2026 Suzuki e Vitara review

The arrival of a Suzuki electric vehicle feels long overdue. It’s one of the last holdouts among the old-guard Japanese manufacturers to finally bring a battery-powered car to market. And now that it’s here, Suzuki has done it in a typically quirky way.

The e Vitara’s development is a truly international story. It was co-developed with fellow Japanese manufacturer Toyota (which sells the SUV as the Urban Cruiser in other markets), uses a 61kWh Blade battery sourced from Chinese giant BYD, and is assembled in India by Maruti Suzuki.

Now that the e Vitara has landed in New Zealand, the standard Vitara is no more. That’s a significant show of confidence from Suzuki New Zealand, given the Vitara has long been one of the brand’s most popular models.

However, the e Vitara is entering one of the hottest and most competitive segments of the market, with Chinese rivals from brands like BYD and MG often offering strong competitors at a lower price point.

The e Vitara will be banking on Suzuki’s strong brand equity in New Zealand, a pretty unique design, and an impressive drive to stand out — but is it actually a compelling option?

How much does the Suzuki e Vitara cost?

The e Vitara range kicks off at $54,990 plus on-road costs for the 2WD model, and tops out at $63,990 before ORC for the AWD with two-tone paint.

Those familiar with the options produced by Chinese manufacturers in this segment will immediately notice the Suzuki sits at the pricier end of the market, with rivals like the BYD Atto 2 ($39,990+orc) and MGS5 ($48,990+orc) undercutting it quite significantly, and similar priced rivals like the Kia EV3 bringing significantly higher range to the table.

One thing working in Suzuki’s favour, though, is brand trust. Suzuki continues to have strong customer loyalty in New Zealand, and that reputation may help justify the premium pricing for some buyers.

What is the Suzuki e Vitara like inside?

If you’re looking to buy an e Vitara, I hope you like brown and black, because that’s the only interior colour combination available in New Zealand. It’s a strong look, and the contrast carries throughout the cabin.

The contrast isn’t just in the colours though. There’s also a prevalent use of hard plastics alongside leather and cloth trim throughout the interior. Overall, the cabin still feels reasonably well put together for the price, with the harder materials at least feeling solid and well screwed together, with minimal rattles… so far.

Toyota’s hand in the development is quite obvious inside the e Vitara. The stepped dashboard feels reminiscent of the RAV4, some of the switchgear looks lifted from the Landcruiser, and the drive control unit appears to come directly from the bZX4 — complete with the painfully fingerprint-prone piano black plastic.

Still, it’s a pleasant place to spend time. The seats are comfortable, and the key touchpoints throughout the cabin feel suitably premium enough. There is a large squared-off steering wheel, though personally, I found myself wishing for a simpler, smaller circular design.

You get a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment display and a 10.25-inch driver’s display housed within the same panel stretching across the dashboard. Naturally, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included.

The driver’s display itself only occupies about half the space within its housing though, leaving it with some of the largest bezels I’ve seen in a modern car, which cheapens the presentation a bit.

Notably, there’s no difference in interior specification between the 2WD and more expensive AWD models.

The e Vitara received a four-star ANCAP safety rating. Much of this appears to stem from its relatively low 71 per cent score in the Safety Assist category, where systems like head-on emergency braking and seatbelt reminders scored poorly. The lack of a driver monitoring system will likely be viewed as a positive by more than a few buyers, though.

A relatively unimpressive 310L of boot space is on offer, stretching to 562 with the rear seats folded down.

What’s under the bonnet?

Both versions of the e Vitara use a 61kWh lithium-ion battery.

The 2WD sends 128kW and 193Nm to the front wheels, while the AWD produces 135kW and 307Nm through all four wheels.

That extra performance comes at the expense of range, however. Suzuki quotes 426km for the 2WD and 395km for the AWD on the WLTP cycle.

Those figures are fairly modest by current EV standards, and sit closer to more city-focused EVs like the Mini Cooper SE than some of the longer-range Chinese alternatives available at similar money.

How does the e Vitara drive?

This is where the e Vitara’s price point starts to make a bit more sense. It’s a genuinely lovely thing to drive day-to-day.

Like most EVs, it makes commuting effortless. There’s no engine noise interrupting your podcasts, instant shove when you need to dart through traffic, and one-pedal driving means you can often leave your right foot planted in one position.

Where the e Vitara stands out is in how smoothly it goes about everything. The throttle calibration is excellent, allowing the car to embody the EV trope of “gliding” away from the lights, while the one-pedal driving is well judged and easy to modulate without awkward lurching.

The suspension is another highlight. It soaks up rough roads confidently, giving the e Vitara a plushness that some of its competitors struggle to match, without ever feeling overly disconnected from the road underneath.

Push harder and the e Vitara does begin to lean through corners, while the steering isn’t especially communicative, but that’s missing the point somewhat. As a tool for comfortably getting from point A to point B, it’s genuinely one of the better options in this segment.

Energy consumption during our drive was higher than the published figures though, coming in at 5km/kWh in the 2WD and 4.1km/kWh in the AWD across a mix of driving conditions. That makes the already modest range figures feel slightly less impressive in the real world.

What do you get? 

The spec of the e Vitara is about as standard as you get at this price point. There is nothing notable missing from the list compared to its competitors.

• Eight speaker Inifinity sound system
• 10” Infotainment display
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless charging pad
• Moon roof
• Keyless entry
• Heated front seats
• Leather and leather-effect weave upholstery
• LED headlights
• Adaptive high beam
• Blind spot indicator
• Adaptive cruise
• Lane keep assist
• Rear cross traffic alert
• Hill hold control
• 360 degree camera

CarExpert’s take on the e Vitara

The Suzuki e Vitara is a solid offering in one of our markets most competitive segments. Its muscular looks, great driving dynamics and quality interior finish differentiate it amongst plenty of competition from China. 

What also differentiates it is its price. It’s high. And its spec and performance doesn’t necessarily justify the price. We feel that most of the e Vitara’s buyers will be Suzuki faithful who are happy to pay a premium to get in on the brand’s first EV.

Still, it’s only the start of the EV journey for Suzuki, and a solid one at that.