Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 26 March 2026
As a brand best known for compact and efficient cars, it’s a wonder why Suzuki has taken so long in bringing a pure electric vehicle to the market. But with rising fuel costs at the top of Kiwi households’ minds, the brand’s local arm thinks they couldn’t have timed the arrival of the first any better.
This electric vehicle in question is the new e Vitara, which is a compact SUV that Suzuki New Zealand will slot nicely into the hole the outgoing, petrol-powered Vitara leaves.
While it shares a name with the little SUV New Zealanders know and love, that’s where the similarities seemingly end for the e Vitara, as it is a completely different vehicle.
Where the old Vitara was manufactured in Japan, the e Vitara comes from Suzuki Maruti, which is the brand’s Indian arm. This isn’t the first time New Zealand has seen an Indian-built Suzuki, either, with the recently introduced Fronx coming from the same factory.
So while it might not have the same cult following as something like a Swift or a Jimny, Suzuki New Zealand is confident this little electric SUV will be a hit with Kiwis.
What is the e Vitara?
Suzuki New Zealand is planning to sell the e Vitara locally in two guises, with the range consisting of a front-wheel drive, and an all-wheel drive model.
The entry-level front-wheel drive e Vitara starts at $56,990, while the all-wheel drive variant starts from $64,990. Suzuki New Zealand is also offering an introductory offer across both models, which knocks $2,000 off the price.
Measuring at 4.2-metres long, the e Vitara is slightly shorter than Kia’s EV3 SUV. It’s also 100mm longer than the outgoing Vitara, if that’s a better reference point. The wheels are pushed to the corners, and it doesn’t look very much like anything in the current Suzuki range.
Beneath this fresh face, both e Vitara variants are powered by a 61kW battery. In the front-wheel drive model this battery provides up to 426km of range, and 395km in the all-wheel drive SUV.
As for performance, the front-wheel drive model gets a single electric motor on the front axle providing 128kW/189Nm. This will send it to 100km/h from a standing start in 8.7-seconds. The all-wheel drive models gets 135kW/300Nm, which cuts the 0-100km/h time to 7.4-seconds.
As for charging, both are rated to a maximum DC rate of just 65kW. This will charge from 20 to 80 per cent in 34 minutes.
How’s the Interior?
On the inside, the e Vitara impressed me. Going into the launch, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Suzuki’s first electric vehicle that’s built in India, but the reality is that it feels no different from the regular Japanese-built vehicles.
The upholstery is a mix of black cloth with faux leather accents, and there’s plenty of hard plastics around the cabin. Piano black covers the entire centre console, and the gear selector is one of the more strange examples I have encountered.
The driver’s seat gets 10-way electric adjustability, and while the passenger makes do with manual seats, the fact the rear bench can slide is a big win for packaging. Seat heaters in the front row are also standard.
On the tech front, a 10.1-inch infotainment screen sits in the centre of the dash, which gets wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity. Behind the steering wheel is a 10.25-inch digital cluster which is customisable.
Other nice additions include the wireless phone charger and sunroof which only extends to the front two seats.
In my opinion, the biggest win for this interior is the packaging, and how big it feels for an SUV with quite a small footprint. Space is plentiful in the front row, and this theme continues to the rear. With the rear bench being able to slide 160mm, you can put the front seats as far back as possible, and still have plenty of leg room for the rear occupants.
In saying this, the luggage space is where the e Vitara’s interior is compromised, as the boot isn’t massive. Space back here ranges between 238 and 310 litres with the rear seats in place, and extends to 562 litres with them folded. There’s also no spare wheel beneath the boot, meaning roadside repairs will have to be carried out with the supplied goo kit.
A Competent All-rounder
On the road, the e Vitara continues to impress with respectable dynamics. Though the all-wheel drive model is probably the most grunty vehicle Suzuki New Zealand has ever sold, it’s still not massively quick. The instant electric torque is nice for zipping around town, but you aren’t going to be impressing any passengers with its performance.
During the launch we were able to sample the e Vitara on a short road course track where it felt a little out of place, but got around at a decent pace. The brakes held up, and the steering felt OK. I only say OK as almost everything you feel from the driver’s seat has an artificial nature, as communication is at a minimum. The only way to tell the front wheels weren’t getting traction is through the light blinking on the dash.
We also were able to drive it on a little off-road loop, which genuinely impressed me. I wouldn’t have guessed a launch for a little electric SUV would include any off-road action, but I was wrong. Considering the Vitara badge it wears, Suzuki needed it to offer decent driving off the beaten track, and that’s exactly what it did. While it wasn’t anything too intense, it’s good to know the all-wheel drive model can hold its own when the going gets rough.
Once we were back on the road, the e Vitara felt right at home, and it was comfortable. The ride offered is better than what I was expecting, and this goes for gravel corrugations as well as questionably surfaced roads outside of Wellington. Cabin noise isn’t too much of a factor, and the SUV soaks up bumps better than what its price point would suggest.
The safety systems offered by the e Vitara are also non-intrusive and good to use on our roads. It gets features such as adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition and lane keep assist, but forgoes the driver attention monitor. While this likely limited it to just four stars in Euro NCAP safety testing, I don’t see it as a bad thing, as a lot of these systems seem to interrupt more than they contribute to the driving experience.
As a whole, I was genuinely impressed by the e Vitara. Where Suzuki New Zealand has priced it may cause a few buyers to go with cheaper Chinese-built alternatives, but those looking for peace of mind in a legacy brand will enjoy it.
With 450 of these expected to arrive this year, I doubt there will be any issues in regards to selling units, especially considering how petrol prices have spiked. The addition of the new eight-year, 160,000km warranty will also provide healthy competition against those newer rivals.
