Could this be the car world’s best kept secret?

A sophisticated plug-in hybrid SUV, with bags of room, four wheel drive, and 50 plus to the gallon.

The surprise is the badge on the bonnet… Suzuki.

I was asked in a supermarket car park if it really was a Suzuki? The answer was ‘yes and no’. You will buy it from a Suzuki showroom but the car is a rebadged Toyota Rav4. Nothing suspicious here. The two companies have a partnership and this is a case of quid pro quo. Suzuki gets a top flight plug-in hybrid for its range and Toyota gets a piggy back into the lucrative Indian market where its partner is king of the road. Just about everyone has a Suzuki.

Without wanting to be unkind, Across is a bit of a stranger to the UK market and Rav4 will always be the one to be noticed but Suzuki picks up sales from loyal followers who stick with the brand for the reliability of its cars and renowned customer service.

But here’s something to consider. Across is into its fifth year and if the 50 grand price tag is a bit salty just think of the second hand buys out there because cars in this bracket have a habit of depreciating quite quickly.

On the subject of the sport utility vehicle, a survey has found that half of the new models available in showrooms are SUVs, and that has gone up 543 per cent since 2000. Staggering or what? Or it could make a good pub quiz topic.

Back to Across which has had a bit of a refresh. Nothing drastic, they got it right from the start, but the technology updates are welcome. It now has ‘intelligent speed assistance’ which is about as close as you can get to a driverless car. In traffic it brakes, accelerates and keeps the car in its lane without input from the driver, well apart from holding the steering wheel.

Basically the car will emergency brake whether going forward or reversing. The cross traffic alert is particularly useful when side reversing, like in a supermarket car park where reversing from a space can sometimes be frightening the speed some drivers come down the lanes.

There are new graphics for the digital driver display while upgrades to the central touchscreen include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with navigation. Suzuki initially took a bit of flak for selling a 50 grand car without onboard satnav, although it was likely a case of Toyota holding something back for fear of losing too many Rav4 sales Across.

Frankly it is no longer something to shout about when one of the many smart phone navigation apps can be patched straight to the touchscreen providing up to the minute information on road conditions.

Across might be five years old but the hybrid technology has not been bettered by anyone. The 46 miles on a full charge is still about as good as it gets but it is the no fuss driving that makes Across so appealing. Once the battery is spent the car can be recharged on the go with the simple press of a button. But it is worth noting that the economy will dip because the engine is working harder to charge the battery so it is all a bit of a balancing act. Or just let the car do its own thing although it won’t give more than three or four miles of electric driving but makes life simple.

We beat the official petrol only economy figure by a country mile, recording all but 53mpg over more than 500 miles which is outstanding for a car of this size.

And Across is a big SUV with tons of room for a family of five. It sits between Mazda CX-5 and the Honda CR-V and is not quite long enough to add a third row of seats which really would seal the deal. Nevertheless rear legroom is plentiful no matter how tall your passengers are.

Boot space sounds good but against rivals without the hybrid gubbins is underwhelming but in no way a deal breaker. A sliding rear seat would produce extra litres of carrying space.

Across is a useful car to have in the locker but Suzuki’s focus now is on its first electric car – the Vitara later this year.

Fast Facts

Across Plug-in hybrid

£49,529

EV range: 46 miles

2.5 litre petrol; 306bhp

0-62mph 6secs; 112mph

22g/km. 1st road tax £110

Boot: 490-1168 litres

Insurance group 40