Suzuki is finally set to launch its first electric car in 2025 – but will the eVitara have too many rivals to be competitive?
One thing’s for sure, the new Suzuki eVitara brings funky styling to the party – and it’ll need to stand out against a growing number of rivals. You might consider the Skoda Elroq, Kia EV3, Honda e:NY1 and Mini Aceman before you get to the Suzuki.
The eVitara boasts a bold front end with a stacked, geometric design. Around the sides, there are large plastic body cladding areas and extroverted wheel arches, while the back gets a similarly chunky bumper design with slim tail-lights. The styling is based on Suzuki’s 2023 eVX concept.
Inside, the eVitara has a modern interior design with one long panel on top of the dashboard, containing a digital instrument cluster and an infotainment touchscreen. The blocky, highlighted air vents give the dashboard a rugged vibe. It looks like there will be a good mix of digital and physical controls.
We know that the eVitara will be sold with a choice of 49kWh and 61kWh batteries. Suzuki is targeting a range estimate of 250 miles for the smaller battery, so expect around 300 from the larger one.
Smaller-battery models come with a 142hp motor on the front axle, while big-battery cars get a 30hp power boost. Four-wheel drive is available with the larger battery, and choosing this version gets you a 181hp front motor and a 64hp motor on the rear axle, as well as 300Nm of torque – an increase of over 50% compared to front-driven eVitaras.
Suzuki hasn’t revealed performance stats just yet, calling the acceleration ‘nimble’. We expect the entry-level car will take about 11 seconds to get from 0-62mph, although with the characteristic instant power of an electric motor, it may feel quicker in real driving than the stats suggest.
The eVitara uses a new generation of Suzuki’s AllGrip four-wheel-drive system, with a motor mounted on each axle. It also features a Trail driving mode that shuffles torque to the wheels that need it most and stops wheels spinning for increased grip – a bit like an electronic limited-slip differential.
As standard, the eVitara sits on 18-inch alloy wheels – 19s are optional on big-battery cars – and has disc brakes all round.
The eVitara measures 4,275mm long – a few millimetres shy of the Suzuki S-Cross and Peugeot 2008, and a similar distance bigger than the Volkswagen Taigo. No practicality details have been revealed yet, although it looks like the rear legroom will be competitive rather than class-leading.
Underpinning the eVitara is a new ‘Heartect-e’ platform, which is only for fully electric vehicles. It enables short overhangs – good for both passenger space and off-roading ability – and a lightweight structure. While the eVitara’s 1,702kg kerb weight isn’t feather-light, it’s not bad for an electric car that needs hundreds of kilos of batteries.
Suzuki has partnered with Toyota since 2016 – the Swace hybrid and the Across plug-in hybrid are rebadged versions of the Corolla Touring Sports and RAV4 PHEV respectively – and there’ll be a Toyota version of the eVitara, too. Front-end styling differences aside, the eVitara and the upcoming Toyota bZ2X will share the majority of parts.
The eVitara will be built in India from spring 2025, with first UK deliveries set to start in the summer.
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