Motoring

Vitara an AWD game-changer in electric SUVs

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Suzuki e-Vitara Ultra ALLGRIP

By Bill McCarthy

The Vitara has been a British motoring staple for years. But the leap from the 2020 mild-hybrid to the new all-electric e Vitara is about more than just swapping powertrains. It’s a clear illustration of a traditional manufacturer grappling with the shift away from combustion engines.

First Impressions

When Suzuki introduced the 48V hybrid in 2020, it was celebrating 50 years of four-wheel-drive heritage. Fast forward and the landscape has changed with the e Vitara, Suzuki’s first dedicated EV, entering the fray.
To this eye it has stunning road presence. Its distinct look stands apart from the same-old sameness of some electric vehicles.

Value and Practicality

Suzuki has always offered keen pricing and generous kit and with the e Vitara, buyers can choose between 49kWh and 61kWh battery packs in either Motion or Ultra trim. But the real headline-grabber is the new AllGrip-e system, which carves out a unique niche by offering genuine off-road capability that is almost unheard of in the small electric SUV segment. 

A dedicated “Trail” mode brakes slipping wheels and pushes torque to the wheels with grip, making it easy to drive out of challenging terrain.

Even the base Motion trim comes with a heat pump, adaptive cruise control, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Suzuki also backs this first EV with real confidence, offering a service-activated warranty that can extend to ten years or 100,000 miles.

Overall design

Suzuki has taken that classic, boxy shape and given it a really modern look. The front end looks sharp and aggressive thanks to those three-point LED lights, and the clean grille keeps it looking sophisticated.

I also like the detailing along the sides—the chunky matte-black cladding suggest durability and ruggedness, but those sharp body lines pull it right into the present day. It’s a design that feels tough, but contemporary.

The cabin represents a significant step forward, in my view, Suzuki’s best effort to date. Material quality is a mixed bag, blending high-quality soft-touch surfaces with some harder plastics. Technology revolves around a 10.25-inch driver display and a 10.1-inch touchscreen.

Crucially, Suzuki has retained robust physical controls for core functionswhich are a welcome ergonomic choice that aligns with new Euro NCAP protocols aimed at reducing driver distraction.
While the system’s graphics are clear, the interface can feel fiddly when in motion, with the navigation occasionally suffering from lag under the weight of the technology.


Design highlights include a floating centre console and customisable ambient lighting. Practicality is strong in the cabin, with sliding and reclining 60:40 split rear seats. However, boot capacity is compromised on all-wheel-drive variants, dropping to just 244 litres. This can be increased to 310 litres by pushing the seats forward and folding them completely delivers a maximum of 562 litres.

On the road

Behind the wheel, the e Vitara feels composed and stable. The high driving position provides excellent visibility. Acceleration is brisk, with a 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds that feels quicker than the figure suggests.
On country roads, it handles itself well, though there’s a hint of body lean through corners.

The steering is well-weighted and responsive, making it feel stable at higher speeds, yet highly manoeuvrable in town, and the suspension delivers a comfortable ride, while doing a decent job of absorbing potholes.

The real stumbling block, however, is range. The 61kWh front-wheel-drive version boasts a WLTP figure of 264 miles. My all-wheel-drive test car’s official WLTP figure drops to around 250 miles – a figure I failed to get anywhere near.

The display consistently showed an average of 2.8 miles per kWh, translating to a real-world range of approximately 170 miles. The cold, wet weather and at times, horrible traffic conditions didn’t help, but key competitors manage these conditions better. Charging is also relatively slow; a rapid charger takes around 40 minutes to reach 80 per cent.

Safety

The e Vitara comes with a high level of safety features as standard. This includes Dual Sensor Brake Support, Rear Crossing Traffic Alert, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Verdict

With its eye-catching styling, bulletproof reliability, and genuine off-road ability in a class dominated by two-wheel-drive models, the Suzuki e Vitara has a lot to offer – especially with its sensible warranty. The trade-off is that limited real-world range and slower charging speeds may leave you with range anxiety on longer trips.

Factfile

  • Suzuki e-Vitara Ultra ALLGRIP
  • Price: £37,799
  • Mechanical: 181bhp, 61kWh battery with twin electric motors driving all wheels via automatic transmission
  • Max Speed: 93mph
  • 0-62mph: 7.4 seconds
  • Combined MPG: 245 (WLTP)
  • Insurance Group: 28A
  • C02 emissions: 0g/km
  • Bik rating: 3%
  • Warranty: 3yrs/62,000 miles (up to 10 years if serviced yearly by a Suzuki dealer)

Motoring, Omoda

OMODA 7: A family SUV offering style and value

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OMODA 7 SHS

By Bill McCarthy

Carmakers love to make an impact with their model launches. In the case of the OMODA 7, the Chinese company launched an eye-catching if somewhat bewildering campaign titled ‘Everything is Essential’.

It featured three short films. One showing flowers fired from cannons to illustrate the built-in fragrance system, another dropping three tons of water on te car to demonstrate robustness, and a third using cats climbing over the vehicle to highlight its noise-reducing glass. Gimmicky, but it got the conversation moving.

This mid-size model starts from under £30,000 and is packed with standard kit. It will inhabit the segment that includes established SUVs like the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, and Ford Kuga.

The range starts with entry-level ‘Knight’ trim from £29,915 for the petrol model, which includes dual-zone air conditioning, a heated steering wheel, and a six-speaker SONY system.
The ‘Noble’ trim tested here is from £32,000 for the hybrid, which adds a 12-speaker SONY system, a powered tailgate, and a panoramic sunroof. Both trims offer excellent value for money.

Design, Interior and Technology

The OMODA 7 offers smart styling without being a showstopper. It has a prominent front grille and stylish LED lighting cluster, and a generally pleasing profile. A distinctive feature is the lightning bolt-style rear light cluster.

The interior feels upmarket for the price, and the cabin features comfortable eco-friendly faux leather upholstery and heated and ventilated front seats. A central touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster deliver a minimalist feel.
The 15.6-inch screen is effectively the brain of the car, controlling the infotainment system, connectivity, and numerous apps and digital controls, but it can be fiddly to use on the move and distracting.

This over-reliance could affect safety ratings, especially with new Euro NCAP rules introduced for 2026, which will reward cars that retain physical controls for essential functions like indicators, wipers, and hazard lights.

As a family SUV, the OMODA 7 offers a standard boot and folding rear seats. With all seats in place, the boot provides a competitive 440 litres of space that should suit most family needs. Folding the split rear seats expands this to 1,250 litres.

Powertrain and performance
There are two powertrain choices: a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid, the latter driven here, which uses an 18.3 kWh battery to offer up to 56 miles of electric driving.
For longer journeys, it works like a normal hybrid, with the petrol engine and electric motor working together for a total range of over 700 miles and claimed official figures of 403 mpg and CO2 emissions from 23 g/km.

We weren’t able to verify these figures during our brief drive through the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire countryside.

The incredibly high fuel economy figure is calculated from where the car starts with a full battery and runs only on electricity.

In a real-world long journey, the battery runs out after about 50 miles and the car becomes a normal hybrid. Once the battery is depleted, it functions as a self-charging hybrid, returning an estimated 40-50 mpg—respectable figures for a mid-size SUV.

The hybrid provides a smooth driving experience, with the electric motor boosting the petrol engine to deliver brisk acceleration.
On the road, it felt stable and an enjoyable drive on a series of country roads, town streets, and high-speed dual carriageways.

The ride is on the softer side, and it did feel more unsettled on lesser roads, where it struggled with potholes which have appeared after a month and a half of rain. However, the steering is well-weighted and responsive.

When needed, the battery can be fast-charged from 30 to 80% in about 20 minutes, while Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology allows you to power external devices (like camping equipment) from the car’s battery.

Safety
The car offers a strong safety package with seven airbags, advanced driver-assistance systems including emergency braking, lane keeping, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, and a 360° camera.
Every model comes with a 7-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Verdict
The OMODA 7 combines modern design with efficiency and practicality. With its competitive pricing, generous standard equipment, and choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid powertrains, it is a serious option for families seeking a well-equipped vehicle in the UK’s mid-size SUV market.

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