Suzuki’s first entry in Europe’s plug-in hybrid sector is its largest, most powerful and priciest model in the region so far.
The electrified version of the Across compact SUV is more than 4600 mm long, offers more than 306 hp and starts at 53,900 euros in France.
The rebadged version of Toyota RAV is also a crucial part of Suzuki’s strategy to reduce its CO2 emissions in Europe. Another key model for Suzuki in its push to slash its fleet CO2 is the full-hybrid Swace, which is a rebadged version the gasoline-electric Toyota Corolla.
In 2020, Suzuki sold 1,958 units of the Across, according to data from JATO Dynamic, while the volume was low for the Swace, which was introduced late last year. Those numbers were not enough to help Suzuki reach its 2020 CO2 target of 90.3 grams per kilometer under the NEDC test cycle, sources said.
The EU has not yet confirmed which automakers met or missed their required CO2 levels for 2020.
Suzuki’s CO2 target for this year is about 110 g/km, but that is under the more stringent WLTP test cycle. Hoping to reach that level, Suzuki aims to sell about 2,000 to 3,000 units of the Across plug-in hybrid and 6,000 to 7,000 full-hybrid Swaces.
Suzuki has been able to supplement its European lineup with rebadged Toyotas since the automakers agreed to a cross shareholding in 2019. Japan’s largest automaker owns 4.98 percent of Suzuki, while Suzuki has a 0.2 percent stake in Toyota.
Performance details
The Across's electrified powertrain, which is carried over from the new RAV4 plug-in hybrid, mates a 185-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with and two electric motors -- one on the front axle and one on the rear axle -- to offer combined output of 306 hp.
The Across, which offers almost 180 hp more than Suzuki second most powerful models in the lineup, the Swift small hatchback, the S-Cross and Vitara compact SUVs all offer 129 hp, can accelerate from 0-100 kph (62 mph) in 6 seconds and has a top speed of 180 kph.
The compact SUV’s standard electronic four-wheel-drive system, called E-Four, can split torque between the two axles in ratios ranging from 100-to-0, front-to-rear, to 20-to-80, front-to-rear, for off-road driving and rapid acceleration. Suzuki says the 4wd system provides “enhanced stability during take-off on slippery surfaces, such as snow-covered roads, and confident handling when cornering on varying road surfaces.”
Long-range solution
The Across can travel up to 98 km in electric-only mode in urban driving conditions, according to WLTP figures. It can also travel 75 km in the combined cycle using only its 18.1-kilowatt-hour battery pack, which is much more powerful than what many competitors offer in their plug-in hybrids. As a result, the Across’s maximum zero-emissions range is nearly double the 50 km that is mandatory in the EU to be classified as a low-emission vehicle.
By comparison, the recently upgraded Jeep Compass plug-in hybrid’s electric-only range is only 49 km from its 11.4-kWh battery. With a 13.2-kWh battery, the Peugeot 3008 plug-in hybrid can travel up to 59 km in full-electric mode.
The largest battery also helps keep the Across plug-in hybrid emit just 22 g/km of CO2, which tops the 29 to 41 g/km of CO2 from the 3008 and the 44 to 47 g/km of CO2 from the Compass. All figures are calculated using WLTP guidelines.
Suzuki will have to rely on Toyota variants to help it cut CO2 until at least 2024, which is when the automaker is expected to start European sales of its own battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models.
