SUV Reviews

Suzuki’s first electric vehicle (EV) is more than it seems.Badged e Vitara, it will be aimed directly at the BYD Atto 2 and Kia EV3 small SUV set when sales commence mid this year.And, despite the familiar name, this is like no other Suzuki that’s come before, as our preview test drive demonstrates.But let’s get one thing straight first.The existing, fourth-generation Vitara, released way back in 2015, continues with a facelift, upgraded mild-hybrid turbo-petrol engine and updated multimedia. That starts from a hefty $40K drive-away, raising the question: how much will the e Vitara cost?Suzuki’s not saying just yet, but we’re thinking from mid-to-high 30s for the e Vitara Motion 2WD, placing it in between the BYD Atto 2 and evergreen Atto 3.That base grade comes with a slightly smaller battery than most rivals. It's a 49kWh LFP item courtesy of BYD and capable of 344km WLTP range, yet is well specified, with a heat pump for greater thermal efficiency, climate control, 10.1-inch touchscreen, 360-degree camera, fabric seats, ambient lighting, a slide/recline rear bench and 18-inch alloys as standard.There’s also a decent level of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), including auto emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keep tech.Then there’s the e Vitara Ultra that’s expected to start from under $50K, adding AWD, a 61kWh battery for 395km of WLTP range, as well as adaptive LED headlights, a glass roof with sun shade, wireless charger, Infinity audio upgrade, heated front seats and artificial leather upholstery.Helping keep this electric Suzuki cost competitive is down to economics – the petrol Vitara comes expensively from Hungary while the e Vitara arrives from India, where it is built, in big volume, alongside its Toyota Urban Cruiser clone.Yep, there’s a Toyota version. There’s also a lot of Toyota underneath Suzuki’s freshman EV.Dubbed 'Heartect e', this box-fresh skateboard architecture was co-developed with Toyota, and features a Suzuki SUV-first multi-link suspension.Larger than the old one, the e Vitara measures in at 4275mm long, 1800mm wide and 1635mm high, while its 2700mm wheelbase represents a sizeable 300mm stretch. For an EV, a kerb weight between 1700kg and 1860kg is commendable.Yet the chunky design reflects Suzuki’s heritage with its exaggerated cladding extending up and over the wheel arches, broad stance and handy 180mm ground clearance.That sizeable wheelbase benefits interior packaging too.Two things stand out the second one steps (easily and effortlessly) into an e Vitara.Firstly, the cabin is longer and broader than the diminutive exterior proportions suggest, with decent space front and rear, including for headroom. Nice.And, secondly, this is a junior Toyota bZ4X/Subaru Solterra in its dashboard shape, style and character.We’re talking about the long, rectangular screen, the graphics within the 10.25-inch electronic driver display, the central touchscreen layout, the row of (thankfully) physical buttons and volume knob below for the climate control, as well as the entire ‘two storey’ centre console set-up, down to the gear selector, armrest and lower-level storage.Even the squarish steering wheel and related switchgear seem Toyota.These, along with the comfy seats, excellent driving position, strong ventilation, general practicality and high-quality presentation, really elevate the brand’s interior presentation. The e Vitara feels solid and expensive inside.The same applies with the rear seat, that also benefits from a slide and recline function for the split-fold bench. USB ports, ventilation and cupholders speak to family-friendly functionality.Except… out back. The floor is high and the aperture smallish. With the rear bench slid all the way back, VDA capacity is just 238 litres, rising to 306L pushed forward. With backrests down, that rises to 562L. And there’s no spare wheel, just an infernal tyre-repair kit. Not happy, Suzi.At the other end, the e Vitara offers a choice of two powertrains – a single, AC synchronous electric motor driving the front wheels, as well as second electric motor on the rear axle for AWD.The 2WD models make 106kW of power and 193kW of torque, compared to the AWD’s combined 135kW and 307Nm, as a result of the rear e-Axle, made up of an electric motor, inverter and reduction gears working simultaneously, contributing 48kW and 114Nm.Are these outputs enough for a 1.8-tonne electric SUV?A brief spin on mostly suburban and rural back roads around outer Sydney in the base FWD model revealed a quiet, smooth and competent EV.Designed to be as benign as possible, a squeeze of the throttle resulted in brisk acceleration, with plenty of power in reserve once speed quickly increased.Suzuki says the AWD can scoot to 100km/h from standstill in a lively 7.4 seconds, some 2.2s faster than the 2WD, yet the latter certainly seems rapid enough.Like the related Toyota bZ4X, a push of a button provides some single-pedal slowing-down braking ability.As with the regular Vitara, the electric version brings light yet responsive steering, so it’s quite enjoyable to dart around busy traffic.And even on bad roads, the suspension seemed to do a good job isolating us from bumps and noise intrusion. You’d never call the chassis sporty, but there’s an underlying solidness keeping things under control.In fact, and not surprisingly, the e Vitara seemed very Toyota-like in its dynamic abilities during our brief drive.Toyota, with Subaru’s support, also helped develop the electric Suzuki’s AWD system, which includes variable torque distribution between the axles according to traction needs, as well as a limited-slip diff in Trail Mode for extra-slippery conditions.A very short stint around a controlled 4WD course provided evidence of some decent off-road prowess.A promising start, then, but what will the electric Suzuki really be like on Australia’s roads? You’ll need to check back in with us when our full testing commences mid-year.That’s when we’ll also find out if the e Vitara’s efficiency claims come anywhere near the stated combined average WLTP figures of 14.9kWh/100km for the 2WD and 16.6kWh/100km for the AWD.It’s also worth noting that, while there is room for improvement with a 2025 European NCAP rating of four stars, the e Vitara is better than Suzuki’s recent form with the three-star Swift supermini.We’re also hoping the newcomer improves on the brand’s existing, mediocre five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is below many rivals’ seven-year schemes nowadays. More info, including service intervals and pricing, will be revealed closer to the e Vitara’s mid-year launch.

The enduring family workhorse of the small SUV segment, the ageing Suzuki Vitara finally goes hybrid for its second facelift, adopting a mild-hybrid 48V ISG (Integrated Starter-Generator) set-up similar to the one proven on the smaller Swift supermini, to bring consumption down whilst keeping prices reasonable. But, has the Japanese engineered and European-built small SUV changed enough?

The Lexus RX has always been a favourite for families looking for something a little fancier than a Toyota Kluger. But what is the Lexus RX from 2015 to 2022 like as a used car? Read on to find out...

The third-generation Mitsubishi Outlander mid-size SUV was popular in Australia for good reason, with it offering buyers the choice of five or seven seats, and plug-in hybrid, petrol or diesel powertrains. As a result, it can also make for a good used car.

Australians love the Cupra Formentor. Last year, we snapped up almost 1500 of the Spanish brand's mid-size SUV. But despite our deep affection, until now, the flagship high-performance VZ5 version of the Formentor has been cruelly denied to anyone pining for a faster version.That changes from this December when the fire-breathing Formentor VZ5 finally arrives in right-hand drive for the first time – but you'd better be quick because almost as soon as production begins, ever-tightening EU7 emissions regs will see its exotic Audi RS3-sourced 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine killed off forever.There's no word just how many we'll get Down Under, but when sales start at the end of the year expect a healthy five-figure premium over the $65,790 charged for the current flagship VZx, that only makes do with a punier 2.0-litre turbo.In the flesh, designers didn't exactly get carried away with the upgrades over the regular Formentor and we think only real performance car geeks will spot the different 20-inch alloy wheels, extended front splitter, tweaked rear bumper and diffuser plus some purposeful wider arches.For everyone else, the dead giveaways will be the diagonally stacked copper-coloured tips and tell-tale 'VZ5' badging.Inside, just a pair of standard figure-hugging 'Cup' bucket seats are the only evidence you're sitting in a VZ5 – a statement of intent, perhaps, of the higher g-forces occupants will endure.The star of the show, of course, lurks beneath the bonnet – the same exotic 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo that offers an offbeat growling soundtrack and delivers devastating performance in the Audi RS3.Except the Formentor VZ5 turbo five-cylinder doesn't quite produce the same 294kW and 500Nm as the hyper hatch. Instead, it has been detuned to 287kW and a lesser 480Nm of torque but still gets the same seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and standard all-wheel drive.Like the RS3 it borrows its heart from, the family-friendly SUV bags the Audi RS3's wild torque splitting rear differential that boosts on-road agility and provides for a proper drift mode on track. On a fast flowing race circuit you'll also be grateful engineers have fitted bigger Akebona six-piston performance brakes.Off the line, with plenty of traction available the Formentor VZ5 rips from 0-100km/h in just 4.2 seconds – a cool 0.7 seconds quicker than the 228kW VZx making it one of the fastest combustion-powered SUVs out there.It sounds good, too, like a rally refugee from the late eighties, although noise regulations mean there's not quite enough noise piped into the cabin.Inside, providing extra support on track Cupra have made the Cup bucket seats that were optional on the VZx standard – and that's it.On road, first impressions are mixed. We think many will love the exotic sound of the 2.5-litre five-cylinder but wish the soundtrack were a little louder.The RS3 engine is also hamstrung by the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission's lack of smoothness around town but peel off onto a country road and all is forgiven, thanks to its sharp up- and downshifts.Push a little harder than you would on Australian roads and the powerful brakes are easily up for the challenge, but it's difficult to detect the rear torque-splitting differential in action, compared to how effective it is in the smaller, lighter Audi hot hatch.One final gripe about the way the flagship Formentor drives, is that the lighter VZx has better steering feel and isn't that much slower cross-country than the VZ5, but we think most diehard performance fans will shrug off its 10.1L/100km average and be seduced by the quicker, more powerful car with its racier soundtrack.

The third-generation Toyota Kluger was an extremely popular large SUV during its time in showrooms thanks to its space and safety. And these days, it's a great used-car buy.

For 25 years and four generations, the Nissan X-Trail has been an okay mid-sized SUV choice. But the e-Power extended-range electric vehicle hybrid has been a standout since arriving in 2023. Fast, refined, sophisticated and fun, it redefined class standards, though buyers were slow to realise. Now, a minor facelift brings improvements, but are they enough for the Nissan to finally break through?

The new Jaecoo J7 PHEV offers efficiency and a sharp price point but does it nail everything else?

The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness Apex is just that – the flagship version of the seventh-generation series.

The 2026 Denza B8 7S is the entry-level version of the line-up and offers seven seats, as the name suggests.Priced at $91,000 before on-road costs, this notably just undercuts the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold. It’s also cheaper than the likes of the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, among other premium rivals like the Land Rover Defender, Lexus LX and Mercedes-Benz GLS.As a base there are 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, soft-close doors, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 18-speaker Devialet sound system, tri-zone climate control, leather upholstery, plus heated and ventilated seats in the first and second row.Total system outputs are a meaty 425kW and 760Nm. They need to be as the B8 has a kerb weight of 3.3 tonnes. Despite this, Denza claims it can still do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.8 seconds.Feeding the dual electric motors is a 36.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) Blade battery. Denza claims it allows for an electric range of 115km, according to NEDC testing.Additionally, there’s a 91L fuel tank. Denza claims this allows the B8 to have a total range of 1040km, according to NEDC testing.The Denza B8 received a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted on the related B5 in 2025.There are 14 airbags which notably includes coverage for the third row, plus autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera.The Denza B8 is covered by a six-year, 150,000km warranty, whereas the battery pack is covered by an eight-year, 160,000km warranty. There’s also three years of roadside assistance.The first five years of servicing totals $3762, which averages out to just over $750 per service.