SUZUKI SX4 S-CROSS

Third iteration of family SUV arrives with a new look but same platform and engine

- ILLYA VERPRAET

Occasionally it’s important to ponder life’s fundamental questions, like: ‘What exactly is a car facelift?’ The Ferrari F8 Tributo generally isn’t regarded as a facelifted 488, which in turn generally isn’t considered a facelifted 458, yet they share their structures and underpinnings, their general shapes and most of their interiors. And so to the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross.

At first glance, the Mk3 S-Cross looks very new. It has a completely fresh front end, with a higher bonnet line, much more angular styling and LED headlights; the shape of the side windows has changed; and the rear is all but unrecognisable, incorporating an oh-so-2021 light bar. However, the hard points are clearly the same and the dimensions are unchanged.

If any confirmation were needed that this is in effect a heavy facelift, the interior provides it. Save for some extra soft-touch material on the dashboard and new infotainment, this is the same interior as on the S-Cross that was introduced all the way back in 2013. That might work for Ferrari, when it’s a nice place to be in the first place, but the acres of hard plastic and dated design of the S-Cross will be a tough sell in 2022.