Suzuki S-Presso launches in SA
Suzuki set the cat among the pigeons this week, introducing the all-new S-Presso, an ultra compact city-SUV. In an unprecedented move they took the local launch out of the real world and into the digital one. We followed along to see what the S-Presso has in store for prospective buyers.
Regular or decaf?
During these uncertain times, everyone can use a good cup of coffee. For those in the know, Suzuki SA not only makes some of the coolest and funky cars on sale in SA but now offer you a mini cup of automotive java to boot! Meet the new Suzuki S-Presso, a baby SUV that will make first- time car-buyers sit up and take notice.
Related: Three things you need to know about Suzuki's new micro-SUV, the S-PRESSO
An online launch, featuring the car reveal and a virtual drive greeted motoring media as we signed in to a live video presentation. On the back of excellent vehicles such as the Ignis and Jimny, comes their latest offering, the S-Presso, with all the right ingredients.
What a looker
With this being an online digital launch there wasn’t anything to touch and feel to give one a sense of the vehicle. To remedy this, I shot down to my local Suzuki dealer, hand sanitizer in tow, to see if they had one that I could have a real world look at. To my absolute joy they already had them out on display, sold stickers in the windows et al.
The S-Presso is very much an amalgamation of all the things I like from the other models that Suzuki sells. You have the back end from the Swift, large doors and wheel arches from the Ignis and the front end that looks a lot like the Jimny. All of that may sound confusing but once you see this little number in the metal it all begins to make sense.
Options, options and more options
Having just swiped the title of the cheapest car you can get in SA from rivals Renault, Suzuki has also opted to give buyers choice when it comes the S-Presso they want.
You can have the entry level GL spec which comes with electric windows for the front occupants, rear parking sensors, air conditioning, power steering and an onboard computer.
If you opt for the GL+ model you get a 7” touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Car Play and Android Auto as well as reverse camera added and stepping up into the S Design specification, gets you all the above and some extra special spice in some silver detailing on the exterior and interior as well as some exterior cladding around the arches and doors.
Power for the city
When it comes to the drive train, Suzuki didn’t think twice about borrowing the tried and tested K10B petrol engine from the Celerio. This engine is not only frugal, fuel wise, but sounds quite sporty with its off-beat burble. The 1.0l, three cylinder, petrol engine puts out 50kW and 90Nm and puts power to the front wheels via your choice of a 5 speed manual or 5 speed auto transmission.
The S-Presso is meant to be a city car and if used where intended Suzuki says you will get 5l / 100km from its 27l petrol tank, equating to almost 500km on a fill up.
A test drive was, of course, not possible but if the S-Presso handles and delivers power in any way like its stable brethren, then it is certain to be a winner.
Coffee to go
The S-Presso presented a surprising amount of interior space, with exterior dimensions of 3565mm(L) x 1520mm(W) x 1565mm(H) it will seat 5 adults with shoulder room to spare, the rear seats can also be dropped to increase the boot space from its starting 239l.
Carrying on with the options available to you, you will be able to customize the interior of your S-Presso in a range of colours that make the interior as unique as you are. I am very fond of the central binnacle that houses most of the controls and infotainment reminding one of the MINI dashboard arrangement.
One of the things Suzuki has done with the seat position in the S-Presso is to give the driver and passenger seats a higher command position meaning that getting into and out of the car is simple and won’t become a chore for older folks.
Safety wise, NCAP results are still coming but the S-Presso is made with high grade steels and is built on Suzuki’s HEARTECT platform so it should fare well in testing. Driver and passenger get airbags upfront while the chassis gets ABS and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) making the S-Presso pretty safe in our eyes.
Model line up
The S-Presso is offered as follows:
1.0 GL MT R 134 900
1.0 GL+ MT R 139 900
1.0 GL+ AMT R 152 900
1.0 S-Edition MT R 147 900
1.0 S-Edition AMT R 160 900
All S-Presso will be sold with 1-year promotional comprehensive insurance and come with a 2-yr / 30 000km service plan and 5-yr / 200 000km promotional warranty.
Verdict
Suzuki has hit another home run with the S-Presso. It will be very interesting to see how the rest of this year and the automotive sector plays out. We know by first-hand accounts that the S-Presso is already flying off showroom floors but even if they don’t move as many as they had hoped for, they can still make a damn fine cup of coffee.
Thanks to Farhad at Suzuki East Rand Boksburg for all your assistance and excellent product knowledge.
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