customer needs but also to provide more choice within their sub-R500k rangeSo if you're at a Suzuki dealer and let's say you drove both the Across and Grand Vitara, you may not like the Grand Vitara but prefer the Across for your needs vice versa. The one thing that remains is you're still buying into the Suzuki family, and you've experienced the vehicles.
*Pricing stated here was correct when publishing and is subject to change without prior notice.
Verdict
The SUV space has turned into an elaborate game of chess, as far as I see it. Each manufacturer here is one-upping the others, and Suzuki has made a substantial move with the Across, offering what it offers within the sub-R500k price range. Upon further research, it appears to be South Africa's cheapest hybrid at the moment, just undercutting the Chery Tiggo Cross. Who's going to make the next move, though? Because we feel the Across will become a popular choice.
