Singapore is an urban jungle with suburban outskirts, and just across the Strait of Johor is rural jungle. So, equipping an urbanised crossover with agrarian four-wheel-drive, like what Suzuki did with its S-Cross, has its merits, especially if the user is an outdoorsy type who always wears Timberlands and reads National Geographic.
However, the person in question also needs to read the specifications sheet of the S-Cross AllGrip and compare it against the specs sheet of the less grippy, standard S-Cross. He would then realise that grippier also means pricier.
This 4WD model costs $7000 more than its 2WD sibling – $2000 from the base cost, with another $5000 from the lower CEVS (Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme) rebate given to the car. It produces more CO2 because of the added drag and weight (65kg, or one adult “on board” who refuses to leave) that the 4WD system entails. The fuel efficiency also suffers.
There’s a performance penalty, too, with the four-wheel-drive S-Cross taking 1.1 seconds longer than its front-drive sibling to go from a standstill to 100km/h. If the S-Cross crosses paths with Suzuki’s slow Solio, the comical “bento box” powered by four Hamamatsu hamsters will be able to keep up.
But if the roads turn slippery due to rain, or global warming brings the occasional snowstorm to tropical Singapore, the S-Cross AllGrip can come to grips with the situation and continue S-Crossing the tarmac. Throw mud, sand and/or debris into the equation, and the advantage of Suzuki’s AllGrip is driven home. Actually encountering muddy, sandy and/or debris-strewn roads in Singapore often enough to be a problem is another story, though.
The rest of the S-Cross AllGrip package is unremarkable, but gets the everyday-crossover job done. The driving position is slightly higher than in a typical Japanese hatchback, thereby improving outward visibility, and the backseat is roomy enough for two average-sized adults. But the driver’s seat might be too narrow and flat for some people, and the ride (on 205/50 R17 tyres) might feel a bit agricultural for folks with sensitive backsides. The two-zone auto air-conditioning is effective and the infotainment system is, well, informative and entertaining, but the radio reception (on the test car) seems poor.
The four-wheel-drive Suzuki S-Cross AllGrip is a decent “cross” trainer for the outdoorsy motorist, but there’s a price to be paid for All that Grip.
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE 1586cc, 16-valves, inline-4
MAX POWER 118bhp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 151Nm at 4400rpm
GEARBOX CVT with 6-speed override
0-100KM/H 13.5 seconds
TOP SPEED 165km/h
CONSUMPTION 16.1km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 146g/km
PRICE INCL. COE
$126,900 (after $5k CEVS rebate)
