Toyota RAV4 refaced as new Suzuki Across

Suzuki’s partnership with Toyota has resulted in yet another new model, but unlike the Glanza, based on the Baleno, and the still-born Urban Cruiser that will use the Vitara Brezza as a base, the latest model won’t be offered in India.

Set to slot-in above the Vitara, the new Across effectively serves as an indirect replacement for the Grand Vitara, and as evident by images, is mirrored on the RAV4 with the only differences, apart from the Suzuki badges, being a new front facia and on the inside, a Suzuki specific steering wheel.

The rear-end and rest of the interior is carried over with the same being the true of the powertrain where the normally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol engine has been paired to a 18.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack for a total system output of 132kW/270Nm. With a Suzuki made electric motor mounted on the rear axle, the all-wheel-drive Across has a rated all-electric range of 75 km and a top speed of 180 km/h. In electric mode though, the top whack is restricted to 135 km/h.

With the amount of twist being routed to all fours via a CVT, the Across’ specification sheet is largely unchanged from that of the RAV4 in that it gets an nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto,  Pre-Collision Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Monitoring to name but a few.

In Europe sales will commence in two to three months from now with pricing likely to undercut that of the Toyota. South African market availability is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

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