DOES the Suzuki Across look familiar to you? Do you have a nagging sense of deja vue? Perhaps that’s because the Across is a clone of Toyota’s RAV4 - the world’s most popular crossover.

The Across is the result of a recent agreement between Suzuki and Toyota to share costs and development on future models.

There’s no doubt Suzuki has got the better half of the deal to start with.

As well as the RAV4, Toyota also offered up the Corolla estate as the basis for the Suzuki Swace.

Those two have given Suzuki’s range a huge boost in Europe where it is largely known as a purveyor of small cars.

But the idea of being asked to plonk down 45 grand for a Suzuki might come as a bit of a shock if your last Suzuki was an Alto (list price when new £7,199).

Even the most expensive Vitara costs almost £20,000 LESS.

Suzuki is taking a sensible view of this.

York Press:

At launch the company’s bosses said supply would be ‘very limited’ in its first year on sale. This is very much a case of testing the market to see how much enthusiasm there is for a ‘premium price’ Suzuki.

They may be cheap but Suzuki’s aren’t nasty.

One of our family runabouts is a Suzuki Swift that’s regularly used and abused. It’s never needed anything more than routine servicing (and it routinely doesn’t even get that). Despite our neglect, it always starts first turn of the key even after weeks of inaction. The clutch is light, the gearbox is a doddle and the brakes feel sharp. In short, it’s as reliable as a Swiss watch.

In fact, the only mass market manufacturer that comes close to Suzuki for quality and reliability is - you guessed - Toyota.

Which is why this could be a marriage made in heaven.

The Across is so close to the RAV it could almost be a carbon copy. The grille is different and inside there are ‘S’ badges where you’d expect the Toyota logo but that’s about it.

Suzuki hasn’t exactly splashed out on a wholesale reskin but when a car is as well made - and liked - as the RAV a revamp isn’t really necessary.

It’s the same story beneath the bonnet where Toyota’s electrified powertrain is carried over. This comprises a 173bhp 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a couple of electric motors. That gives the Across a total output of 306 bhp, making it comfortably Suzuki’s most powerful model to date (by almost 200bhp).

Truthfully, it doesn’t feel like an SUV GTi.

It steps off the line smartly and is perfectly at home in fast-moving traffic, but your right foot never feels in command of more than 300 horses. About half that is more like it.

Ring its neck and you’ll hit 60mph is about six seconds. The top speed is limited to 112mph which is plenty.

It’s possible to drive almost 50 miles on battery power alone - one of the longest ranges of any plug-in hybrid.

York Press:

Drivers and passengers of all shapes and sizes will find plenty of room and adjustability to make themselves comfortable. The Across’s boxy shape ensures it remains one of the most practical mid-size SUVs on the market.

The easy-to-use controls and sensible layout makes the car a doddle to drive. It’s a typical Toyota (er, Suzuki): user-friendly, not in the least bit intimidating and likely to last a very long time indeed.

Most of the materials on the dashboard look smart and feel nice to the touch.

There’s no fake wood trim and you’ll have to look very hard for scratchy plastics.

There’s only on trim level: fully stacked. It comes with all the bells and whistles, including leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a powered tailgate and 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system.

THE LOWDOWN
 

Price: £45,599
Engine: 2.5-litre/4-cyl hybrid
Max power: 306 bhp
Max torque: 270 NM
Top speed: 112 MPH
0-62MPH:  6.0 seconds
Test MPG: 56.3 mpg

SUMMING UP: A very good car and a useful way for Suzuki to extend its appeal... provided you can swallow the price tag.