New Suzuki e Vitara revealed as Japanese brand’s first EV

Suzuki is one of the last mainstream brands yet to launch its first electric car but the Japanese firm will finally get in on the action with the all-new Suzuki e Vitara: a pure-electric small SUV that’s arriving next year to duke it out with the Kia EV3, Skoda Elroq and many others.

This is not a pure-electric version of the existing, hybrid-powered Suzuki Vitara. At 4,275mm long and with a wheelbase of 2,700mm, the e Vitara is 100mm longer than its sibling and there’s an extra 200mm between the wheels, which will help provide more interior space.

The new EV is wider and taller as well, but unsurprisingly, it’s also much heavier. The lightest version weighs in at 1,702kg, while the top-spec, dual-motor car tips the scale at close to 1,900kg. The combustion-powered Vitara on the other hand is between 1,075kg and 1,325kg, depending on the model. 

The design of the e Vitara is based on the Suzuki eVX concept that was revealed in January 2023, with both cars featuring angular wheelarches, a gently sloping roofline and extensive use of plastic cladding for an SUV-esque look. 

The e Vitara does appear to have slightly more complex body surfacing than the concept though, with lots of creases, and no faux-skid plate sections on the bumpers, just all black plastic. The original concept’s flush door handles didn’t make it either, with the road-going model using conventional door handles instead up front, and the rear’s are concealed in the C-pillar. The charging port is found above the front-left wheelarch.

The concept’s interior design has been toned significantly for the e Vitara, but there are a few similarities in the layout and it certainly looks more modern than the cabin of the existing Vitara. Behind the two-spoke steering wheel is a fully digital driver’s display, housed in the same panel as the central infotainment screen, mounted high up on the dashboard. 

Other features include a small row of physical climate controls located on the dash, and a floating centre console with the rotary gear selector from the Toyota bZ4X, a wireless charging pad and cup holders on top, and a large storage area underneath, plus charging ports. 

Some technical details haven’t been announced at the time of writing, including boot capacity, performance stats and charging speeds. However Suzuki has said the e Vitara sits on a newly developed, EV-dedicated platform called ‘Heartect-e’, and will be available with three battery/motor combinations. 

The entry-level e Vitara will have a 49kWh battery and a front-mounted electric motor producing 142bhp and 189Nm of torque. This particular version will offer up to 249 miles of range, however this is the only range figure confirmed so far.

Suzuki claims its new AllGrip-e system provides “powerful performance”, plus it adds a Trail mode for rough terrain and slippery conditions. It can apply the car’s brakes on spinning wheels while also sending torque to the opposite wheel to improve traction, which should have a similar effect to a limited-slip differential. 

The Suzuki e Vitara will be built in India starting in spring 2025, and sales will get underway in Europe by summer. At the time of writing, no pricing has been announced, but a starting price of around £30,000 seems likely considering the Kia EV3 starts from just under £33,000 and the Skoda Elroq is priced at £31,500.

Suzuki’s first EV is also Toyota’s next EV

Suzuki is also going to share the e Vitara with Toyota, which will launch a rebadged, potentially slightly different-looking version that will be the second model in the brand’s bZ-branded line-up of EVs. 

This makes sense as Toyota and Suzuki have been working together since 2016, and in the UK, the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports and RAV4 PHEV are sold as the Suzuki Swace and Across respectively. 

Toyota already gave us a glimpse of its electric Yaris Cross alternative when it unveiled the ‘Small Urban SUV’ last year, which looked very similar to Suzuki’s eVX concept mentioned earlier. However it’s unclear when Toyota’s take on the e Vitara will be revealed.