Since its introduction in 2020, the Suzuki S-Presso has proven to be quite the go-to budget-friendly car for most South African buyers. With over 14.400 units sold since Suzuki has now decided to give the compact city car a facelift. both on the outside and the inside as well as a new engine.
We had a spin at the recent facelift model in Manual guise, and here is everything you need to know about it.
Fun Fact: Did you Know that the Suzuki S-presso is one of the only 4 cars sold in South Africa with ESP and ISOFIX as standard?
The other three are also SUZUKI
Exterior
The Exterior of the S-Presso has received a bit of shine and bling, hard to spot from the pre-face list generation. The ones that are worth mentioning are, the slicker side appearance with no more plastic cladding covering the lower side of the doors, which I like very much.
The S-Presso range now rolls on standard 14-inch tow-tone alloy wheels on the S-Edition and GL+ derivatives, a change that boasts the look of the mini SUV. And will spare the new owners the stress of worrying about their wheel covers getting stolen. Electrically adjustable side mirrors are also now fitted as standard across the whole range.
The S-Press comes available in 6 different colours to match your style including White, Granite Grey Metallic, Fire Red, Silky Silver Metallic, Starry Blue Pearl, and the very popular Sizzle Orange.
Interior
Notable changes have been made to the interior including, the addition of a touchscreen infotainment display, compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The screen size varies from 7 inches for the GL+ model with a parking sensor and 9 inches with reversing camera for the range-topping derivative S- Edition.
Steering wheel-mounted controls for audio mode, phone, and voice command. have also been added to improve the entertainment inside the cabin, while reducing the distraction of the driver by keeping his eyes on the road.
Although its smaller size, the S-Presso’s interior is quite roomy for adults both at the front and at the back with decent head and leg room for taller passengers of about 185cm when seated at the back.
Powertrain & Performance
The Suzuki S-Presso now borrows its heart from the popular Suzuki Celerio. A 1.0L 49kW and 89Nm 3-cylinder Dualjet naturally aspirated engine has improved the overall fuel efficiency. 4.4L/100km for the AMT transmission, while the manual transmission sits at 4.6L /100km.
41kW & 89Nm of torque may not seem enough on paper but considering that the S-Presso only weighs around 800kg. It’s a pretty good power-to-weight ratio.
Safety
No compromises
Although the S-Presso is a budget car under R200k, it comes equipped with some very useful safety features which make it stand out from its competitors in the segment. The cabin is kitted with 2 airbags both for the driver and front passenger, ABS with EBD, as well ESP (Electronic stability program) also makes an appearance in the face-lifted version
Suzuki has gone even further, by adding ISOFIX child seat anchorage points at the back.
The Drive
We did a bit of everything, from a scenic drive around the coast and mountain pass, as well as light off-roading on some farm gravel road where we tested the 181mm ground clearance. The S-Presso is not an SUV or off-roader but handles the gravel road drive like a champ and was very easy to maneuver thanks to its slick 5-speed manual transmission.
The engine became quite a bit hesitant when tackling steep inclines, which was easily covered by working the gears down. Something to consider if you are thinking of getting one. While its light weight makes it easy to manoeuvre around town and light on fuel, the compact hatch can also feel a bit top-heavy when taking corners at speed, as well as a bit hard to keep straight under strong highway winds.
Here are a couple that is missing the Suzuki S-presso
- Height Adjustable driver’s seat
- Steering wheel rake/reach adjustment
Verdict
The S-Presso is no hot hatch or sports car, but it serves its purpose well. A good, efficient city run around car. It’s light on fuel, easy to manoeuvre, and compact when it comes to finding a parking spot on busy streets. The addition of ESP, Alloy wheels, and ISOFIX is certainly worthy and will definitely attract the eyes of the customers.
Pricing
Budget-friendly pricing for the Suzuki S-Presso range
S-Presso 1.0 GL MT R 162 900
S-Presso 1.0 GL AMT R 176 900
Presso 1.0 GL+ MT R 169 900
S-Presso 1.0 GL+ AMT R 183 900
S-Presso 1.0 S-Edition MT R 185 900
S-Presso 1.0 S-Edition AMT R 199 900
All Suzuki S-Presso models are sold with a 2-year / 30 000km service plan as well as a 5-year/ 200 000km promotional mechanical warranty
