Suzuki’s electric Duster is ready!

In Europe, Suzuki will not be able to cut back on the transition to electric, particularly in the most buoyant market segment, that of urban SUVs. The mission will be entrusted to the Suzuki e Vitara from the summer of 2025. Here is his portrait.

Promised by the eVX concept car presented in January 2023, Suzuki’s electric offensive in Europe will take shape in the summer of 2025. In its production version, the urban SUV will finally be called e Vitara. This 4.27 m long model will be produced in India, at the Suzuki Motor Gujarat factory, from next spring. The Suzuki e Vitara will enter the competition on the French market against local big names such as the Peugeot e-2008 and Citroën ë-C3 Aircross. To a lesser extent, it will also challenge the Renault 4 E-Tech, shorter but not necessarily less expensive with equivalent performance.

Many competitors including a twin

By expanding the scope, the Suzuki e Vitara will not lack competitors such as the Ford Puma, also soon to be converted to electric, the Jeep Avenger, the Fiat 600e, the Smart #1 or the future Volkswagen ID.2X and Skoda Epiq. While on the side of Asian manufacturers, the BYD Atto 2, Kia EV3, Honda e:NYy and Hyundai Kona will also be on its way. Finally, the Suzuki e Vitara will especially have to be wary of its technical cousin, the Toyota “bZ2x” – name which should not be that of the production model, the brand having decided to review its strategy on this subject – unveiled in the form of the Urban crossover concept car at the end of 2023. An essential partnership between the two Japanese firms in order to make costs profitable of development.

Toyota/Suzuki: start for the new small electric SUV

A nod to Dacia?

The design of the production Suzuki e Vitara is logically in line with that of the eVX living room prototype. Its design contrasts with that of the thermal Vitara, which has just received a second restyling to extend its career for a few more years. The new kid plays the dynamism card more than his brother, with his appearance that leans towards the SUV coupe. It also carefully conceals its rear door handles in the quarter pillars. It thus gives a nod to the Dacia Duster, even if the latter will not be intended to be electrified before the arrival of a fourth version. For the Romanian brand, competition will first come from the future Stepway, expected in 2028.

Two battery sizes and the choice between 4×2 or 4×4

The Suzuki e Vitara range will include two front-wheel drive versions. The cheapest of them will receive a battery with a capacity of 49 kWh associated with a 106 kW electromotor (or 144 hp). It will be topped by a variant equipped with a 61 kWh accumulator, in this case with a 128 kW (174 hp) electric motor. Enough to cast a wide net and cover the heart of the market, whose power levels oscillate between 113 and 156 hp for the French competitors mentioned above. A house specialty, a four-wheel drive variant will be added. Even little Swift is entitled to it! The Allgrip-e all-wheel drive system will, however, use two electric machines here. In this case, the “big” 128 kW (174 hp) engine will be installed on the front axle and a 48 kW (65 hp) unit will take place on the rear axle. The total power will reach 135 kW (183 hp) for this Suzuki e Vitara 4×4. Revealed in Milan, this urban SUV aims for a range of around 400 km in its 61 kWh two-wheel drive version. This is significantly less than the 500 km range claimed by the eVX concept, but sufficient to stand up to its competitors. We will obviously verify these figures as soon as possible based on our measurement base.