2026 Suzuki e Vitara AWD Review

Suzuki adds an option for those thinking about going electric with its funky little e Vitara. But will its price be a barrier to success? 

Suzuki is notoriously conservative. And so the e Vitara is its first electric vehicle. No point rushing into these things. It sits on a dedicated electric vehicle platform, is offered with both front- and all-wheel and starts at $56,990. That gets you a smart looking compact electric SUV, with a 61kWh lithium iron phosphate battery from specialists BYD. The claim is a range of up to 426km for the 128kW/193Nm FWD model while the dual motor AWD outputs 135kW/307Nm and gets 395km on a charge. It costs $64,990. In a world where the Chinese are asking forty something for compact electric SUVs, Suzuki is up against it, it would seem. But does it have something special to offer? 

Styled well in and out

It’s a smart machine, with its miniaturised, chunky SUV persona. The cladding is laid on thick, and with its disguised rear door handle, there’s a hint of coupe in there too. It’s compact, at just under 4.3m in length, while its 180mm of ground clearance does more to ease entry and egress into the cabin than tame the wilderness. The two tone paint job is an extra $1000. 

While the e Vitara has been developed in conjunction with Toyota, it has a definite Suzuki vibe to it. It’s the brand’s best interior to date, well laid out with a modern look, though it’s still filled with hard plastics, which gives it a built to a price point feel. They couldn’t resist going heavy on the high-gloss plastic around the centre console either, and it’s already showing signs of wear.

Interested parties will like the conventional approach to operations. It’s not overly techy, just easy to use, with simple buttons for the A/C (single zone only) and even a volume knob. 

There’s a charge pad, wireless connectivity with CarPlay and Android Auto but no deeper connectivity or apps. The infotainment is a little slow to flick between menus, and while it is logically laid out, the imaging for the surround view camera is grainy. Don’t expect voice control or integrated sat nav either. There’s a small driver’s display with a few different views, but it’s fairly basic.

We liked the seats, being well formed, trimmed nicely and with decent adjustment too. 

While it’s a compact, its generous wheelbase gives it surprisingly spacious rear quarters where you’ll find genuine leg and headroom. Okay, it’s not overly wide, but with a flat floor, three kids fit fine and a couple of USB chargers help keep them happy.

The boot is tight, measuring up at just 238L. There’s minimal underfloor storage, not enough for the charge cable even, and there’s no spare. The seat back is split 40/20/40 to aid load versatility, folding relatively flat. There’s no storage up front either.  

A character on road and off

As for the drive, it’s really well sorted. It goes nicely in town. The ride is good at isolating the bumps and it’s settled. This being the twin motor model, the power delivery is effective at urban speeds, up to 50km/h quick smart and the torque is ever present when required. And its compact dimensions make it a great city runner with a good turning circle and sorted outward vision. 

There is no driver monitor to beep at you, the active cruise works okay and the speed sign recognition keeps you informed but doesn’t sound off. The active lane keeping function however likes to get involved, sometimes quite dramatically. 

Our tester was still on its all-terrain tyres from the initial vehicle launch programme, where Suzuki took it off-road. While we thought this would foul the on-road experience, that wasn’t the case. They gave the e Vitara a certain ‘up for it’ look, and didn’t affect the drive. They weren’t noisy while delivering a surprising amount of grip in the dry.

Yes, you could feel the e Vitara moving around a little more on this tyre set up, but it made for a fun drive, while also highlighting that the chassis has been sorted. The steering is a little light, but it’s not lifeless and the e Vitara turns with a vigour you don’t quite expect. There’s a hint of kick back in the corners, but you can also feel when the front is starting to stress out. It holds on keenly, while you have to get a bit silly to rouse the ESP into action. That’s thanks to well-tuned roll control and a neutral balance. It might weigh 1900kg, but it hides it well.

There’s just enough power too, getting a little more exciting in the Sport mode in terms of a more perky delivery and the brakes work okay. 

The Trail mode performed nicely on the sand, particularly through the soft stuff where it just kept trucking, that solid whack of torque a boon in the dunes. 

What about the but?

This didn’t seem to be particularly efficient, with a consumption figure of 20kWh/100km, more than the stated 16.6. Which might explain that with 90 per cent charge, the DTE was reading just 290km, a little shy of the promised circa 400km.

A 26 – 89 per cent fast charge took 42mins, at an average of 55kW, which is slow compared with something like the GAC Aion V or even the Dongfeng Vigo.

It’s these figures, along with the price, that make what is otherwise a good package harder to recommend. It’s expensive for its size and realistic range. And its slow recharge times doesn’t make it suitable for those doing regular distance.

The e Vitara will eventually replace the regular Vitara, which only has a few more months to run. And so it’s a big jump from the $46k S-Cross to this in the line up. At $65k you could cross shop the Suzuki with the likes of the Tesla Model 3, Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30/Zeekr X. And there are a few compact SUVs that start in the $30k bracket. The FWD model is a little more affordable and better lines up with competition like the MG S5, Leapmotor C10 and Honda e:N1, though isn’t quite as family friendly or feature replete. In its favour are its sorted dynamics, a competitive warranty and Suzuki’s dealer network coverage. It’s a good thing, if you can justify its pricetag.  

Suzuki e Vitara AWD

$64,990  /  16.6kWh/100km  /  0g/km
0-100 km/h 7.81s
80-120 km/h 5.90s (167m)
100-0 km/h 38.98m
Speedo error  97 at an indicated 100km/h
Ambient cabin noise  70.2dB@100km/h
Motor output  135kW
Max torque  307Nm
Battery  61kWh
Range  395km
Drivetrain  Single-speed auto / e-AWD
Front suspension  Mac strut / swaybar
Rear suspension  Multilink / swaybar
Turning circle  10.4m (2.5 turns)
Front brakes  Ventilated discs
Rear brakes  Discs
Stability systems  ABS, ESP, TV
Safety  AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB
Tyre size  f/r-225/55R18
Wheelbase  2700mm
L/W/H  4275 / 1800 / 1635mm
Track f-1540mm  r-1545mm
Luggage capacity 238 / 562L  
Tow rating  Not rated to tow
Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km
Warranty  8yrs / 160,000 km
ANCAP rating  Not yet rated
Weight (claimed)  1899kg