Over the past four years
Suzuki South Africa has really asserted itself as a force to be reckoned with in the
Mzansi scene. Not only are they in the
top 10 selling manufacturers in the country, but they keep breaking their own sales records, which means it’s only a matter of time until they break into the
top 5. And what better way to have a go at it than to
launch the
S-Presso, a basic, entry-level crossover/
SUV to get everyone into their own car?
Yes, the
S-Presso – fully imported from
India – will initially have a tough time selling, given the
COVID-19 lockdown situation, but as soon as buyers are able to flock into showroom floors again, I reckon it will move serious units.
The car is tiny, at 3.6 metres long, 1.5m wide, 1.5m tall and with a ground clearance of 18cm and a wheelbase of 2.38m. Suzuki says it condenses all the best brand characteristics into an affordable package. Well let’s see what is on offer.
The exterior design is definitely
quirky and unusual, with the front headlights almost sitting on the bonnet, while the front grille barely covers a quarter of the front surface. It makes quite a
bold statement, with a lower black bumper placed for protection all the way around the car. Standard wheels are
14-inch steel types and all models come in a choice of
6 exterior colours as well as colour-coded door handles and side mirrors.
Buyers will be able to pick from
five model derivatives;
GL manual, GL+ manual, GL+ AMT, S-Edition manual and S-Edition AMT. All five are offered with a high level of standard equipment,
such as air conditioning, power steering, multifunction display, rear parking sensors and front electric windows. Higher-spec models come with a full infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 
The range is powered by one naturally aspirated engine, a
1.0-litre type that produces
50kW of power and
90Nm of torque.
Suzuki has fitted the
S-Presso with either a
5-speed manual or a 5-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). An average fuel consumption figure of
4.9 litres per 100km is quoted for the small
27 litre fuel tank. Since we have not driven the car yet, we cannot say how it performs and we cannot vouch for its AMT. But we do generally advise against buying this type of transmission as they tend to be quite jerky and uncomfortable.
Some of the safety features listed for the
S-Presso include
two front airbags, ABS braking with EBD, those aforementioned parking sensors and a reversing camera for the higher-spec models.
