Suzuki S-Cross (2013-2021) review

Back at its 2013 launch, the S-Cross was properly cheap. But like with the rest of Suzuki’s range, hybridisation hasn’t come cheap. It added several grand to the price of a Swift Sport and the same has happened here – prices start at a whisker over £21,000 and rise to almost £30,000 if you want a 4WD automatic with much spec.

In fact, you can only have 4WD on the top-rung SZ5 trim. It adds £1,800 over an equivalently specced 2WD S-Cross, while an automatic gearbox represents a £1,350 premium. Both are costs we’d avoid if we possibly could – Suzuki’s engineering prowess is just a smidge more evident when you keep things simple (and the S-Cross as light as can be).

On saying that, we reckon there’s a slightly more alluring prospect than the S-Cross within the same showroom. As we alluded to right at the start, the S-Cross launched around the same time as the current-gen Vitara as its straighter-suited sibling. Both now come solely with the same 1.4-litre petrol/mild hybrid combo and unless you’re shopping for a base-trim car, the Vitara is £1,000 cheaper than a like-for-like S-Cross while looking much perkier.

Where the car you see here blatantly nicked the Qashqai’s style, the Vitara arguably looks like an Aldi middle-aisle Range Rover Evoque. If school run status matters even one jot to you, it’s the one to have.