European Quality Award for Suzuki S-Cross

The strong-selling new Suzuki S-Cross 5-door model has scooped a European product award for quality.

Described by independent observers as a halfway house between a regular hatchback and a chunky SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), the S-Cross was named winner of the Hungarian Quality Product Award for vehicles recently.

Launched on the New Zealand market at the beginning of this year, the S-Cross rapidly became second only in local Suzuki automobile sales to the smaller market-leading Swift.

Suzuki believes year to date sales would have been even stronger had it not been for limited stock due to high international demand.

The latest award for the S-Cross is an initiative promoted by the Hungarian Quality Product Committee, a non-profit organisation supported by the Hungarian Government. Its aim is to increase Hungarian consumers’ consciousness in quality.

Contenders for the award, which has been running for 17 years, need to be innovative and reliable, and are manufactured and distributed in Hungary.

Suzuki is no newcomer to the annual award, having won the title with the Splash and Swift models in 2009 and 2011.

Already available in Europe, Australasia, South Africa, the Middle East and Mexico, the S-Cross will soon be sold in other markets.

The S-Cross is the latest Suzuki world strategic model and makes strong statements in styling, impact safety, driving performance and handling, as well as offering low fuel consumption and low emissions.

Latest generation four wheel drive technology is offered as an option, matched to the internationally acclaimed handling of the Swift.

“The S-Cross is far more than just a crossover vehicle - it’s the perfect fusion of family-friendliness, safety, performance and emotion,” said Gary Collins, General Manager of Automobile Marketing for Suzuki New Zealand.

When Suzuki’s designers and engineers began developing the S-Cross they realised they need to think bigger to be able to respond to customer expectations with regard to crossovers in markets like Australasia and Europe.

Suzuki manufactures the new model at the Magyar Suzuki plant in Hungary, an operation that plays an important role as Suzuki’s European production centre. The Hungarian factory is key to Suzuki increasing its exports to more countries and forms a significant manufacturing base for the make’s global strategy.

The S-Cross is the first Suzuki passenger model in the “C” market segment and is available in New Zealand with either manual transmission or continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic forms, with pricing starting from $27,990, plus on-road costs. Customers also have the choice of two and all-wheel-drive models.

Recent accolades for the S-Cross include Martin Love, motoring correspondent for “The Observer” newspaper in Britain. “Climb in and it soon grows on you,” he said. “Having spent a week in its company, I’d say it’s one of the most likable, versatile and drivable cars I have driven in years.”