Suzuki expands the range with the Across hybrid flagship.
Suv clearly derived from Toyota, which controls 5% of the Hamamatsu house, is a Rav4 but revisited according to the philosophy of the house.
ANSA Motori has long tested the top-of-the-range version, the YouRu.
A real 4x4, in which the electric is in charge.
In fact, despite the over two tons weight, this car - with a charged battery - is not only easy to handle, but also able to consume almost like a city car.
The dimensions are generous (length 4,635 mm, width 1,855 mm, height 1,690 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,690 mm) and almost 100 kilometers in electric in urban driving.
The sophisticated powetrain consisting of a heat engine and two electric ones, one per axle, delivers a total of 306 Hp, but in a soft and progressive way, optimized by the management system to move with battery even with all-wheel drive, with the torque distributed according to the conditions of grip.
A car dedicated to travel, ready for extensive off-road excursions, but which knows how to move with grace in the city.
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Suzuki Across Plugin YouRu
A peculiar feature of Across Plug-in is the priority operation in electric mode, with the transition to hybrid mode which is activated automatically or at the request of the driver.
With the result - we have tested it on snow and ice - to always guarantee optimal grip.
To minimize consumption and emissions, electric use is essential, taking advantage of the power supply guaranteed by the 18.1 kWh battery.
On pain of a severe surge in consumption.
There are four ways of managing energy.
In EV Mode the gear is 100% electric;
in HV Mode the system manages the heat engine and the electric ones in hybrid mode, optimizing consumption and the progressivity of torque delivery.
The AUTO EV / HV mode allows the system to automatically choose the most convenient mode, always favoring the electric one but also using the heat engine.
The CHG Mode finally allows you to recharge the battery using the heat engine.
On board,
The electronics come to the rescue in all circumstances, so as to greatly relieve the stress in city driving and the monotony on the motorway, leaving intact the pleasure of resuming commands when desired.
During our long test, we tested in particular both the vocation of a kilometer - many hours spent on the motorway - and the skills of climbing on the icy Apennine roads.
On the road, the comfort is of an excellent level: the interiors and the driving position are well cared for, the engine is more than adequate, which also benefits from electric traction on the motorway.
However, it is essential to start with a charged battery if you want to keep consumption at optimal levels.
With hybrid propulsion, in fact, 5 liters per 100 km are enough, which double when the traction is exclusively thermal.
Furthermore, the use of technology in autonomous driving makes travel absolutely comfortable.
Safety and reliability are of a high level when the bottom becomes slippery or, worse, icy.
Intelligent all-wheel drive kicks in and takes the trouble out, both on sudden ice and fresh snow.
With Across, therefore, Sukuki takes another step and expands the range upwards.
Prices?
From 56,900 euros, net of discounts.
Two thousand more for the YouRu version subject of our test, with leather interior and contrasting roof.