Suzuki e Vitara review

October 29, 2025 Matt Allan

The Suzuki e Vitara is looking to challenge some serious players in the compact SUV segment, facing off against everything from the Renault 4 to the Skoda Elroq

Suzuki has been slow to the world of EVs. A huge part of its business is done in countries such as India and Japan, where electrification is less of a big deal. But to survive in Europe it needs an all-electric offering and over the next four years we’ll see four pure EVs come to market.

The e Vitara is the first among those and is another tie-up with Japanese neighbour Toyota. Unlike previous hybrids, however, this car was developed entirely by Suzuki and bears one of its most famous names.

But will using the Vitara name help in a market that’s crammed with capable alternatives, from the Renault 4 and BYD Atto 2 to the Volvo EX30 and Kia EV3?

Design, interior and technology

Starting from a blank sheet of paper, Suzuki’s designers have come up with a new look that still reflects the rugged, functional style associated with the Vitara name.

The overall theme is very much boxy and rugged, with a bluff front end, chunky squared-off edges and plenty of matte-black cladding. It’s not particularly adventurous but is oddly colour sensitive. The dark Celestial Blue and Bluish Black (yep, really) don’t do it any favours but brighter shades give it a bit more definition and character. Nonetheless, it does have a slightly generic crossover look.

Inside, the e Vitara feels noticeably more robust than previous Suzukis. Whether it’s Toyota’s influence or signs of Suzuki getting its act together, the e Vitara’s cabin materials are rock solid and feel built to last, even if they don’t look particularly inspiring. Apart from some texture on the dashboard fascia, the e Vitara’s interior is from the school of functional but dull design. An optional tan leather upholstery helps brighten things a little but the standard black-on-black-on-black finish and basic layout is a bit dreary.

It is at least relatively spacious for the class. There’s good leg- and headroom in the back for a couple of average-sized adults and plenty of space up front for all shapes and sizes. Passenger space comes at the expense of luggage, however. The e Vitara’s boot is a stingy 244 litres, expandable to 310 litres if you slide the rear bench forward.

Like almost all new cars, the e Vitara gets digital instruments – a simple 10.25-inch display – and an Android and Apple-compatible 10.1-inch touchscreen to control most functions. Thankfully, there are physical controls for the single-zone air conditioning.

That’s just as well because the e Vitara’s infotainment system is painfully slow and badly set up. Every screen press is met with an interminable delay – a problem made worse by layers of menus and animated cut-scenes that slow down simple processes. A “quick” experiment revealed that it takes eight screen presses and 24 loooong seconds to deactivate two common ADAS functions. In the Renault 4, it requires two quick taps on a single physical button, total time, less than one second.

When space, range and power are similar to rivals, it’s this sort of flaw that counts against the Suzuki.

Battery, motor and performance

Which brings us neatly on to the e Vitara’s power and range.

Suzuki is bringing three variants to the UK. Entry-level cars use a 49kWh battery mated to a 142bhp motor powering the front wheels. Alongside that, there’s a 61kWh battery version with a punchier 172bhp motor. At the top of the range, a 180bhp two-motor version brings all-wheel drive but uses the same 61kWh battery.

The big-battery front-wheel-drive version is expected to be the range’s biggest seller. This offers a competitive 264 miles of range and efficiency of 4.1m/kWh. The smaller battery offers a more limited 213 miles of range but similar efficiency.

Both charge at a sluggish 70kW and, thanks to different charging curves, both take 45 minutes for a 10-80% charge. Suzuki says that these could be improved by software updates in future, but rivals already offer far quicker top-ups.

While 172bhp doesn’t sound a lot in today’s automotive landscape it’s pretty similar to most of the e Vitara’s rivals and performance is perfectly adequate. Zero to 62mph takes 8.4 seconds and there’s an un-EV-like pause if you mash the throttle, but treat it sensibly and the Suzuki gets its power down smoothly and keeps up with traffic without difficulty.

Less smooth is the ride. Even slightly damaged road surfaces expose an over-sprung, under-damped setup that leaves those on board feeling like they’re being tossed around. That lack of refinement is amplified by quite obvious wind and tyre noise at higher speeds.

One almost unique selling point is that the e Vitara offers all-wheel drive. Suzuki has been building 4x4s for 55 years and wants its first EV to offer some of the off-road ability for which it is famous. So along with the front-driven versions, there’s the aforementioned two-motor model with Allgrip-e.

The e Vitara is no Jimny but did prove capable on the moderate off-road test Suzuki laid on. Thanks to the torque-vectoring Trail mode, raised ride height and additional torque of the two motors providing drive to both axles, it can go places most rivals wouldn’t dare.

In reality, I can’t see many e Vitara owners heading far off road but the added traction of the AWD system may give added reassurance, especially in rural areas and during the wet, slippery winter months.

Price and specification

There are just two grades of Suzuki e Vitara – Motion or Ultra.

The 49kWh powertrain is only available in Motion grade, with a list price of £29,999. Both bigger battery variants come in Motion or Ultra. The 61kWh 2WD Motion starts at £32,999 while the AWD is £34,999. The step up to Ultra grade is £2,800.

Those prices are all before the “Suzuki Granted” savings. While the Indian-built e Vitara doesn’t qualify for the Government Electric Car Grant, Suzuki is offering its own £3,750 discount.

That means, the e Vitara starts at £26,249 and tops out at £34,049, undercutting rivals such as the BYD Atto 2 and Fiat 600e and placing it squarely against the likes of the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E.

Even the Motion spec is fairly generous with 18-inch alloys, heated seats and steering wheel, keyless go, a reversing camera and adaptive cruise. Ultra offers part faux-leather upholstery, an Infinity by Harmon sound system, 360-degree camera and 19-inch alloys among its upgrades.

Verdict

The ride and outdated touchscreen aside, there’s nothing wrong with the Suzuki e Vitara but nor is there anything exceptional.

Suzuki makes a lot of the fact 70% of Suzuki owners stick with the brand for their next car.

In that context, a loyal Suzuki buyer keen to make the EV switch will probably be quite happy with the e Vitara.

The all-wheel-drive option might also turn a few buyers’ heads. Otherwise, from range and power to space and technology, it’s a middling option in a segment packed with impressive rivals.