Latest news with #PaulDillon
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Some auto brands will leave Australia, predicts Suzuki Queensland boss
The boss of Suzuki Motor Corporation's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales predicts some automotive brands will withdraw from the Australian market, including some of the newer Chinese entrants. "I think there'll definitely be brands that don't make it [in Australia]. I think there'll be brands in China that won't last – they're cutting each other's throats over there at the moment already," the general manager of Suzuki Auto Co, Paul Dillon, told CarExpert. "If you talk to [Pitcher Partners automotive analyst] Steve Bragg, somebody like that in that part of the industry, their advice to dealers is just to be very careful about which Chinese brands they take on and spend money developing their dealership for. Are they going to be there in the future? "We've already seen Chinese brands come in and go previously." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from: The boss of Suzuki Motor Corporation's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales predicts some automotive brands will withdraw from the Australian market, including some of the newer Chinese entrants. "I think there'll definitely be brands that don't make it [in Australia]. I think there'll be brands in China that won't last – they're cutting each other's throats over there at the moment already," the general manager of Suzuki Auto Co, Paul Dillon, told CarExpert. "If you talk to [Pitcher Partners automotive analyst] Steve Bragg, somebody like that in that part of the industry, their advice to dealers is just to be very careful about which Chinese brands they take on and spend money developing their dealership for. Are they going to be there in the future? "We've already seen Chinese brands come in and go previously." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from: The boss of Suzuki Motor Corporation's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales predicts some automotive brands will withdraw from the Australian market, including some of the newer Chinese entrants. "I think there'll definitely be brands that don't make it [in Australia]. I think there'll be brands in China that won't last – they're cutting each other's throats over there at the moment already," the general manager of Suzuki Auto Co, Paul Dillon, told CarExpert. "If you talk to [Pitcher Partners automotive analyst] Steve Bragg, somebody like that in that part of the industry, their advice to dealers is just to be very careful about which Chinese brands they take on and spend money developing their dealership for. Are they going to be there in the future? "We've already seen Chinese brands come in and go previously." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from: The boss of Suzuki Motor Corporation's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales predicts some automotive brands will withdraw from the Australian market, including some of the newer Chinese entrants. "I think there'll definitely be brands that don't make it [in Australia]. I think there'll be brands in China that won't last – they're cutting each other's throats over there at the moment already," the general manager of Suzuki Auto Co, Paul Dillon, told CarExpert. "If you talk to [Pitcher Partners automotive analyst] Steve Bragg, somebody like that in that part of the industry, their advice to dealers is just to be very careful about which Chinese brands they take on and spend money developing their dealership for. Are they going to be there in the future? "We've already seen Chinese brands come in and go previously." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from:
The Advertiser
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Australia isn't ready for EVs, says Suzuki distributor boss
Many Australians – particularly those in regional areas – simply aren't ready for electric vehicles (EVs), argues the boss of Suzuki Auto Co, the Japanese brand's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales. "I just don't think the Australian market wants them [EVs]," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Whilst the government wants everybody to have them, does everybody want to have one?" He argued EVs and emissions in general are "not a big concern for people in Australia, otherwise the number one selling car in Australia wouldn't be a three-ton 4×4 pickup". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Despite this, Suzuki is introducing an EV to Australia – the eVitara, which is due to arrive in the first quarter of 2026. Suzuki Queensland expects to offer it too, even if it cites a lack of enthusiasm from dealers in the Sunshine State. "[It] certainly is the intention [to offer the eVitara]. We're still waiting on final numbers from Japan," he said. "At the very least we've got pilot vehicles coming, and it's certainly our intention assuming the numbers from Japan stack up." Suzuki dealers will have charging facilities, but that's because generally Suzuki dealers are part of a multi-franchise operation. Therefore, Suzuki vehicles are typically sold alongside vehicles from other brands that do offer EVs. Mr Dillon doesn't expect strong demand in regional areas within the Sunshine State because of the long distances many vehicle owners drive. "I don't know if you've been to North Queensland, but if you get up there nobody too much is interested at all [in EVs]," said Mr Dillon. "If your kids play sports and you live in Cairns, at any sort of level, they might be playing a team in Townsville or Charters Towers, somewhere like that. "For their Saturday sport, you've got to think Friday night 'Have I got enough charge to get to Townsville?' It's three hundred and something kilometres – and then get back. "'Do I need to book to drive to Townsville, book accommodation, stay overnight, drive back the next day?' So your Saturday sport then becomes a weekend." When asked whether this specific regional example applies to customers in cities like Brisbane, Mr Dillon said: "There's still a lot of people down here, like a lot of our dealers that we talk to, that won't trade an electric car." And he says Suzuki buyers "aren't really early-adopter kind of [buyers]". "We haven't done direct surveys [about EV enthusiasm] or anything like that, but I think you'll find Suzuki customers generally speaking aren't cutting-edge," he said. He argued that EVs make more sense as urban runabouts. "If you're going to have an electric car, is a city car a better option rather than trying to hope that it's going to be somebody's everyday car," he said. "If you take away the goal of trying to achieve 1000km, if you're only going to use this car in the city, you'd only need to have a range of, whatever the number is, 200km or something. "If you can make that more affordable for that purpose, to me that probably is a more sensible discussion on electric cars than trying to think everybody's going to have an electric car for every use." Nevertheless, Suzuki Queensland is likely to offer an EV soon, though a full hybrid isn't on the table as the distributor has ruled out offering the Vitara Hybrid that will be released in other states in the first quarter of 2026. "We're certainly not at the leading edge of [hybrid] technology either," he said. Suzuki launched its first mild-hybrid model in Australia in 2024 with the Swift, but it has never offered a full hybrid in this country despite such a powertrain being available for a few years now in markets such as Europe. Still, Suzuki has been slower to embrace electrification than many rivals. "Suzuki is that kind of brand that they will test and test and test until they know people aren't going to have problems with their vehicles. They're super conservative in that," said Mr Dillon. "They want to make sure customers have a good experience when they buy a Suzuki product. They don't want to bring a product to market that's maybe got some question marks about reliability. "Suzuki's more inclined to go, 'How can we make this car as efficient as possible?' And weight is… if you follow Formula 1, saving an ounce here might mean a kilometre an hour down the straight or something like that. The less weight you've got, the less mass you've got to push, the less energy you need to use to push that mass." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss Content originally sourced from: Many Australians – particularly those in regional areas – simply aren't ready for electric vehicles (EVs), argues the boss of Suzuki Auto Co, the Japanese brand's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales. "I just don't think the Australian market wants them [EVs]," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Whilst the government wants everybody to have them, does everybody want to have one?" He argued EVs and emissions in general are "not a big concern for people in Australia, otherwise the number one selling car in Australia wouldn't be a three-ton 4×4 pickup". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Despite this, Suzuki is introducing an EV to Australia – the eVitara, which is due to arrive in the first quarter of 2026. Suzuki Queensland expects to offer it too, even if it cites a lack of enthusiasm from dealers in the Sunshine State. "[It] certainly is the intention [to offer the eVitara]. We're still waiting on final numbers from Japan," he said. "At the very least we've got pilot vehicles coming, and it's certainly our intention assuming the numbers from Japan stack up." Suzuki dealers will have charging facilities, but that's because generally Suzuki dealers are part of a multi-franchise operation. Therefore, Suzuki vehicles are typically sold alongside vehicles from other brands that do offer EVs. Mr Dillon doesn't expect strong demand in regional areas within the Sunshine State because of the long distances many vehicle owners drive. "I don't know if you've been to North Queensland, but if you get up there nobody too much is interested at all [in EVs]," said Mr Dillon. "If your kids play sports and you live in Cairns, at any sort of level, they might be playing a team in Townsville or Charters Towers, somewhere like that. "For their Saturday sport, you've got to think Friday night 'Have I got enough charge to get to Townsville?' It's three hundred and something kilometres – and then get back. "'Do I need to book to drive to Townsville, book accommodation, stay overnight, drive back the next day?' So your Saturday sport then becomes a weekend." When asked whether this specific regional example applies to customers in cities like Brisbane, Mr Dillon said: "There's still a lot of people down here, like a lot of our dealers that we talk to, that won't trade an electric car." And he says Suzuki buyers "aren't really early-adopter kind of [buyers]". "We haven't done direct surveys [about EV enthusiasm] or anything like that, but I think you'll find Suzuki customers generally speaking aren't cutting-edge," he said. He argued that EVs make more sense as urban runabouts. "If you're going to have an electric car, is a city car a better option rather than trying to hope that it's going to be somebody's everyday car," he said. "If you take away the goal of trying to achieve 1000km, if you're only going to use this car in the city, you'd only need to have a range of, whatever the number is, 200km or something. "If you can make that more affordable for that purpose, to me that probably is a more sensible discussion on electric cars than trying to think everybody's going to have an electric car for every use." Nevertheless, Suzuki Queensland is likely to offer an EV soon, though a full hybrid isn't on the table as the distributor has ruled out offering the Vitara Hybrid that will be released in other states in the first quarter of 2026. "We're certainly not at the leading edge of [hybrid] technology either," he said. Suzuki launched its first mild-hybrid model in Australia in 2024 with the Swift, but it has never offered a full hybrid in this country despite such a powertrain being available for a few years now in markets such as Europe. Still, Suzuki has been slower to embrace electrification than many rivals. "Suzuki is that kind of brand that they will test and test and test until they know people aren't going to have problems with their vehicles. They're super conservative in that," said Mr Dillon. "They want to make sure customers have a good experience when they buy a Suzuki product. They don't want to bring a product to market that's maybe got some question marks about reliability. "Suzuki's more inclined to go, 'How can we make this car as efficient as possible?' And weight is… if you follow Formula 1, saving an ounce here might mean a kilometre an hour down the straight or something like that. The less weight you've got, the less mass you've got to push, the less energy you need to use to push that mass." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss Content originally sourced from: Many Australians – particularly those in regional areas – simply aren't ready for electric vehicles (EVs), argues the boss of Suzuki Auto Co, the Japanese brand's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales. "I just don't think the Australian market wants them [EVs]," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Whilst the government wants everybody to have them, does everybody want to have one?" He argued EVs and emissions in general are "not a big concern for people in Australia, otherwise the number one selling car in Australia wouldn't be a three-ton 4×4 pickup". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Despite this, Suzuki is introducing an EV to Australia – the eVitara, which is due to arrive in the first quarter of 2026. Suzuki Queensland expects to offer it too, even if it cites a lack of enthusiasm from dealers in the Sunshine State. "[It] certainly is the intention [to offer the eVitara]. We're still waiting on final numbers from Japan," he said. "At the very least we've got pilot vehicles coming, and it's certainly our intention assuming the numbers from Japan stack up." Suzuki dealers will have charging facilities, but that's because generally Suzuki dealers are part of a multi-franchise operation. Therefore, Suzuki vehicles are typically sold alongside vehicles from other brands that do offer EVs. Mr Dillon doesn't expect strong demand in regional areas within the Sunshine State because of the long distances many vehicle owners drive. "I don't know if you've been to North Queensland, but if you get up there nobody too much is interested at all [in EVs]," said Mr Dillon. "If your kids play sports and you live in Cairns, at any sort of level, they might be playing a team in Townsville or Charters Towers, somewhere like that. "For their Saturday sport, you've got to think Friday night 'Have I got enough charge to get to Townsville?' It's three hundred and something kilometres – and then get back. "'Do I need to book to drive to Townsville, book accommodation, stay overnight, drive back the next day?' So your Saturday sport then becomes a weekend." When asked whether this specific regional example applies to customers in cities like Brisbane, Mr Dillon said: "There's still a lot of people down here, like a lot of our dealers that we talk to, that won't trade an electric car." And he says Suzuki buyers "aren't really early-adopter kind of [buyers]". "We haven't done direct surveys [about EV enthusiasm] or anything like that, but I think you'll find Suzuki customers generally speaking aren't cutting-edge," he said. He argued that EVs make more sense as urban runabouts. "If you're going to have an electric car, is a city car a better option rather than trying to hope that it's going to be somebody's everyday car," he said. "If you take away the goal of trying to achieve 1000km, if you're only going to use this car in the city, you'd only need to have a range of, whatever the number is, 200km or something. "If you can make that more affordable for that purpose, to me that probably is a more sensible discussion on electric cars than trying to think everybody's going to have an electric car for every use." Nevertheless, Suzuki Queensland is likely to offer an EV soon, though a full hybrid isn't on the table as the distributor has ruled out offering the Vitara Hybrid that will be released in other states in the first quarter of 2026. "We're certainly not at the leading edge of [hybrid] technology either," he said. Suzuki launched its first mild-hybrid model in Australia in 2024 with the Swift, but it has never offered a full hybrid in this country despite such a powertrain being available for a few years now in markets such as Europe. Still, Suzuki has been slower to embrace electrification than many rivals. "Suzuki is that kind of brand that they will test and test and test until they know people aren't going to have problems with their vehicles. They're super conservative in that," said Mr Dillon. "They want to make sure customers have a good experience when they buy a Suzuki product. They don't want to bring a product to market that's maybe got some question marks about reliability. "Suzuki's more inclined to go, 'How can we make this car as efficient as possible?' And weight is… if you follow Formula 1, saving an ounce here might mean a kilometre an hour down the straight or something like that. The less weight you've got, the less mass you've got to push, the less energy you need to use to push that mass." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss Content originally sourced from: Many Australians – particularly those in regional areas – simply aren't ready for electric vehicles (EVs), argues the boss of Suzuki Auto Co, the Japanese brand's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales. "I just don't think the Australian market wants them [EVs]," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Whilst the government wants everybody to have them, does everybody want to have one?" He argued EVs and emissions in general are "not a big concern for people in Australia, otherwise the number one selling car in Australia wouldn't be a three-ton 4×4 pickup". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Despite this, Suzuki is introducing an EV to Australia – the eVitara, which is due to arrive in the first quarter of 2026. Suzuki Queensland expects to offer it too, even if it cites a lack of enthusiasm from dealers in the Sunshine State. "[It] certainly is the intention [to offer the eVitara]. We're still waiting on final numbers from Japan," he said. "At the very least we've got pilot vehicles coming, and it's certainly our intention assuming the numbers from Japan stack up." Suzuki dealers will have charging facilities, but that's because generally Suzuki dealers are part of a multi-franchise operation. Therefore, Suzuki vehicles are typically sold alongside vehicles from other brands that do offer EVs. Mr Dillon doesn't expect strong demand in regional areas within the Sunshine State because of the long distances many vehicle owners drive. "I don't know if you've been to North Queensland, but if you get up there nobody too much is interested at all [in EVs]," said Mr Dillon. "If your kids play sports and you live in Cairns, at any sort of level, they might be playing a team in Townsville or Charters Towers, somewhere like that. "For their Saturday sport, you've got to think Friday night 'Have I got enough charge to get to Townsville?' It's three hundred and something kilometres – and then get back. "'Do I need to book to drive to Townsville, book accommodation, stay overnight, drive back the next day?' So your Saturday sport then becomes a weekend." When asked whether this specific regional example applies to customers in cities like Brisbane, Mr Dillon said: "There's still a lot of people down here, like a lot of our dealers that we talk to, that won't trade an electric car." And he says Suzuki buyers "aren't really early-adopter kind of [buyers]". "We haven't done direct surveys [about EV enthusiasm] or anything like that, but I think you'll find Suzuki customers generally speaking aren't cutting-edge," he said. He argued that EVs make more sense as urban runabouts. "If you're going to have an electric car, is a city car a better option rather than trying to hope that it's going to be somebody's everyday car," he said. "If you take away the goal of trying to achieve 1000km, if you're only going to use this car in the city, you'd only need to have a range of, whatever the number is, 200km or something. "If you can make that more affordable for that purpose, to me that probably is a more sensible discussion on electric cars than trying to think everybody's going to have an electric car for every use." Nevertheless, Suzuki Queensland is likely to offer an EV soon, though a full hybrid isn't on the table as the distributor has ruled out offering the Vitara Hybrid that will be released in other states in the first quarter of 2026. "We're certainly not at the leading edge of [hybrid] technology either," he said. Suzuki launched its first mild-hybrid model in Australia in 2024 with the Swift, but it has never offered a full hybrid in this country despite such a powertrain being available for a few years now in markets such as Europe. Still, Suzuki has been slower to embrace electrification than many rivals. "Suzuki is that kind of brand that they will test and test and test until they know people aren't going to have problems with their vehicles. They're super conservative in that," said Mr Dillon. "They want to make sure customers have a good experience when they buy a Suzuki product. They don't want to bring a product to market that's maybe got some question marks about reliability. "Suzuki's more inclined to go, 'How can we make this car as efficient as possible?' And weight is… if you follow Formula 1, saving an ounce here might mean a kilometre an hour down the straight or something like that. The less weight you've got, the less mass you've got to push, the less energy you need to use to push that mass." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss Content originally sourced from:
The Advertiser
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Suzuki Vitara, S-Cross axed in major Australian market
Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: "it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up". Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. "They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid," said Mr Dillon. "We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. "They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year." The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from: Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: "it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up". Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. "They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid," said Mr Dillon. "We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. "They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year." The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from: Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: "it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up". Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. "They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid," said Mr Dillon. "We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. "They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year." The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from: Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. "At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back," Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. "Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it]," he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? "Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market," explained Mr Dillon. "There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve," Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: "it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up". Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. "They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid," said Mr Dillon. "We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. "They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year." The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom Content originally sourced from:
7NEWS
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Suzuki Vitara, S-Cross axed in major Australian market
Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. 'At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back,' Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. 'Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. 'They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it],' he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? 'Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market,' explained Mr Dillon. 'There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve,' Mr Dillon continued. Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: 'it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up'. Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. 'They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid,' said Mr Dillon. 'We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. 'They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year.' The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples.
Perth Now
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Suzuki Vitara, S-Cross axed in major Australian market
Suzuki may be bringing a traditional 'full' hybrid version of its Vitara to Australia, but it won't be offered in Queensland or the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Likewise, in this part of the country the axe has fallen on Suzuki's other small SUV, the S-Cross. 'At this stage, once our current stock of Vitara and S-Cross is gone, we don't intend to bring it back,' Suzuki Queensland general manager Paul Dillon told CarExpert. 'Maybe down the track [if] Suzuki come up with another upgrade, we might review it down the track. But at this stage, we're not planning on bringing Vitara and S-Cross back. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'They do have a hybrid version, but we're not planning on [bringing it],' he added, noting the Vitara Hybrid had already been confirmed for a first-quarter 2026 launch by Suzuki Australia. But why is Suzuki Queensland axing two small SUVs when the segment has continued to grow? 'Vitara has been in our market for quite a while, so it's not a decision we've made lightly. But we have to assess what works in our market, and at the moment Vitara Hybrid on paper doesn't work in our market,' explained Mr Dillon. 'There wasn't a lot of demand for [the Vitara Hybrid], and if you look at VFACTS that's an extremely competitive segment of the market and it just wasn't selling the volume we needed to sell and wasn't achieving the goals we needed to achieve,' Mr Dillon continued. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Shipments to Australia of the petrol-powered Vitara and S-Cross ceased earlier this year because the outgoing models were not compliant with new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) surrounding autonomous emergency braking (AEB). It's expected that when shipments of the Vitara resume, they will be solely hybrid-powered vehicles, with petrol Vitaras axed nationwide. The S-Cross' Australian future appears less certain, with Suzuki Australia not confirming local launch timing. That will leave Suzuki Queensland showrooms with just three models: the Jimny compact off-roader, Swift light hatch, and the just-launched Fronx light SUV. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The Ignis and Swift Sport have been axed nationwide, and Suzuki is running out existing stock. The eVitara electric SUV's launch in Queensland isn't set in stone, though Mr Dillon said: 'it's certainly our intention [to release it] assuming the numbers from Japan stack up'. Suzuki Australia, in contrast, has confirmed the electric SUV for release in the first quarter of 2026. While Suzuki is losing models locally, the company's Queensland distributor has teased new product in the pipeline. 'They've come out and shown us some product. It's probably too early for us to talk about at this stage, but another SUV that kind of looks like the eVitara but maybe not electric. Hybrid,' said Mr Dillon. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'We've certainly asked for consideration of that car when it becomes available. It's still in development at this stage. 'They've got another light electric car coming down the path, maybe another year.' The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross launched here in 2022, but it was a heavy update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but it never eventuated. The Vitara is almost as old, entering production in 2015 and receiving a Series II update in 2019. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Updated Vitara Hybrid A hybrid version was also confirmed for a 2024 launch, before being delayed to the first quarter of 2025 and then to the first quarter of 2026. In the UK, the Vitara Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 75kW of power and 101Nm of torque, mated with a 24.6kW electric motor and a six-speed automated manual transmission. It's offered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel economy is between 5.0L/100km and 5.6L/100km, but it's significantly slower than the 1.4-litre mild-hybrid also offered in the UK. Suzuki UK claims a 0-100km/h time of 12.7 seconds with front-wheel drive and 13.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against sprint times of 9.5 and 10.2 seconds for the mild-hybrid. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Both the Vitara and S-Cross sit in the Small SUV segment in VFACTS sales reports, but the Vitara has always been a stronger seller in Australia. Last year Suzuki recorded 2934 deliveries nationwide of the Vitara (up 45.5 per cent) against 706 for the S-Cross (up 18.1 per cent). That saw the Vitara outsell rivals like the Toyota C-HR (2828) and Skoda Kamiq (1284), and record its best sales year since 2022 when Suzuki shifted 3114 examples. MORE: Explore the Suzuki Vitara showroom MORE: Explore the Suzuki S-Cross showroom
