2022 Suzuki Vitara Hybrid can achieve 22 km/l

Suzuki unveils Vitara Hybrid with Auto Gear Shift technology

As gasoline and diesel prices continue to go up, hybrid vehicles now make more sense. Since they don't consume as much fuel compared to traditional ICE vehicles, they're lighter on fuel bills and make the most out of every drop.

Currently, the brand with the most hybrid offerings is Toyota. From the Corolla Cross, Corolla Altis, Camry, RAV4, and the Prius, they have plenty of electrified models available. Suzuki, however, is starting to build their own portfolio.

Say hello to the 2022 Suzuki Vitara Hybrid, and it's packing quite the engine. Instead of the usual 1.6-liter M16A inline-four, the Vitara Hybrid comes with a 1.5-liter K15C engine. It's then paired to a 140-volt lithium-ion battery and inverter, as well as a Motor Generator Unit (MGU) with a 12-volt lithium-ion battery. As a result, it has a combined system output of 116 PS at 6000 rpm with 138 Nm of torque at 3800 rpm.

The MGU serves as both a generator and starter and is belt-driven. It assists and helps the engine during acceleration. It also has a regenerative system that aids in recovering energy from deceleration and braking. Last but not least, it benefits from an idle-stop function to further save on fuel.

All of this helps the Vitara Hybrid have a claimed fuel consumption of 53 miles per gallon or 22 km/l. In addition to that, Suzuki also said 2WD versions of the Vitara Hybrid emit only 121g of CO2 per kilometer – making it a much cleaner variant.

Since this is a hybrid, one might expect to find an automatic or CVT sending power to the wheels. But Suzuki opted to use the Auto Gear Shift (AGS) system. You read right, the automated-manual transmission (AMT) found in the Dzire is now also in the Vitara Hybrid. Suzuki claims that with the AGS, it's actually lighter compared to a traditional torque converter automatic. In fact, Suzuki says the Vitara Hybrid weighs 1,268 kg which is just an increase of only 47 kg from the range-topping AllGrip version.

For now, the 2022 Vitara Hybrid is now available in the UK. But with gasoline prices continuing to soar, we wouldn't mind the Vitara Hybrid being offered here.