A more affordable turbo small SUV? 2024 Suzuki S-Cross range expands with new cheaper variants to challenge Mitsubishi ASX and MG ZS

After hinting that the Suzuki S-Cross range would expand to include more affordable front-wheel-drive variants as far back as September 2022, Suzuki has finally added more affordable grades for the 2024 model year.

Announced back in July, but finally arriving in Australia this month, the new variants bring the entry price for the S-Cross range down to $38,990 before on-roads (or $39,990 drive-away). The new base grade, simply called the S-Cross, drops the brand’s AllGrip AWD system in favour of front-wheel drive, but maintains its peppy 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

The new base FWD and Plus FWD mirrors the spec of the AllGrip models, with identical standard equipment (the Plus matches the AllGrip Prestige).

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Essentially, the base cars lose the larger 9.0-inch touchscreen and sat-nav in favour of a smaller 7.0-inch system, they also lose one audio speaker, the 360-degree parking suite, wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, and synthetic leather seat trim.

Standard equipment continues to otherwise include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED projector headlights, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry with push-start ignition, front and rear parking sensors, as well as the full suite of active safety items like auto emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. Unique to the AllGrip Prestige is a panoramic sunroof and additional cabin lighting.

No matter which S-Cross you pick, it will be powered by the same 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol unit (103kW/220Nm) mated to a six-speed torque converter automatic. Fuel consumption is rated at 6.2L/100km for the AWD variants, or 5.9L/100km for the new FWD variants.

The base S-Crosses lose the larger 9.0-inch touchscreen and sat-nav in favour of a smaller 7.0-inch system.

The new variants do little to address the large price-hike the small SUV experienced in its latest facelift, with the pre-facelift version starting from $29,740 back in 2021, making the new lower FWD starting point still nearly $10,000 more expensive than its predecessor. This is no doubt partially to do with Suzuki sourcing the S-Cross from Europe.

Suzuki sales have been impacted by supply issues and price rises, and are down some 21.8 per cent to the end of September this year, due largely to the stop-sales on Jimny and the discontinuation of the bargain-basement Baleno hatch.

Meanwhile, its once-popular Vitara is down 44.4 per cent for the year (from 2196 units to 1221), with the S-Cross nearly doubling, but still moving only 434 units for the year.

Suzuki has added more affordable grades of the S-Cross for the 2024 model year.

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The new variants bring the entry price for the S-Cross range down to $38,990 before on-roads (or $39,990 drive-away).

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The brand will continue to rely on its strong-performing Swift hatch (up 60.7 per cent for the year) while it waits for the five-door Jimny to arrive in the first quarter of 2024, and the Baleno-replacing Fronx crossover which should again help the brand to provide a lower entry-point to its range.

At the Japan Mobility Show, Suzuki showed off the next iteration of the Swift which is expected to be at least mild hybrid across the range, as well as its eVX electric small SUV concept which could eventually spawn a competitor to the likes of the MG ZS EV.

2024 Suzuki S-Cross pricing