Suzuki Suzuki All Grip: a 4x4 solution for every need… and every budget

Suzuki has made All Grip technology one of its hallmarks, tailoring this traction system to the characteristics of each vehicle to offer the ideal solution for each need.

Since its debut on the Suzuki S-Cross back in 2013, Suzuki has been fitting the technology it named All Grip across almost its entire range. In fact, the only model the Japanese manufacturer currently sells without All Grip versions is the city car Celerio.

But what exactly is All Grip technology on Suzuki? Essentially, it is a solution designed to improve a vehicle’s traction. Depending on the model it is intended for, All Grip can also take different approaches, from improving road safety to delivering a more dynamic driving character, and even maximising the ability to keep moving once the tarmac runs out.

These are the models in the Suzuki range fitted with All Grip technology, which, as we were able to verify during a test day across all kinds of scenarios, works remarkably well.

Suzuki Ignis and Swift: it’s that easy with All Grip Auto

You would be surprised what a small, lightweight car like the Suzuki Ignis can do with All Grip traction on country tracks. We did not get the chance to try it on the Suzuki Swift this time, but it also looks like an ideal solution if you want the extra safety that 4×4 traction provides on winding roads where the tarmac is often wet, or where you might encounter snow and ice.

Suzuki Ignis

Both models use the 1.2 Dualjet 90 CV petrol engine and Suzuki’s simplest all-wheel-drive system. It uses a viscous coupling to automatically send engine torque to the rear wheels when the front wheels lose grip. The driver does not need to do anything. At most, they can select the hill descent control fitted to the Ignis, which allows steep slopes to be tackled without the vehicle exceeding 10 km/h.

The Suzuki Ignis 4WD is available from 13,630 euros in GLE trim, and from 15,380 euros in GLX trim. For the Suzuki Swift 1.2 4WD, the only version available is GLE trim, priced from 14,230 euros, in all cases including the current discounts and when financing through the brand.

Suzuki Vitara and S-Cross: traction à la carte with All Grip Select

On the Suzuki S-Cross and Suzuki Vitara, the brand relies on All Grip Select, an automatically engageable four-wheel-drive system. It is currently the most common system used on SUVs from most manufacturers.

On Suzuki, the driver can choose between four operating modes using a dedicated rotary dial: Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock. In Auto mode, the system sends engine power to the front wheels, as long as grip allows. A multi-plate clutch takes care of distributing the power and sends part of it to the rear wheels if the front ones lose traction. The driver does not have to do anything.

Suzuki S-Cross

When Sport mode is selected, some settings change to deliver a more dynamic response, including the throttle and the operation of the traction control. Snow mode does the same, but with a different focus: improving grip when driving on low-traction surfaces such as snow or ice. Finally, Lock mode – which requires selecting the Snow programme first – locks the torque split at 50 percent between the two axles, and uses the ESP stability control to brake wheels that lose grip, optimising traction.

Suzuki Vitara

In our road test of the new Suzuki Vitara you will find all the details of a vehicle that is a perfect alternative to conventional SUVs, with the advantage that it goes further than them when conditions get tough. It is therefore ideal if you frequently drive mountain roads in adverse weather, or for excursions on tracks and trails with confidence, even when they are in poor condition.

The Suzuki Vitara is sold with two petrol engines. With the 111 CV 1.0, prices start from 19,800 euros, and with the 1.4T engine, from 22,950 euros, including all available discounts.

Less “off-roader” in character, the Suzuki S-Cross also works as an all-purpose car if you need a compact, spacious and well-equipped four-wheel-drive vehicle, even though it does not look like an SUV. The version on sale features the excellent 140 CV 1.4T engine that the Vitara also uses, comes in top-spec GLX trim, and with all discounts it costs 23,200 euros.

Suzuki Jimny: All Grip Pro, the specialist off the tarmac

There is little we can add about the small 4×4 that we have not already covered in the road test of the Suzuki Jimny. Well, yes. Firstly, the more we test it in demanding conditions, the more it surprises us. And if by chance you are considering one, you will need to be patient, as delivery times are around 12 months.

Here, the system used is All Grip Pro, which is found on vehicles designed to face the greatest challenges off the tarmac. It is an engageable four-wheel-drive system, meaning the Jimny can run as a 4×2 (2WD high range) and switch to 4×4 mode via the transfer case lever. In 4×4 mode there are also two options: 4H, or high range, and 4L, or low range (reduction gear).

The system is complemented by traction control, which brakes the wheel that loses grip, for example at an axle crossing, and redirects power to the wheel with the greater capacity to transmit it to the ground. And to top it all off, an effective hill descent control is also included, which together with the low-range gearing works wonderfully so that “sliding” down a steep ramp, regardless of its incline, becomes a matter of trust in the car rather than driver skill.

With the All Grip Pro system, combined with the ladder-frame chassis, rigid axle suspension and its favourable off-road angles, the Suzuki Jimny manages to get out of situations with astonishing ease, where no SUV, and most “genuine” 4x4s, would have to turn back.

The Suzuki Jimny is sold as a 3-door body with a 1.5 petrol engine of 102 CV, with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Prices start from 17,000 euros for the JX version, up to 20,820 euros for the Mode3.

Technical specifications of the cars in this article

Off-RoadSuzuki Vitara11 versions · from 27,925 €

CrossoverSuzuki S-Cross10 versions · from 32,027 €