Suzuki SX4 S-Cross review
Suzuki SX4 S-Cross review
The SX4 S-Cross is Suzuki’s reaction to the big-selling Nissan Qashqai
S uzuki’s 4x4s tend to be capable in the mud, but a little puny and agricultural. However, the SX4 S-Cross is different.
Despite its rough, go-anywhere looks it doesn’t even have four-wheel drive as standard. Instead, the S-Cross is designed to be a stylish and practical family car that’s affordable to run and good to drive on tarmac.
Space 8/Ten
Good as long as you don’t have a sunroof
M ost versions of the S-Cross have slew of space for six-footers in both the front and back of the car.
The exception is the range-topping SZ5 model; this features a full-length glass sunroof that floods the interior with light, but munches into headroom.
There are several handy storage cubbies inbetween the front seats, and the boot can guzzle a baby buggy or a duo of large suitcases without difficulty.
You can also fold the rear seats pretty much plane. And the boot has a false floor that lets you raise the blast level so that you’re less likely to strain your back when lifting strenuous items in and out.
Convenience Four/Ten
Lots of adjustment, but rail is rock hard
A ll of the seats are supportive, and there’s enough adjustment to let most people find a good driving position.
Sadly, the suspension is rather rigid, so the S-Cross isn’t particularly comfy on the sort of bumpy roads that are all too common in the UK.
The engines sound noisy when you accelerate, too, and you hear fairly a bit of wind noise at motorway cruising speeds.
Book a free Suzuki SX4 S-Cross home test drive
Dashboard layout 7/Ten
O nly the Bluetooth system is complicated
T he S-Cross has ordinary rotary temperature controls, while its stereo buttons are clearly labelled and effortless to use.
By contrast, you’ll very likely have to dig out the owner’s manual when you want to connect your phone to the Bluetooth hands-free system because the process is horribly complicated.
The dashboard feels solid enough, but the materials aren’t as classy as the ones in the Nissan Qashqai or Skoda Yeti.
Effortless to drive 6/Ten
Diesel engine makes life lighter than the petrol
S -Cross buyers can choose inbetween a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 1.6-litre diesel, with the latter carrying a sizeable premium.
In this example, tho’, you get what you pay for; while you need to work the petrol engine hard just to keep up with traffic, the diesel feels strong, even when the car is powerfully laden.
Both models are available with an automatic gearbox, with the diesel’s dual-clutch system being particularly incredible, albeit only available on expensive, top-spec models.
Four-wheel drive is reserved for more expensive models, albeit this can be combined with the diesel engine as well as the petrol.
The steering is light enough to make parking effortless, plus the S-Cross gives the driver a good forward view. However, over-the-shoulder vision is a little restricted.
Joy to drive 7/Ten
Composed in leans, even however the steering is rather vague
T he up side of the stiff suspension is good composure in corners; the S-Cross doesn’t lurch about in the way some tall cars do.
Y our confidence in the S-Cross is slightly undermined by vague steering, but there’s actually explosions of grip.
The optional four-wheel-drive system is switchable, which means you can by hand lock the car in four-wheel-drive mode for that maximum feeling of security, or leave it to determine for itself when extra traction is needed.
Reliability Five/Ten
Suzuki’s customer satisfaction record isn’t as good as you might expect
Suzuki performed poorly in the two thousand fourteen JD Power customer satisfaction survey, completing 23rd out of twenty six manufacturers, albeit it should be noted that only one model, the Swift, was included.
Like the Nissan Qashqai, the S-Cross is covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, but this falls brief of the four years Renault offers on the Kadjar.
Fuel economy 8/Ten
M ore efficient than most of its rivals
T he most efficient S-Cross is the two-wheel-drive 1.6-litre diesel, which managed 67.3mpg in Government tests. That’s not as much as the 1.5-litre diesel Qashqai, but it betters the figures of most other rivals, including the equivalent Skoda Yeti.
Even the four-wheel-drive diesel S-Cross is more frugal than any Yeti, with an official average of almost 65mpg.
The petrol versions also compare well with rivals, averaging more than 50mpg if you do without four-wheel drive.
Affordability 9/Ten
Temptingly priced and resale values are pretty strong
The S-Cross is not only priced to undercut direct rivals, but also many conventional family hatchbacks.
It should hold its value better than something like a Ford Concentrate or Vauxhall Astra, too, and Suzuki offers fixed-price servicing plans that let you spread your payments via monthly Direct Debits.
I f you have the car serviced by an official Suzuki dealer, you also get a year of roadside assistance and recovery thrown in.
Safety 8/Ten
Performed well in crash tests, but some rivals have more driver aids
Suzuki SX4 S-Cross review
Suzuki SX4 S-Cross review
The SX4 S-Cross is Suzuki’s response to the big-selling Nissan Qashqai
S uzuki’s 4x4s tend to be capable in the mud, but a little puny and agricultural. However, the SX4 S-Cross is different.
Despite its rough, go-anywhere looks it doesn’t even have four-wheel drive as standard. Instead, the S-Cross is designed to be a stylish and practical family car that’s affordable to run and good to drive on tarmac.
Space 8/Ten
Good as long as you don’t have a sunroof
M ost versions of the S-Cross have slew of space for six-footers in both the front and back of the car.
The exception is the range-topping SZ5 model; this features a full-length glass sunroof that floods the interior with light, but munches into headroom.
There are several handy storage cubbies inbetween the front seats, and the boot can gulp a baby buggy or a duo of large suitcases without difficulty.
You can also fold the rear seats pretty much plane. And the boot has a false floor that lets you raise the flow level so that you’re less likely to strain your back when lifting mighty items in and out.
Convenience Four/Ten
Lots of adjustment, but rail is rigid
A ll of the seats are supportive, and there’s enough adjustment to let most people find a good driving position.
Sadly, the suspension is rather hard, so the S-Cross isn’t particularly convenient on the sort of bumpy roads that are all too common in the UK.
The engines sound noisy when you accelerate, too, and you hear fairly a bit of wind noise at motorway cruising speeds.
Book a free Suzuki SX4 S-Cross home test drive
Dashboard layout 7/Ten
O nly the Bluetooth system is complicated
T he S-Cross has ordinary rotary temperature controls, while its stereo buttons are clearly labelled and effortless to use.
By contrast, you’ll most likely have to dig out the owner’s manual when you want to connect your phone to the Bluetooth hands-free system because the process is horribly sophisticated.
The dashboard feels solid enough, but the materials aren’t as classy as the ones in the Nissan Qashqai or Skoda Yeti.
Effortless to drive 6/Ten
Diesel engine makes life lighter than the petrol
S -Cross buyers can choose inbetween a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 1.6-litre diesel, with the latter carrying a sizeable premium.
In this example, tho’, you get what you pay for; while you need to work the petrol engine hard just to keep up with traffic, the diesel feels strong, even when the car is intensely laden.
Both models are available with an automatic gearbox, with the diesel’s dual-clutch system being particularly astounding, albeit only available on expensive, top-spec models.
Four-wheel drive is reserved for more expensive models, albeit this can be combined with the diesel engine as well as the petrol.
The steering is light enough to make parking effortless, plus the S-Cross gives the driver a good forward view. However, over-the-shoulder vision is a little restricted.
Joy to drive 7/Ten
Composed in arches, even tho’ the steering is rather vague
T he up side of the rock-hard suspension is good composure in corners; the S-Cross doesn’t lurch about in the way some tall cars do.
Y our confidence in the S-Cross is slightly undermined by vague steering, but there’s actually explosions of grip.
The optional four-wheel-drive system is switchable, which means you can by hand lock the car in four-wheel-drive mode for that maximum feeling of security, or leave it to determine for itself when extra traction is needed.
Reliability Five/Ten
Suzuki’s customer satisfaction record isn’t as good as you might expect
Suzuki performed poorly in the two thousand fourteen JD Power customer satisfaction survey, ending 23rd out of twenty six manufacturers, albeit it should be noted that only one model, the Swift, was included.
Like the Nissan Qashqai, the S-Cross is covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, but this falls brief of the four years Renault offers on the Kadjar.
Fuel economy 8/Ten
M ore efficient than most of its rivals
T he most efficient S-Cross is the two-wheel-drive 1.6-litre diesel, which managed 67.3mpg in Government tests. That’s not as much as the 1.5-litre diesel Qashqai, but it betters the figures of most other rivals, including the equivalent Skoda Yeti.
Even the four-wheel-drive diesel S-Cross is more frugal than any Yeti, with an official average of almost 65mpg.
The petrol versions also compare well with rivals, averaging more than 50mpg if you do without four-wheel drive.
Affordability 9/Ten
Temptingly priced and resale values are pretty strong
The S-Cross is not only priced to undercut direct rivals, but also many conventional family hatchbacks.
It should hold its value better than something like a Ford Concentrate or Vauxhall Astra, too, and Suzuki offers fixed-price servicing plans that let you spread your payments via monthly Direct Debits.
I f you have the car serviced by an official Suzuki dealer, you also get a year of roadside assistance and recovery thrown in.
Safety 8/Ten
Performed well in crash tests, but some rivals have more driver aids
Suzuki SX4 S-Cross review
Suzuki SX4 S-Cross review
The SX4 S-Cross is Suzuki’s response to the big-selling Nissan Qashqai
S uzuki’s 4x4s tend to be capable in the mud, but a little puny and agricultural. However, the SX4 S-Cross is different.
Despite its harsh, go-anywhere looks it doesn’t even have four-wheel drive as standard. Instead, the S-Cross is designed to be a stylish and practical family car that’s affordable to run and good to drive on tarmac.
Space 8/Ten
Good as long as you don’t have a sunroof
M ost versions of the S-Cross have slew of space for six-footers in both the front and back of the car.
The exception is the range-topping SZ5 model; this features a full-length glass sunroof that floods the interior with light, but licks into headroom.
There are several handy storage cubbies inbetween the front seats, and the boot can gulp a baby buggy or a duo of large suitcases without difficulty.
You can also fold the rear seats pretty much plane. And the boot has a false floor that lets you raise the flow level so that you’re less likely to strain your back when lifting strong items in and out.
Convenience Four/Ten
Lots of adjustment, but rail is hard
A ll of the seats are supportive, and there’s enough adjustment to let most people find a good driving position.
Sadly, the suspension is rather rigid, so the S-Cross isn’t particularly comfy on the sort of bumpy roads that are all too common in the UK.
The engines sound noisy when you accelerate, too, and you hear fairly a bit of wind noise at motorway cruising speeds.
Book a free Suzuki SX4 S-Cross home test drive
Dashboard layout 7/Ten
O nly the Bluetooth system is complicated
T he S-Cross has elementary rotary temperature controls, while its stereo buttons are clearly labelled and effortless to use.
By contrast, you’ll very likely have to dig out the owner’s manual when you want to connect your phone to the Bluetooth hands-free system because the process is horribly complicated.
The dashboard feels solid enough, but the materials aren’t as classy as the ones in the Nissan Qashqai or Skoda Yeti.
Effortless to drive 6/Ten
Diesel engine makes life lighter than the petrol
S -Cross buyers can choose inbetween a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 1.6-litre diesel, with the latter carrying a sizeable premium.
In this example, tho’, you get what you pay for; while you need to work the petrol engine hard just to keep up with traffic, the diesel feels strong, even when the car is powerfully laden.
Both models are available with an automatic gearbox, with the diesel’s dual-clutch system being particularly incredible, albeit only available on expensive, top-spec models.
Four-wheel drive is reserved for more expensive models, albeit this can be combined with the diesel engine as well as the petrol.
The steering is light enough to make parking effortless, plus the S-Cross gives the driver a good forward view. However, over-the-shoulder vision is a little restricted.
Joy to drive 7/Ten
Composed in arches, even tho’ the steering is rather vague
T he up side of the rock hard suspension is good composure in corners; the S-Cross doesn’t lurch about in the way some tall cars do.
Y our confidence in the S-Cross is slightly undermined by vague steering, but there’s actually fountains of grip.
The optional four-wheel-drive system is switchable, which means you can by hand lock the car in four-wheel-drive mode for that maximum feeling of security, or leave it to determine for itself when extra traction is needed.
Reliability Five/Ten
Suzuki’s customer satisfaction record isn’t as good as you might expect
Suzuki performed poorly in the two thousand fourteen JD Power customer satisfaction survey, completing 23rd out of twenty six manufacturers, albeit it should be noted that only one model, the Swift, was included.
Like the Nissan Qashqai, the S-Cross is covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, but this falls brief of the four years Renault offers on the Kadjar.
Fuel economy 8/Ten
M ore efficient than most of its rivals
T he most efficient S-Cross is the two-wheel-drive 1.6-litre diesel, which managed 67.3mpg in Government tests. That’s not as much as the 1.5-litre diesel Qashqai, but it betters the figures of most other rivals, including the equivalent Skoda Yeti.
Even the four-wheel-drive diesel S-Cross is more frugal than any Yeti, with an official average of almost 65mpg.
The petrol versions also compare well with rivals, averaging more than 50mpg if you do without four-wheel drive.
Affordability 9/Ten
Temptingly priced and resale values are pretty strong
The S-Cross is not only priced to undercut direct rivals, but also many conventional family hatchbacks.
It should hold its value better than something like a Ford Concentrate or Vauxhall Astra, too, and Suzuki offers fixed-price servicing plans that let you spread your payments via monthly Direct Debits.
I f you have the car serviced by an official Suzuki dealer, you also get a year of roadside assistance and recovery thrown in.
Safety 8/Ten
Performed well in crash tests, but some rivals have more driver aids
