Latest news with #eVitara
Daily Record
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Record
JOHN MURDOCH'S DRIVE TIME: We sample the Puma Crossover and share details on Suzuki's e Vitara launch
The Puma is fun to drive, economical and practical as well as having stylish looks. In this instalment of John Murdoch's Drive Time, John samples Ford's biggest seller - the stylish Puma Crossover - which proves to be an ideal family car, and shares details on Suzuki's launch of its first EV - the e Vitara. The Ford Puma has been one of the UK's top selling cars since it first arrived on the scene over five years ago. It is Ford's best seller, taking over from the popular Fiesta and it also sells well throughout mainland Europe. I have sampled just about every version of it since it started to make an impact and it is a Crossover I still like. It brought something new to the party when it was launched and it rightly met with deserved praise for its style and innovative features. The Puma is also fun to drive, economical and practical as well as having stylish looks. It has some neat touches, like the pouncing Puma that appears in the dash when you press the starter button or as a puddle light in the dark. It stands out from the rest of the small crossover crowd because there is plenty of room for four to travel in comfort and you can pack in five for shorter journeys. A smart steering wheel houses the usual push-button controls while the dashboard layout is typical Ford with a central display screen for connectivity and sat nav but it also comes fitted with a smart TFT instrument cluster and a huge amount of equipment. The seats are very comfortable and fully adjustable and there is good all-round visibility. As in all Fords, the switches and controls are clear and easy to read and use. A Quickclear heated windscreen is ideal for winter motoring and there is a decent sound system as well as Ford SYNC 3 navigation and full smart phone integration. On the practical side the Puma boasts impressive carrying capacity. The boot is large for a car of this size and comes complete with Ford's MegaBox. This is an 80-litre storage space which lies beneath the split level boot floor and is ideal for carrying wet sports equipment, muddy wellies or anything else that is liable to cause a mess. It has a drain plug at the bottom and can be hosed out afterwards. If you need even more space you can collapse the split-folding rear seats to get class-leading room. This flagship ST sporty version costing £33,260, sits at the top of the range and has a 1.0-litre EcoBoost three cylinder petrol engine linked to mild hybrid technology and is good for 170ps. Digital Aqua Blue paint adds £800 to the tab and if you want the Track Pack it will cost you another £1050. It takes just 7.4 seconds to tackle the sprint to 62mph before going on to a top speed of 130mph. According to the official figures it is capable of as much as 55.4mpg with a low figure of 39.2mpg and I averaged over 48mpg during many miles of mixed driving. You get lots of advanced driver assistance aids like cruise control and pre-collision assist plus lane departure warning and handy drive modes for Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Trail conditions. You also get autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian/cyclist detection and hill start assist This model features exclusive 19-inch alloys, privacy glass, front fog lights with cornering lights and LED rear lamps. The kit list wants for nothing and you get a wireless charging pad, B&O sound system, Ford performance scuff plates, an ST flat bottomed steering wheel, red brake callipers, Ford performance seats as well as ST suspension to cope with the extra power. I liked this Puma and it was a fun car to drive with great handling and a more than decent ride even with the sports suspension. Stylish, practical, economical and entertaining, the Puma ticks all the boxes and it is also good value for money especially in the more modest versions. FAST FACTS: Price: £33,260. Mechanical: 170ps, 998cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 7 speed automatic gearbox. Max speed: 130mph. 0-62mph: 7.4 seconds. Insurance group: 19. CO2 emissions: 136g/km. Bik rating: 37 per cent. Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles. Overall rating (out of 5): 4.5. Meanwhile, Suzuki's first electric car will arrive later this year with the e Vitara priced from £29,999 for a 49kWh battery model. The e Vitara will be available in both Motion and Ultra grades as well offering ALLGRIP-e as an option - Suzuki's all-new four-wheel drive system - with the five vehicle range topping out from £37,799. ALLGRIP-e has been developed specifically for e Vitara and Suzuki is currently one of only a few brands to offer 4x4 as an option in the SUV EV sector. Suzuki has a vast experience of 4x4 technology and celebrates 55 years of ALLGRIP this year. Further specification and technical details of the e Vitara range will be issued closer to the public launch date. Buyers looking at finance options will see the e Vitara available from launch with zero per cent PCP, payable over two years and with a 20 per cent deposit. With the 61kWh Motion 2WD as an example, a deposit of £8,436 is required followed by monthly payments of £379 per month with the usual optional final payment required to keep the car at the end of the agreement. As an additional and attractive offer for customers ordering their e Vitara before September 30, Suzuki will provide a free Ohme home charger along with 10,000 miles of home charging credit. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Maruti Suzuki plans 1,500 EV ready workshops, hits record 24.5 lakh services in May
The Maruti Suzuki e Vitara is expected to be launched in Spetember 2025. (REUTERS) Notify me Maruti Suzuki India Limited (Maruti Suzuki) plans to add 1,500 EV enabled service workshops covering over 1,000 cities with specially trained manpower and special equipment to extend all EV related support by financial year 2030-31, confirmed Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited. The announcement came as the carmaker announced to have serviced over 24.5 lakh vehicles in a single month, the highest ever in its history. The record was achieved in the month of May, and entails paid service, free service as well as running repairs. Takeuchi further added that the 1,500 EV enabled service workshops will be a part of the planned 8,000 additional service touchpoints that the carmaker aims to establish by FY31. The carmaker currently has 5,400 service touchpoints. He added that even before the company started mass sales of vehicles in India, the focus was on building a robust service network, a foundation that continues to support us as it expands its business further. The carmaker claims that over the years through its dealer partners, it has introduced several innovative and industry-first service formats, to address the smallest query to full-car service needs. Also Read : Swift celebrates 20 years, contributes to over 10% of Maruti Suzuki sales These range from traditional brick-and-mortar workshops to mobile workshops providing service at customer's doorstep. Additionally, a dedicated Quick Response Team (QRT) provides emergency on-road assistance across the country. This vast service network becomes immensely significant to support customers during a natural calamity. To enhance service operations, Maruti Suzuki has implemented AI-driven chatbots and voice bots. Alongside, the workshop personnel are trained on latest technologies as well as soft skills. To minimize downtime, and quick service turnaround, the Company ensures quick availability of parts. The high level of localization supports in making the parts easily available and affordable. Maruti Suzuki e Vitara launch According to recent reports, Maruti Suzuki has slashed near-term production targets for its maiden electric car, e-Vitara, by two-thirds owing to the ongoing rare earth magnet shortages. The Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara electric SUV, which is the carmaker's first-ever electric car, is slated to be launched in India in September 2025. Also Read : Maruti Suzuki Escudo: Another compact SUV on card to grab bigger chunk of most sought-after market pie. What to expect? Ahead of that, the carmaker previously revealed its plan to make 26,500 units in the first and second quarters of this fiscal, between April and September. However, with the ongoing supply chain crisis, Maruti Suzuki has slashed the target significantly to 8,200 units. This comes as the latest sign of disruption to the Indian auto industry owing to China's export restrictions on rare earth magnets. Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape. First Published Date: 25 Jun 2025, 11:01 AM IST
NDTV
6 days ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Maruti Suzuki e Vitara Snapped Testing Again, What We Know So Far?
Maruti Suzuki is gearing up for the launch of the e Vitara in India. The electric car made its debut in Milan, followed by the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in January, and has been revealed globally. Recently, Suzuki launched the all-electric e Vitara in the United Kingdom with a price tag of Euro 29,999 (around Rs 35 lakh) for the entry-level variant with a 49 kWh battery pack. Meanwhile, the top-end variant of the EV with Ultra AllGrip-e variant with a 61 kWh battery pack and all-wheel-drive powertrain comes at Euro 37,799 (approximately Rs 44 lakh). Also, a test mule of the all-electric car has been spotted testing in India, suggesting its launch to be slotted soon. Talking about its exterior and design, the e Vitara takes cues from the eVX concept, with the amalgam of the Emotional Versatile Cruiser concept. The front fascia is rather upright, and it looks SUV-ish in all regards. The use of blacked-out elements around the chin offers a rugged appeal to the nose. Around the sides, it gets black cladding for the hexagonal wheel arches. The roof profile is flat for the large part. The chunky flared arches add muscles to the design. The charging port is fixed on the front fender, and the bonnet here is a clamshell unit. Other highlights include a shark-fin antenna and c-pillar-mounted door handles. The Indian spec Suzuki E Vitara will come with two battery pack options: 49 kWh and 61 kWh (as offered in the UK). The smaller battery pack will offer a WLTP range of 346 km, while the bigger battery pack is rated to offer 428 km of range in its single-motor configuration. Meanwhile, the dual-motor variant with the 61 kWh battery pack will offer 412 km of range.
NZ Autocar
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
New Suzuki e Vitara undercuts Elroq and EV3
The compact Suzuki e Vitara electric SUV is now available in the UK and is selling for less than EV3 and Skoda Elroq. That makes it amongst the most affordable in its class. It also comes with the option of all-wheel drive. Expect it here in 2026. An entry-level variant will be available with a 49kWh battery. Every other version gets a 61kWh battery pack, good for almost 400km of range. New electric Vitara cannot compete on range with the EV3 and Elroq, both being around the 600km mark. Despite a claimed maximum charging speed of 150kW, the e Vitara takes around 30 minutes to recharge from 15 to 70 per cent. See our Suzuki Swift RSC review here. The base model has a 106kW/189Nm motor. A medium-spec variant will come with a 128kW motor also driving the front wheels. Meantime, the top AWD variant has dual motors good for 135kW/300Nm. An Allgrip e 4wd system has a Trail mode that brakes spinning wheels and can send torque across the axle for improved traction. Normal, Eco and Sport modes are also available, while a button on the centre console ramps up the regen. Available to order from July, Suzuki hasn't yet revealed full specifications for the two trim levels. However, much is already known about this newcomer. New electric platform The e Vitara sits on a new EV-dedicated platform called 'Heartect-e'. Suzuki jointly developed it with Toyota and Daihatsu. A heat pump comes standard fit. At 4275mm long and with a wheelbase of 2700mm, the e Vitara is 100mm longer than its ICE power sib. There's an extra 200mm between the wheels for added interior space. It is wider and taller too, though is obviously heavier. The lightest version weighs in at 1702kg, while the dual-motor variant is nearly 1900kg. By contrast, the heaviest petrol Vitara is 1375kg. The design of the e Vitara echoes that of the Suzuki eVX concept revealed in January 2023. Key features include angular wheelarches, a sloping roofline, and extensive use of plastic cladding. There's a three-point matrix lighting signature at the front and rear. Both 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels will be on offer. The e Vitara has slightly more complex body surfacing than the concept while there's no faux-skid plate. Production versions use conventional door handles versus flush-mount items for the concept. The rear ones are hidden in the C-pillar. Its charging port is above the front-right wheelarch. Interior and practicality The concept's interior design isn't quite so motor-show ready but is a step forward on that of the ICE Vitara. Behind the two-spoke steering wheel is a 10.25-inch digital driver's display, part of a widescreen set-up that includes the 10.1-inch central infotainment screen. There's a small row of physical climate controls located on the dash, and a floating centre console. Also present are a rotating gear selector, a wireless charging pad, cup-holders and a large storage area underneath the centre console with charge outlets. The floor in the rear, while flat, is set high which might not suit taller adults. There's another pair of charging ports and two sets of ISOFIX child-seat mount points in the rear. Its 306-litre boot isn't huge; the smaller Jeep Avenger has 355 litres, by comparison. The Suzuki does feature a 60:40-split sliding rear bench though. It can be pulled forward by approximately 20cm. Even so, a high boot floor means maximum e Vitara luggage space is only 320 litres. Suzuki's will share electric tech with Toyota Toyota's Urban Cruiser is a rebadged e Vitara. It is the second electric model in its passenger car range after the bZ4X. And these will also be joined by the C-HR EV soon. Toyota and Suzuki have been working together on vehicles since 2016. In the UK, Toyota's Corolla Touring Sports and RAV4 PHEV have been rebadged as Suzuki Swace and Across, respectively. We asked Suzuki New Zealand about its intentions for e Vitara and it says it plans to launch the EV here next year. Timing is yet to be confirmed but CEO, Gary Collins, says it will likely here early to midway though next year.
Hindustan Times
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Made-in-India Suzuki e Vitara launched in the UK. India launch in…
The Suzuki e Vitara is now available in the UK priced between 29,999 Pounds and 37,799 Pounds (approx. ₹35-44 lakh) Notify me Suzuki has launched its maiden all-electric offering, the e Vitara, in the UK. The new Suzuki e Vitara is priced at 29,999 Pounds (approx. ₹ 35 lakh) in the UK for the base variant, going up to 37,799 Pounds (approx. ₹ 44 lakh) for the top-spec variant. The e-Vitara is manufactured in India at Suzuki's facility in Gujarat and exported to global markets. The model is slated to arrive in the country later this year. UK-Spec Suzuki e Vitara: Battery & Range The UK-spec Suzuki e Vitara is available in two variants - Motion and Ultra. The 49 kWh battery pack is available only on the Motion trim, while the larger 61 kWh battery pack is available on both trims. The latter also gets Suzuki's AllGrip all-wheel drive system that sends power to all four wheels. The e Vitara with the 49 kWh battery promises a range of 346 km (WLTP), while the 61 kWh version has a higher range of 428 km (WLTP) on a single charge. The automaker is offering a warranty of 10 years/160,000 km on the vehicle and battery in the UK. Also Read : Maruti Suzuki cuts near-term e Vitara production plan amid rare earth magnet crisis The Suzuki e Vitara is available in two variants - Motion and Ultra, in the UK. Battery options include a 49 kWh and 61 kWh with the latter getting a dual-motor setup The e Vitara is powered by a single motor on the lower trims, which produces 142 bhp. The higher trims get the dual-motor setup with 4WD churning out 178 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. The dual motor variants are paired with only the 61 kWh battery pack, offering a reduced range of 412 km (WLTP). Maruti Suzuki e Vitara: India Launch The Maruti Suzuki e Vitara made its India debut at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Global Expo in January, and was slated to arrive in the domestic market by March this year. However, the launch has been delayed to September this year. The e Vitara is made in India at the automaker's plant in Gujarat for global markets. The launch is slated for September, according to Maruti's previous announcement Not just the e Vitara, Suzuki will also manufacture its badge-engineered cousin, the Toyota Urban Cruiser EV, which was also showcased at Bharat Mobility, for global markets. That said, Toyota India is yet to announce a timeline for the launch of the model in the country. Needless to say, the e Vitara will be hitting the showroom floors first. Suzuki will be churning out about 70,000 units of the e Vitara in its first year of production, most of which have been allocated for exports. That said, production plans were rejigged in the wake of the rare earth magnet shortages, reducing the outflow for the first two quarters (Q1 & Q2) of FY2026. The company now plans to produce 8,200 units, against a previous estimate of 26,500 units during the same period. It needs to be seen if Maruti will be able to hold on to the September timeline for launching the e Vitara or will have to rework its plans again for India. Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India. First Published Date: 18 Jun 2025, 11:53 AM IST
