The Suzuki SX4, a compact crossover developed jointly by Suzuki and Fiat, was launched in 2006. At the 2012 Paris motor show, Suzuki unveiled its S-Cross concept and broadcast that it would be a new model, not a replacement for the SX4. Six months later the SX4 S-Cross, loosely based on the S-Cross concept, appeared at the Geneva motor show and received a facelift in 2016. Continuing QUBE/just-auto's review of interior design and technology trends, we peer inside this small SUV to see what makes it shine in a crowded market.
Marking Suzuki's first C segment crossover SUV, the SX4 S-Cross is produced at the carmaker's Magyar plant in Esztergom, Hungary. This facility also produces all Vitara and Swift models for European markets as well as exports worldwide.
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The facelifted SX4 S-Cross has a more distinctive front-end; its vertical toothy chrome grille, for example, gives it character and a certain road presence. Ground clearance on the latest version is slightly higher at 180mm versus 165mm and new design headlamps and rear LED lamp cluster also help to create a fresher look.
Available in three grades; SZ4, SZ-T and SZ5 all come with seven airbags (driver, front passenger, side, curtain and driver's knee), ESP and DAB radio fitted as standard. Inside, the fresh appearance is thanks to an updated soft-touch dashboard pad, framing highlights for the centre panel and newly designed seat fabric for SZ4 and SZ-T models.
All SZ4 models are equipped as standard with seven airbags, ESP, Bluetooth, digital radio, air-con, LED daytime running lights, cruise control with speed limiter and heated door mirrors. SZ-T adds sat-nav, rear parking camera, front and rear parking proximity sensors, dual zone automatic air con and rear privacy glass. Equipment for the top of the range SZ5 model includes radar brake support, leather seats, heated front seats, double sliding panoramic sunroof and aluminium roof rails.
The dash itself is split with the upper half incorporating the infotainment system and the lower half the HVAC controls. The piano black coloured central panel incorporates the touchscreen infotainment system that can be used to control Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The SX4 S-Cross achieved a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was first released in 2013.
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By GlobalDataChrome accents dotted around the cabin give it some glitz. There are cubbies galore, including a relatively large area under the flip-up armrest and room inside the front door panels to store 1.0-litre water bottles.
Forget about the luxury of powered front seats as the SX4 S-Cross doesn't offer them, even as an option. However, the manually-operated front seat occupants do have plenty of room to manoeuvre and fidget in between a leather finish arm-rest.
The rear seating area is also quite generous, light and airy thanks to the double sliding panoramic sunroof. The sunroof is fitted as standard on the SZ5 model and has one of the largest opening areas in its category (560mm). Visibility all round the car is good thanks to reasonably slim door pillars. When the 60/40 split rear seats are tumbled forward, this provides 875-litres of luggage space. Lifting the boot liner reveals a decent-sized area for storing bits and pieces out of sight.
On the road
Our range-topping SZ5 is powered by a 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine that has an output of 140PS and offers 220Nm of torque available from 1,500rpm. The 1.4-litre Boosterjet engines first used in the Vitara S and Baleno models are also available on the S-Cross, providing a punchy runabout, paired to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Boosterjet first appeared in the Vitara S in January 2016. Offering the same level of power and torque of a much larger capacity normally aspirated engine (1.8-litre), it was a pleasure to drive with plenty of grunt and oomph thanks to a small displacement, high torque turbocharger. By controlling the wastegate valve, which closes to create higher boost pressure during heavy load operation and remains open during normal driving, the Boosterjet system reduces pumping loss, thus achieving high levels of both power and fuel-efficiency. An air bypass valve is also utilised to prevent turbo 'stall' after the throttle has been closed and then quickly reopened.
All SX4 S-Cross models get FWD as standard with AWD optional, known as Allgrip. This has four selectable driving modes and sends torque to the rear wheels before a loss in traction can occur. In development, Suzuki states the Allgrip was enhanced by the addition of a feed forward function that allocates torque to the rear wheels before any slippage can occur.
On balance, this family-proof SUV is undeniably good value for money with lots of standard equipment compared to its rivals. Its dimensions also make parking in tight spaces a breeze. It is economical, too. Despite not hanging around in traffic, we averaged a real-world 42 mpg compared to the 50.4 mpg official combined figure.
While the SX4 S-Cross doesn't exactly attract attention, it is a fun, sure-footed drive thanks in large part to the gem of a turbocharged 1.4-litre engine in conjunction with the Allgrip four-wheel drive system. Selecting the Sport mode gives this Suzuki personality in spades, making it feel more like a hot hatch than a plodding small SUV.
