• Plug-in hybrid with long electric range
• Low running costs if you charge regularly
• Expensive to buy and lease

What are the running costs?

The one model of Suzuki Across offers impressive WLTP economy and emissions figures despite its size and performance.

Officially, it can achieve 46 miles on electric power with a fully-charged battery, ensuring low CO2 emissions of 22g/km and high fuel economy of 282mpg.

You are unlikely to see that fuel economy figure in real-world conditions, though. But if you plug in regularly at home you’ll be able to undertake typical school run, shopping and commuting trips on battery power alone.

We’ve regularly driven long motorway journeys with no battery charge and have easily achieved 50mpg. Longer cross-country drives sans battery will result in around 40-45mpg.

If the battery is fully drained, recharging takes around 7.5 hours on a three-pin plug, dropping to 2.5 hours when connected to a home wallbox charger. Both cables are included with the car, stored beneath the boot floor rather than sliding around loose. Most 20-mile drives can be recharged in a few hours from a domestic plug.

Servicing and warranty

Suzuki is known for its top quality dealer network and regularly wins awards for it. Service intervals are every 12 months or 12,500 miles and Suzuki also offers service plans for fixed prices, which can include parts and labour.

Suzuki also revised its warranty package in April 2023 – and that has made the Across a more attractive purchase. Now, you get seven years/100,000 miles of cover, which is a huge increase over the brand’s previous three-year/60,000-mile offer. To unlock the deal, though, you must have your car serviced at a registered Suzuki dealership.

It’s worth noting that the almost identical Toyota RAV4 comes with an industry-leading 10-year warranty offer.

Reliability

• Based on a car with a superb reputation
• Proven technology
• Zero recalls

Suzuki’s reputation for reliability is generally good, although some cheaper and older cars could show their age quickly. However, the Across is a Toyota in all but name – and Toyota’s brand values are built around dependability and quality. So, this should prove to be a very reliable car.

The DVLA has issued no recalls for the Across. However the RAV4 has been subject to three, relating to lower suspension components, brake booster pump and the emergency calling system.