UNTIL now, Suzuki Australia has had a problem.

Namely, happy Swift buyers wanting to shift into a bigger car had to look beyond the brand, unless they fancied the rather rough-and-ready Grand Vitara.

The launch of the new S-Cross changes that, with the larger successor to the unloved SX4 designed to straddle the small crossover SUV and conventional small hatchback segment in one fell-swoop, much as Nissan did for years with its popular Dualis.

But has this new entrant got the chops to compete in, and make a dent on, the most popular wedge of the local market?

A few drivetrain and cabin foibles aside, it’s a solid effort, with plenty of features, decent packaging, excellent fuel economy and rock-solid build quality.

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