Suzuki has announced the return of the Escudo in Japan, after a short break following the SUV’s discontinuation last year. While it looks identical to its predecessor, the updated Escudo (known as the Suzuki Vitara in Europe), benefits from an all-new hybrid powertrain helping it to march on for a little while before a redesigned successor arrives.
The current fourth-generation Suzuki Vitara (third-gen Escudo) has been around since 2014, although it has received important updates since. The subtle facelift in 2018 brought modern turbocharged engines, followed by the addition of 48V mild-hybrid tech in 2020, and finally the 140V full-hybrid tech in 2022. The latter is the only option in Japan, although in Europe it is being sold alongside the mild hybrid.
See Also: Suzuki Vitara Put To The Test To See What We’re Missing In The States
The new powertrain combines a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter DualJet four-cylinder engine producing a modest 99 hp (74 kW / 101 PS) and 132 Nm (97.4 lb-ft) of torque, with an electric motor rated at 33 hp (24.6 kW / 33.4 PS) and 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) of torque. European data suggests the combined output is 115 hp (85 kW / 116 PS) which is less than the 127 hp (95 kW / 129 PS) of the mild-hybrid 1.4-liter TurboJet. This is evident in the performance with a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in 12.7 seconds and a top speed of 179 km/h (111 mph) for the HEV, compared to the 9.7 seconds and 190 km/h (118 mph) for the MHEV.
Power is transmitted to all four wheels through a 6-speed ASG automatic gearbox with gearshift paddles, in combination with Suzuki’s AllGrip AWD system. The latter is offering Auto, Sport, Snow, and Lock modes, allowing great off-road capability for the segment while improving performance. In some European markets, the hybrid Vitara also comes in front-wheel-drive flavour with AWD being optional, like the rest of Suzuki’s range.
The 6 Ah battery is larger than in the mild-hybrid variants, thus it is mounted under the cargo space (it used to be under the front seats). Thanks to that, the Escudo / Vitara can be driven with electric power alone under certain scenarios like deceleration or reversing. Suzuki claims a combined WLTC fuel consumption of 5.1 lt/100 km (46 mpg).
The Suzuki Escudo is already on sale in Japan where the single available grade costs ¥2,970,000 ($23,153) with plenty of standard equipment both in terms of safety (ADAS) and comfort. In Europe, the Suzuki Vitara is offered since early 2022 with pricing starting from £25,499 ($32,464) in the UK, making it more expensive than the more powerful but also more thirsty mild-hybrid sibling.
Judging from the mechanically-related new generation S-Cross which is a heavily redesigned version of its predecessor, we expect the next Vitara / Escudo to follow a similar route before Suzuki moves on to the fully electric era. There are also rumors about another upcoming hybrid SUV with the Suzuki badge based on the Toyota Yaris Cross.
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