Suzuki eVitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e 2026 Review

Planned or not, the original media launch of Suzuki’s first EV occurred without pricing. And now that the small SUV has been valued, the case for purchasing it has become harder to justify.

The 2026 Suzuki eVitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e we’re testing here is the big battery, dual-motor variant and commands $58,990 drive-away. Although, if you’re one of the first 100 customers and got in before July 1, that figure dropped to $56,990.

If you don’t require pseudo all-wheel drive and can make do with a reduced driving range, the base Motion is $49,990 drive-away. Oddly, if you live in Queensland or northern NSW, the 61kWh battery is available in front-drive Ultra guise and delivers the most range.

The problem Suzuki faces is that the eVitara lands in a hot segment bristling with cheaper, usually Chinese, competition like the BYD ATTO 2, Jaecoo J5 EV and GAC Aion V – or even the Leapmotor C10 Sport+ and MG MG4 X-Power if performance is your go to.

One thing you can’t call the 2026 Suzuki eVitara ALLGRIP-e is generic. And while being purposefully obtuse can sometimes backfire, the ‘polygonal’ aesthetic meets the moment. The design philosophy centres around a ‘metal beast’ concept…

Naff naming aside, the small SUV rides on 18-inch machined alloy wheels and there’s dark body cladding to fawn off-road capability. There are also automatic LED headlights with LED daytime running lights and keyless entry. However, it misses out on a powered tailgate, and the small glass roof doesn’t open.

Inside, the Ultra gains premium fabric and synthetic seats with heating up front, the driver’s seat is also 10-way power adjustable with tilt and lumbar support – the passenger’s seat remains manual. Dual-zone climate control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror are also standard.

Premium paint is an additional $745, while opting for a two-tone hue is $1345.

Suzuki’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty applies to the eVitara, with an eight-year/160,000km plan covering the lithium-ion battery pack. Although, some of the EV componentry is only covered for five years/100,000km, so it’s worth reading all the details.

Service intervals are every 12 months/20,000km and you get five years of complimentary roadside assistance if you service with Suzuki.

The 2026 Suzuki eVitara ALLGRIP-e is somewhat hit and miss in this regard.

It features important active safety kit, which includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure waring with active lane keeping, rear cross traffic alert, parking sensors and a reversing camera with 360-degree view monitor.

And yes, it does have road sign recognition, but its integration is nicely calibrated. It also won’t bing and bong at you for a supposed lack of attention given there’s no driver monitoring – a win for sure. However, it’s also one of the reasons why the eVitara scored a four-star ANCAP safety rating in 2025.

Another is the fact a front-centre airbag doesn’t feature (there are seven in total), while there are dual ISOFIX points and a trio of top-tether anchorages in the back.

Contemporary tech might be somewhat lacking in other models, but that’s not the case for the 2026 Suzuki eVitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e. This Suzi is high tech... to a point.

Handling the infotainment is a 10.1-inch touchscreen and the digital instrument cluster gains a 10.25-inch display. The former packs wireless/wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the latter houses all the appropriate driving data.

The Ultra also adds a wireless charge pad and an Infinity by Harman sound system, joining the standard Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio, voice activation and USB ports.

There are a few issues with the central infotainment screen, though. A lack of processing power means it’s slow to react to touch inputs, the menu system will take time to learn, and we experienced issues with CarPlay failing to automatically connect to a paired phone on start-up.

Essentially, a lot of the cheaper Chinese rivals pack more polished interior tech. The eVitara also runs without connected services for remote monitoring/operation of the car and the resolution of the cameras could be upped.

If you’ve skipped everything above, the giveaway is in the name and tacked-on ‘e’. Yes, the 2026 Suzuki eVitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e is electric.

This top-tier version creates all-wheel drive thanks to each axle gaining an electric motor. Combined figures come in at 135kW/307Nm, which aren’t groundbreaking, but also healthy for a small SUV. It certainly feels frisky on step-off due to the instant EV nature, while the new platform keeps kerb weight down to 1860kg.

Zero-100km/h times matter little in this segment, but it records a pert 7.4 seconds across the standardised marker. Eco, Standard and Sport drive modes are available, with Standard being the default for the most agreeable throttle and steering response.

This is where the company’s first EV needed to hit it out of the park... but it doesn’t tempt boundaries.

Even with the bigger 61kWh lithium-ion LFP battery (the Motion makes do with a 49kWh unit), the 2026 Suzuki eVitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e has a maximum range of 395km. The claimed energy consumption of 16.6kWh/100km also proves hard to achieve, with our reading across various driving conditions coming to 19kWh/100km.

So, there’s a gap between the WLTP-rated kilometre count and reality.

Another potential issue is charging rates. If you have three-phase or a wallbox fitted at home, 11kW is achievable for a 10-100 per cent replenishment in about 5.5 hours.

However, if you’re using the public network, the eVitara maxes out at a 70kW DC rate, meaning a 10-80 per cent zap takes 45 minutes – well behind the benchmark.

Essentially, if you can charge at home on 11kW AC and use the eVitara for city commutes, it’ll be a breeze to run. However, if longer road trips are frequent, the lack of a truly fast DC connection will be a limiting factor.

Suzuki’s current slogan is “For Fun’s Sake” – which translates into an acronym with rude undertones of FFS. Which means the 2026 Suzuki eVitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e has some bold branding to live up to.

Thankfully, it leans into a more liveable nature over being sporty. And with the suspension doing a good job of soaking up the worst of the lumps and bumps, the eVitara does feel ‘nice’ to drive.

The steering is light for twirling in the city, and the brake pedal isn’t too grabby despite offering regen to the battery.

Leave the city limits and the soft nature does quash any remaining dynamic aspirations despite the FFS branding and spritely EV powertrain. Yes, the suspension irons out most of the harsh surfaces, but the damping can struggle to keep the weighty eVitara composed through undulations and body roll is present.

The OEM-fitted MRF Wanderer tyres aren’t the grippiest choice. Traction isn’t too much of an issue, especially with the electronic limited-slip differential on the front axle and all-wheel drive, but the eVitara would find more purchase through corners with a higher-grade tyre.

While Suzuki does have a reputation for off-road ability, the eVitara is more suited to tarmac, but the ALLGRIP-e arrangement does prove worthwhile on maintained dirt roads. And yes, there is a Trail mode to aid the process, but with 180mm of ground clearance and no spare wheel of any kind, tackling anything too hardcore shouldn’t be on the cards.

It’s pretty flash and certainly a step beyond the current Suzuki lineup. Although, it must be for almost $60K.

The cabin is also refreshingly analogue. While the touchscreen is a bit of an ergonomic misstep, the physical climate and volume controls aren’t. They’re refreshing and as a result you don’t have to fight your way through menus – although, you will if you want to turn on the heated seats.

Design wise, it’s a step forward for the marque, too. The multi-colour ambient lighting is a nice touch at night, while the terracotta-esque accents are a point of difference.

The piano black details probably won’t age well and are prone to fingerprints, while the gear selector is straight out of Toyota’s EV parts bin.

Deciding not to go down the futuristic route has been a win for ergonomics and storage, with the floating centre console, cup holders, door bins and the central cubby affording space for bits and bobs. Vision out is generally clear, apart from the thick rear C-pillar, but NVH levels could be improved.

With the rear seats slid all the way back, legroom is generous even for adults despite the small SUV designation. Headroom is acceptable – the Ultra’s glass roof does impinge slightly.

However, backseat occupants miss out on air vents, which is unacceptable in 2026.

There’s also only one map pocket, but there are dual USB-C ports, bottle holders in the doors and the central seat flips down to create an arm rest. Like up front, the seat materials are pleasing, but there are some scratchy plastics.

At first, the boot space doesn’t appear capacious. Yet, slide the 40/20/40-split rear seats forward and the cargo capacity becomes a lot more flexible than the 310-litre figure suggests. There’s minimal lighting, a parcel shelf and a bag hook, while lifting the flat floor reveals a segmented polystyrene cargo tray.

A can of goo is the default over any type of spare wheel.

The point of difference with the 2026 Suzuki eVitara ALLGRIP-e is its dual-motor gubbins. There aren’t many small electric SUVs on the market packing this setup and all-wheel drive. So, if you require the extra power and traction it provides, the price premium could be justifiable.

However, it’s likely most buyers don’t and won’t want to incur the additional cost of doing so. Other factors that might push the eVitara down shopping lists are the mediocre range and charging speeds. Then there’s the upcoming, Chinese-sourced Mazda CX-6e, which rectifies both of those issues while being a size above and commanding a similar price tag.

For a manufacturer that has enjoyed success Down Under with affordable core models that buyers know and love, the eVitara starkly juxtaposes that hard-earned reputation. And unless Suzuki can find a way to slash the price, it’s difficult to see the company’s first EV finding many homes.

2026 Suzuki eVitara Ultra ALLGRIP-e at a glance:
Price:?$58,990?(drive-away)
Available:?Now
Powertrain:?Two?permanent magnet?synchronous motors
Output:?135kW/307Nm
Transmission:?Single-speed reduction gear
Battery:?61kWh lithium-ion LFP
Range:?395km (WLTP)
Energy consumption:?16.6kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating:?Four-star (ANCAP 2025)

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