Suzuki has entered Malaysia’s electric car market with the e Vitara, priced at RM188,000 on-the-road without insurance in Peninsular Malaysia.
The launch today followed a recent teaser by Suzuki Cars Malaysia, which signalled that the brand’s first global electric SUV was on its way here.
Distributed by Naza Eastern Motors, the e Vitara is Suzuki’s first battery electric model offered locally. Supply is limited at launch, so this is a cautious first step rather than a big-volume push.
Malaysia gets a single front-wheel-drive variant. Power comes from a front eAxle motor producing 128kW, or 174PS/172hp, and 193Nm of torque. The motor draws energy from a 61.1kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, with claimed WLTP range rated at 426km.
Charging is rated at up to 7kW AC and 67kW DC. A DC fast charge from 15% to 80% takes around 50 minutes, while a full AC charge using a 7kW charger takes about nine hours. The 0-100kph run is listed at 8.7 seconds, with top speed capped at 150kph.
The Malaysian model does not get Suzuki’s ALLGRIP-e all-wheel-drive system, which is available in some global specifications.
Inside, the e Vitara gets a 10.25-inch digital meter, 10.1-inch infotainment screen, wireless phone charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, shift-by-wire controls, a sunroof with manual shade, synthetic leather upholstery and an Infinity audio system.
Driver assistance equipment includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure prevention, multiple collision braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive high beam, a surround view monitor and parking sensors. Seven airbags are standard.
Warranty coverage is five years with unlimited mileage for the vehicle, five years or 100,000km for BEV components, and eight years or 160,000km for the battery.
The first 10 buyers also get five years of complimentary EV charging at selected Suzuki dealerships.
Suzuki Motor Corporation unveiled the e Vitara in Milan in November 2024, calling it its first mass-production BEV and first global strategic BEV model. The Malaysian unit is imported from India, where the model is produced by Suzuki Motor Gujarat.
Despite the familiar Vitara name, the e Vitara is not an electric conversion of the petrol Vitara. It is built on Suzuki’s dedicated HEARTECT-e electric vehicle platform.
The platform is also used by Toyota’s related Urban Cruiser EV, reflecting Suzuki and Toyota’s EV collaboration.
