Suzuki’s next range-topping SUV for South Africa is officially on its way, after the brand confirmed that export shipments of the model have begun to more than 100 global markets, including South Africa.
Maruti Suzuki, Suzuki’s Indian division, announced that around 450 vehicles left the Mundra and Pipavav ports on 16 January, bound for destinations across Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
The vehicle, known as the Victoris in India, will arrive in South Africa under a different name: The Suzuki Across.
Across comes to SA
So, why the name change? For export markets, including South Africa, The Citizen reports, the Victoris will be rebadged as the Across, reviving a name already familiar in Europe.
The Across badge has previously been used on a rebadged version of the Toyota RAV4 sold in Europe since 2020. Suzuki is continuing with the name to align its global export strategy.
“Maruti Suzuki’s export journey is guided by the vision of ‘Made in India, Make for the World’,” said managing director and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi.
He added that Maruti Suzuki has been India’s largest passenger vehicle exporter for five consecutive years, with export growth far outpacing the rest of the industry between 2020 and 2025.
Set to become Suzuki SA’s new flagship
When it launches locally, the Across will sit above the Grand Vitara in Suzuki Auto South Africa’s line-up.
This follows a quiet reshuffle of the Grand Vitara range in November, which saw the removal of the hybrid variant and the manual GLX petrol model, creating space for a new flagship offering.
The Across is expected to target buyers looking for a larger, more premium SUV, positioning it at the top of Suzuki’s local range.
What it could cost in South Africa
While local pricing and specifications have not yet been confirmed, the Victoris is priced in India between Rs 1 049 900 and Rs 1 998 900. Directly converted, this equates to roughly R195 000 to R370 000, before taxes and import costs.
In South Africa, the Grand Vitara 1.5 GLX automatic currently sells for R453 900, suggesting the Across will likely start above that level.
Industry expectations point to a starting price in the region of R470 000 to R480 000, with higher-spec versions potentially pushing beyond R500 000, a first for Suzuki in South Africa.
