Two weeks back, I drove the refreshed mild hybrid version of the Suzuki Vitara and finished my review by saying that I was looking forward to driving the fully electric version, the e-Vitara.
Well, that fully electric version didn’t disappoint. The Hybrid version came in Solar Yellow, which certainly grabbed a lot of attention from neighbours and shoppers alike, while last week’s electric version came in a discreet Land Breeze Green Pearl Metallic.
It has a chunky, rugged look to it, but then it was the All-Grip version. There is great ground clearance, but I didn’t get to drive the car off-road last week. However, I remember that my motoring colleagues being very impressed when they took the All-Grip version on an off-road track in Enniskerry at the Irish launch back in April.
The Hybrid worked fine and was frugal. But overall, the electric version has a classier feel and much more modern look to it. Really, it’s just class and I suspect that some mature Suzuki owners of my own age, might be tempted to make the big switch to electric, if they take a test drive.
Inside, the decor looks great with some lovely tan touches on the seats and dash area. Unlike the Hybrid version, you don’t get the old-fashioned handbrake, but an automatic handbrake which works fine and blends in with the overall modern décor.
The controls on the dash are laid out intelligently and you get an old-style button for the radio volume. Also, plenty of slave controls on the flat-bottom steering wheel.
The e-Vitara is roughly 200mm longer, slightly wider, and taller than the standard petrol hybrid version, giving it an impressive road presence and I really liked the high driving position.
You get hidden rear door handles and distinct LED light signatures, whereas the hybrid retains its somewhat conservative styling.
The boot is a decent size, officially 244 litres and the back seat is very flexible, but no Frunk. There is room in the back seat for three adults. Electric cars are meant to be quiet and this e-Vitara follows on in that tradition.
July was an historic month for motoring in Ireland. For the first time in history, more electric cars were registered in one month in Ireland than petrol, plug-in-hybrids or diesel. The magic electric figure for July was 9,682, which was a 98% increase from the 4,898 registrations in July 2025.
Now, if Suzuki can convince some of their own drivers, who are very loyal to the Japanese brand, to switch to their new e-Vitara, we might be talking about record new figures for Suzuki themselves in the coming months.
Prices for EV version of the Vitara start at €38,490, but my test car, the top of the range All-Grip version which came with a plethora of extras and will cost you €44,055. The range in the 61kWh battery version I drove is around 390km with a full charge. As usual with EV’s, road tax is €120.
If you are ready to go fully electric, then you will probably need a home charger for peace of mind. Suzuki has chosen Cork-based company Ohme, who will install the home charger for you. Call into any of the 25 Suzuki dealers around the country and they will give you details on their first fully electric car and let you know about the home charger offer.
So maybe we could end up seeing a situation where old timers like myself and long-time Suzuki drivers will be happy to stay with the Hybrid version, with younger drivers opting for an e-Vitara.
