Suzuki Across PHEV review

Forty-eight miles per gallon. Let’s get that up top. Our best combined fuel economy in the Across was 48mpg. It could have done much more, by running consistently in EV mode, but the system is too optimistic if anything, aiming to cruise on the motorway on battery power alone when that charge is best saved for urban running. 

So, while some trips into town saw economy to 60, sometimes 70mpg, realistically this is a 45-50mpg machine, on average. And that’s very good. Certainly, you’d struggle to get a better average out of a turbodiesel VW Tiguan or Ford Kuga in the same duties.

Now for the question of tax. The Across sits in a six per cent band, potentially saving the company car driver thousands of pounds a year versus, well, a non-plug-in-able Toyota RAV4. Expect Toyota to be keeping a beady eye on Suzuki’s sales, though Suzuki itself admits supply of the Across will be rather limited at first. 

There’s only one choice of trim, and it’s fully loaded. As standard your Across is filled with dual-zone climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the 9.0-inch touchscreen, LED headlights, heated leather seats front and rear, a heated steering wheel, the annoying auto tailgate with mains voltage socket in the boot, plus there’s a fleet of driver assistance aids and anti-crash whatnot. You even get metallic paint thrown in for free.