Suzuki is expanding its electrified range with a new hybrid version of its Vitara crossover. TED WELFORD sees if it’s worth checking out.
You might not think of Suzuki as being at the cutting edge of electrification, but this is a manufacturer that was one of the first to introduce a mild-hybrid.
Suzuki is now rolling out its own in-house-developed hybrid system, which makes its first outing here on the brand’s compact Vitara SUV. But is it any good?
Not to be confused with Suzuki’s mild-hybrid 1.4-litre ‘BoosterJet’ engine, which will be sold concurrently with this new ‘Full Hybrid’ model – albeit only in manual guise – this new Vitara powertrain uses an adapted 1.5-litre petrol engine from the loveable-if-flawed Jimny, and pairs it with an electric motor and battery.