Suzuki SUVs show frugal side
A selection of Suzuki’s compact SUV models have outshone claimed factory results for low emissions and fuel economy during independent testing on New Zealand roads.
Three hatchback models – the Vitara, S-Cross and Ignis – faced “real world” driving tests in the North Island. Suzuki says each car bettered official combined fuel cycles, proving careful driving can improve on factory performances.
The cars were picked at random and with no special preparation taken on a journey between Auckland and Wellington. With two occupants and luggage, the trips were dogged by high winds, heavy rain and snow on the Desert Road in the central North Island.
Driving was shared between the father and son combination of Donn and Jamie Anderson, who have reputations for returning record-breaking fuel economy results in New Zealand and Britain. The pair put a 1.4-litre S-Cross Prestige and 1.6-litre Vitara JLX, each with six-stage automatic gearboxes, through their paces, along with an Ignis that had a continuously variable transmission.
The S-Cross averaged 4.8l/100km on its journey, a 23 per cent improvement over the factory figure of 5.9l/100km, and Suzuki says the Andersons remarked on the car’s low mechanical noise at open road speeds.
The Vitara produced figures of 5.0l/100km, which was 24 per cent better than the 6.2l/100km achieved in factory conditions, while the Ignis was the most thrifty with 4.34l/100km, a 12.8 per cent improvement on its factory cycle of 4.9l/100km.
Results from the New Zealand tests back findings of the UK website Honest John, which says its readers and owners rate Suzuki as one of the most accurate in manufacturer claimed fuel economy results.
