S&P 500, Nasdaq move higher after mixed earnings
In early trading on Thursday, the S&P 500 gained 10.62 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 6,369.85 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 66.26 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 21,086.27.
Alphabet rose 1.9 per cent after the Google parent raised its 2025 capital spending forecast by $US10 billion ($A15 billion) to $US85 billion ($A129 billion), shrugging off trade jitters, while electric vehicle maker Tesla tumbled 7.6 per cent as CEO Elon Musk warned of "a few rough quarters" due to cuts in EV incentives.
Losses in UnitedHealth, IBM and Honeywell weighed on the blue-chip Dow, which fell 0.6 per cent -though it remained close to its December 4 record high.
UnitedHealth lost 2.3 per cent. The insurer revealed it's cooperating with a Department of Justice probe into its Medicare practices, following reports of both criminal and civil investigations.
IBM sank 9.5 per cent as its second-quarter results fell flat with investors, hampered by disappointing sales in its core software division.
Honeywell, meanwhile, dipped 5.2 per cent despite topping Wall Street's expectations and raising its annual outlook.
On the trade front, an EU spokesperson hinted that a deal was "within reach"—one that could slap a broad 15 per cent tariff on imports across the 27-member bloc, according to diplomats.
Meanwhile, fresh signs of progress emerged after President Donald Trump struck an agreement with Japan, slicing tariffs on Japanese goods to 15 per cent. China and South Korea are also scrambling to clinch their own deals and sidestep Trump's hefty duties.
Yet, some of Wall Street's heavyweights were starting to feel the sting of Trump's sweeping tariffs, injecting a dose of caution into the market mood.
American Airlines fell 9.2 per cent after forecasting a bigger-than-expected third-quarter loss, hurt by sluggish domestic travel demand.
Shares of ServiceNow rose 5.5 per cent after the software firm raised its annual subscription revenue forecast.
Markets were also monitoring developments after the White House surprised investors that Trump - fresh from stepping up his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell - would pay a visit to the US central bank's headquarters later in the day.
With the Fed widely expected to hold rates steady at next week's meeting, traders are now pricing in a 62 per cent chance of a September rate cut, according to CME's FedWatch tool.
The latest Labour Department report showed weekly jobless claims fell to 217,000—well below estimates—signalling continued resilience in the US job market.
"It (data) is a good guide for the health of the economy and this week's jobless claims show that the economy is ticking along just nicely," said Neil Birrell, chief investment officer at Premier Miton Investors.
US business activity gained momentum in July, but companies hiked prices on goods and services—a move that's fuelling economists' predictions of faster inflation in the months ahead, largely driven by rising import tariffs
Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 2.05-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.63-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P 500 posted 21 new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 40 new highs and 13 new lows.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq have risen, as investors sifted through a patchwork of earnings from megacaps like Alphabet and Tesla, while the Dow has been weighed down by losses in UnitedHealth and IBM.
In early trading on Thursday, the S&P 500 gained 10.62 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 6,369.85 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 66.26 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 21,086.27.
Alphabet rose 1.9 per cent after the Google parent raised its 2025 capital spending forecast by $US10 billion ($A15 billion) to $US85 billion ($A129 billion), shrugging off trade jitters, while electric vehicle maker Tesla tumbled 7.6 per cent as CEO Elon Musk warned of "a few rough quarters" due to cuts in EV incentives.
Losses in UnitedHealth, IBM and Honeywell weighed on the blue-chip Dow, which fell 0.6 per cent -though it remained close to its December 4 record high.
UnitedHealth lost 2.3 per cent. The insurer revealed it's cooperating with a Department of Justice probe into its Medicare practices, following reports of both criminal and civil investigations.
IBM sank 9.5 per cent as its second-quarter results fell flat with investors, hampered by disappointing sales in its core software division.
Honeywell, meanwhile, dipped 5.2 per cent despite topping Wall Street's expectations and raising its annual outlook.
On the trade front, an EU spokesperson hinted that a deal was "within reach"—one that could slap a broad 15 per cent tariff on imports across the 27-member bloc, according to diplomats.
Meanwhile, fresh signs of progress emerged after President Donald Trump struck an agreement with Japan, slicing tariffs on Japanese goods to 15 per cent. China and South Korea are also scrambling to clinch their own deals and sidestep Trump's hefty duties.
Yet, some of Wall Street's heavyweights were starting to feel the sting of Trump's sweeping tariffs, injecting a dose of caution into the market mood.
American Airlines fell 9.2 per cent after forecasting a bigger-than-expected third-quarter loss, hurt by sluggish domestic travel demand.
Shares of ServiceNow rose 5.5 per cent after the software firm raised its annual subscription revenue forecast.
Markets were also monitoring developments after the White House surprised investors that Trump - fresh from stepping up his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell - would pay a visit to the US central bank's headquarters later in the day.
With the Fed widely expected to hold rates steady at next week's meeting, traders are now pricing in a 62 per cent chance of a September rate cut, according to CME's FedWatch tool.
The latest Labour Department report showed weekly jobless claims fell to 217,000—well below estimates—signalling continued resilience in the US job market.
"It (data) is a good guide for the health of the economy and this week's jobless claims show that the economy is ticking along just nicely," said Neil Birrell, chief investment officer at Premier Miton Investors.
US business activity gained momentum in July, but companies hiked prices on goods and services—a move that's fuelling economists' predictions of faster inflation in the months ahead, largely driven by rising import tariffs
Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 2.05-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.63-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P 500 posted 21 new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 40 new highs and 13 new lows.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq have risen, as investors sifted through a patchwork of earnings from megacaps like Alphabet and Tesla, while the Dow has been weighed down by losses in UnitedHealth and IBM.
In early trading on Thursday, the S&P 500 gained 10.62 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 6,369.85 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 66.26 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 21,086.27.
Alphabet rose 1.9 per cent after the Google parent raised its 2025 capital spending forecast by $US10 billion ($A15 billion) to $US85 billion ($A129 billion), shrugging off trade jitters, while electric vehicle maker Tesla tumbled 7.6 per cent as CEO Elon Musk warned of "a few rough quarters" due to cuts in EV incentives.
Losses in UnitedHealth, IBM and Honeywell weighed on the blue-chip Dow, which fell 0.6 per cent -though it remained close to its December 4 record high.
UnitedHealth lost 2.3 per cent. The insurer revealed it's cooperating with a Department of Justice probe into its Medicare practices, following reports of both criminal and civil investigations.
IBM sank 9.5 per cent as its second-quarter results fell flat with investors, hampered by disappointing sales in its core software division.
Honeywell, meanwhile, dipped 5.2 per cent despite topping Wall Street's expectations and raising its annual outlook.
On the trade front, an EU spokesperson hinted that a deal was "within reach"—one that could slap a broad 15 per cent tariff on imports across the 27-member bloc, according to diplomats.
Meanwhile, fresh signs of progress emerged after President Donald Trump struck an agreement with Japan, slicing tariffs on Japanese goods to 15 per cent. China and South Korea are also scrambling to clinch their own deals and sidestep Trump's hefty duties.
Yet, some of Wall Street's heavyweights were starting to feel the sting of Trump's sweeping tariffs, injecting a dose of caution into the market mood.
American Airlines fell 9.2 per cent after forecasting a bigger-than-expected third-quarter loss, hurt by sluggish domestic travel demand.
Shares of ServiceNow rose 5.5 per cent after the software firm raised its annual subscription revenue forecast.
Markets were also monitoring developments after the White House surprised investors that Trump - fresh from stepping up his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell - would pay a visit to the US central bank's headquarters later in the day.
With the Fed widely expected to hold rates steady at next week's meeting, traders are now pricing in a 62 per cent chance of a September rate cut, according to CME's FedWatch tool.
The latest Labour Department report showed weekly jobless claims fell to 217,000—well below estimates—signalling continued resilience in the US job market.
"It (data) is a good guide for the health of the economy and this week's jobless claims show that the economy is ticking along just nicely," said Neil Birrell, chief investment officer at Premier Miton Investors.
US business activity gained momentum in July, but companies hiked prices on goods and services—a move that's fuelling economists' predictions of faster inflation in the months ahead, largely driven by rising import tariffs
Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 2.05-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.63-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P 500 posted 21 new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 40 new highs and 13 new lows.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq have risen, as investors sifted through a patchwork of earnings from megacaps like Alphabet and Tesla, while the Dow has been weighed down by losses in UnitedHealth and IBM.
In early trading on Thursday, the S&P 500 gained 10.62 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 6,369.85 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 66.26 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 21,086.27.
Alphabet rose 1.9 per cent after the Google parent raised its 2025 capital spending forecast by $US10 billion ($A15 billion) to $US85 billion ($A129 billion), shrugging off trade jitters, while electric vehicle maker Tesla tumbled 7.6 per cent as CEO Elon Musk warned of "a few rough quarters" due to cuts in EV incentives.
Losses in UnitedHealth, IBM and Honeywell weighed on the blue-chip Dow, which fell 0.6 per cent -though it remained close to its December 4 record high.
UnitedHealth lost 2.3 per cent. The insurer revealed it's cooperating with a Department of Justice probe into its Medicare practices, following reports of both criminal and civil investigations.
IBM sank 9.5 per cent as its second-quarter results fell flat with investors, hampered by disappointing sales in its core software division.
Honeywell, meanwhile, dipped 5.2 per cent despite topping Wall Street's expectations and raising its annual outlook.
On the trade front, an EU spokesperson hinted that a deal was "within reach"—one that could slap a broad 15 per cent tariff on imports across the 27-member bloc, according to diplomats.
Meanwhile, fresh signs of progress emerged after President Donald Trump struck an agreement with Japan, slicing tariffs on Japanese goods to 15 per cent. China and South Korea are also scrambling to clinch their own deals and sidestep Trump's hefty duties.
Yet, some of Wall Street's heavyweights were starting to feel the sting of Trump's sweeping tariffs, injecting a dose of caution into the market mood.
American Airlines fell 9.2 per cent after forecasting a bigger-than-expected third-quarter loss, hurt by sluggish domestic travel demand.
Shares of ServiceNow rose 5.5 per cent after the software firm raised its annual subscription revenue forecast.
Markets were also monitoring developments after the White House surprised investors that Trump - fresh from stepping up his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell - would pay a visit to the US central bank's headquarters later in the day.
With the Fed widely expected to hold rates steady at next week's meeting, traders are now pricing in a 62 per cent chance of a September rate cut, according to CME's FedWatch tool.
The latest Labour Department report showed weekly jobless claims fell to 217,000—well below estimates—signalling continued resilience in the US job market.
"It (data) is a good guide for the health of the economy and this week's jobless claims show that the economy is ticking along just nicely," said Neil Birrell, chief investment officer at Premier Miton Investors.
US business activity gained momentum in July, but companies hiked prices on goods and services—a move that's fuelling economists' predictions of faster inflation in the months ahead, largely driven by rising import tariffs
Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 2.05-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.63-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P 500 posted 21 new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 40 new highs and 13 new lows.
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Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. 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Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from: Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: "it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up". Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. "They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid," said Mr Dillon. "We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. "They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year." The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from: Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: "it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up". Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. "They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid," said Mr Dillon. "We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. "They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year." The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from: Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: "it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up". Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. "They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid," said Mr Dillon. "We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. "They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year." The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from:
