► Our first taste of Suzuki’s new eVitara
► Dinky electric crossover launches in the UK in the summer
► Prototype drive at Millbrook proving ground
Firsts don’t come around that often in the car industry these days, but – for Suzuki – this is one of them. Say hello to the new eVitara – technically the brand’s first ever battery-electric production car
Our first time behind the wheel of this new-to-Suzuki powertrain comes with a 90-ish per cent ready prototype at the UK’s UTAC Millbrook facility.
At a glance
Pros: Great steering, tidy handling, well-thought-out interior
Cons: Slow infotainment, boot is small, a lot of strong competition
What’s new?
It’s probably faster to say what isn’t new. Ummm… oh! The name! Yes – Vitara has been part of Suzuki’s line up for more than 35 years, going from tough ‘n’ ready utility vehicle to beach bum ferryer to family-friendly urban-ish runabout and everywhere in between.
As we’ve mentioned, this is the first Suzuki to go on sale with a battery-electric powertrain, with the brand being deliberately slow and considered as to when to launch EVs across its markets. Unfortunately, the ZEV Mandate for the UK has thoroughly kicked Suzuki up the backside, so it’s keen to get some new models on stream so the brand isn’t punished by increasingly tough rules from now on. The eVitara is the first, with Suzuki planning four more electric cars by 2030.
The look is full of familiar Suzuki chunkiness, with the eVitara’s design striving to be a not-too-distant companion to the regular combustion Vitara that will remain on sale. Its dinky dimensions are placing it in an extremely competitive segment, with new rivals like the Kia EV3, Ford Puma Gen-E and Skoda Elroq to name a few coming out of the woodwork alongside some established ones.
Under the bodywork is an entirely new architecture that has been developed by Suzuki itself. The eVitara shares almost everything bar a few design differences with the Toyota Urban Cruiser but – unlike with other cars where Suzuki has simply rebadged Toyota models and called it a day – development of this platform and tech has been led by Suzuki.
On top of leading development, Suzuki wants to lead when it comes to battery warranties, too. As well as a huge 10-year warranty on the car itself (albeit one that is main dealer service activated), Suzuki provides a 10-year battery warranty – two years longer than the industry standard.
What are the specs?
There are 49kWh and 61kWh battery options and, by default, your eVitara will be front-wheel drive with a single 142bhp electric motor. A twin-motor setup – nicknamed Allgrip-e – adds a second electric motor that notches power up to 181bhp.
Suzuki is proud to offer an all-wheel drive version when many cars in this sector don’t. As well as the eVitara offering a smidge more ground clearance than many rivals, the Allgrip-e version features a limited-slip differential to manage power. CAR also understands that, while a Toyota Urban Cruiser can be had with all-wheel drive, that model won’t make it to the UK.
As for range, the WLTP claimed figures are as follows:
49kWh 2WD: 214 miles
61kWh 2WD: 267 miles
61kWh 4WD: 246 miles
Both battery packs feature 11kW AC charging and 150kW DC charging capabilities and, regardless of spec, your eVitara will come with a heat pump as standard.
Two trim variants are offered: Motion and Ultra. Motion models are strictly front-wheel drive but available with either battery size; Ultra versions always have the larger 61kWh pack, but you can choose from front- or all-wheel drive.
We’ve driven both front and all-wheel drive Ultra prototype models.
What’s it like to drive?
What’s instantly noticeable from the start is the steering. There’s some impressively satisfying weight regardless of drive mode, which is something many rivals don’t offer – many are too light or lacking in feel. Here, you grip a hexagon-like steering wheel and get into the eVitara’s rhythms fast.
It’s also a tidy handler. Zippy and sure-footed. Properly thrilling? No – this is a fairly sensible baby crossover, remember, but there are some very sweet dynamics at play here. That squat stance allows for a good amount of grip, with the Allgrip-e model naturally feeling particularly glued to the road. Body roll is also kept under tight control – no swaying heads when changing direction – and the ride is plump enough to feel balanced. Not too harsh it can’t tackle driving over a pebble without being crashy; not to soft where it wallows over the largest undulations.
Is it fast? Not really, but it’s perfectly fine. There doesn’t seem to be much difference between Normal and Sport modes from our time with it, but Eco will dull down the throttle. There’s also a button that switches on the regeneration when you lift off the throttle; in its heaviest setting, it significantly slows the car down but not to a full stop.
Noise-wise, the eVitara keeps tyre roar down to an acceptable level even at motorway speeds on rougher tarmac. We did drive it on quite a blustery day, mind, which meant wind noise was significant; more time in different weather might give us a more accurate baseline amount of motorway noise.
What’s the interior like?
Neat and tidy to drive. Neat and tidy interior. Thankfully there are a few physical buttons that remain for key bits and pieces like climate control and driving functions – and they’re set into an interior that is of decent quality. Yes, there is a big hulking slab of gloss black in the centre console but, overall, materials used elsewhere feel good. No tinny-ness witnessed in Some Suzukis of old to be found here.
The infotainment and digital screens use new software, with crisp enough graphics that provide good info. Right up until you want to use it, and then you realise it’s a very slow system by modern standards; a tap of the screen usually takes a full second for any action to happen and, while the menu layout isn’t too complicated, we’d like easier accessibility to the driving assistance menu.
Rear space and boot space can be traded off between one another, as the eVitara features 40:20:40 split fold and sliding rear seats that can boost legroom or expand the luggage area for your needs. With the rear seat slid to its furthest back point, my 6’2” self can sit behind me with good legroom. Headroom is tighter, although there is a divot in the ceiling that’s designed to make taller folk more comfortable.
Even so, the flexible boot isn’t amazing space-wise. At its smallest, you’re looking at 244/238 litres (Motion/Ultra respectively, due to extra subwoofer in the Ultra model) or 310/306 liters at its biggest.
Before you buy
More than anything else, UK prices haven’t yet been confirmed ahead of orders opening in June 2025. However, we estimate a start price of around £33k, placing the eVitara right at the centre of the electric crossover pricing area.
That means the eVitara has a lot to keep up with. Class leaders for similar cash like the Kia EV3 offer comparable range and tech but are much more practical, for example. The eVitara certainly handles well enough to be worth a look, but some may lament its lack of comparable space.
Verdict: Suzuki eVitara prototype
A first for Suzuki, and one that’s cutting right to the chase. Our first taste of the new eVitara shows that Suzuki still knows how to make a resolutely normal car handle well and offer a bit of charm. Whether it will stack up when so many other cars of its size and expected price are so good remains to be seen.
Specs are for eVitara Ultra Allgrip-e