The Honda CR-V Mk6 (from 2023) is a seven-seat alternative, while the Jaguar E-Pace and F-Pace are less obvious choices. Or you could buy a Range Rover Evoque, Mazda CX-60, Mercedes GLC or Renault Rafale – and don’t forget the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Volvo XC60. All of these came as plug-in hybrids.
What to look for
On the pull
The Across is able to tow any caravan or trailer weighing up to 1,500kg; the limit for anything unbraked is half this, at 750kg.
Safety
Euro NCAP has tested the RAV4 but not the Across. The Toyota earned five stars thanks to a huge array of standard safety kit, which is also offered in the Suzuki.
Economy
Suzuki claims a 46-mile range on electric power and up to 282mpg. It’s not hard to achieve that EV range in everyday use, while 50mpg is a realistic average.
Peace of mind
The Across comes with a three-year warranty with a 60,000-mile cap. But have your Across serviced by an official dealer and this can be extended to as much as 10 years or 100,000 miles.
Interior
We like the Across’s cabin because it’s well laid out and features high-quality materials, so there’s a premium feel. Impressive infotainment systems are now the norm, but the Across’s set-up disappoints with its lack of sharpness and slightly small size. The dashboard layout is easy to get on with, thanks to well placed switchgear and generally clear instruments, although the latter is a bit busier than it needs to be.
There’s lots of space around the cabin for oddments, while fully grown adults can easily get comfy in the back seats thanks to decent head and leg room. Boot space is good at 490 litres, or 1,168 litres with the back seats folded; that’s 90 litres less than in the RAV4.
Prices
There are probably more Acrosses up for sale than you might think, although the classifieds are bolstered by brand-new cars in stock at dealers. Discounts of £2,000 aren’t hard to find, but at this level you’ll still have to stomach a lot of depreciation. Black and white are the most popular colours, but not far behind are blue, grey and silver. Red is the least common hue.