Suzuki Across vs Rolls-Royce Cullinan

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Suzuki Across in South Africa

Suzuki Across

1.5 GLX 6AT Petrol Mild Hybrid 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 464,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 76 kW 🔧 137 Nm ⛽ 18.9 km/l
VS
Rolls-Royce Cullinan in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Cullinan Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 850 Nm ⛽ 5.95 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Cullinan
Fuel Economy Across
🛡 Safety Cullinan
📦 Practicality Cullinan
🔑 Ownership Across

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Across Cullinan
Maximum Power 75.8 kW @ 6000 rpm 420 kW @ 5000-6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 136.8 Nm @ 4400 rpm 850 Nm @ 1600-4250 rpm
Engine Size 1462 cc 6749 cc
Claimed Mileage 18.9 km/l 5.95 km/l
Ground Clearance 210 mm 173 mm
Boot / Load Bay 333 l 612 l
Airbags 6 8
Kerb Weight - 2725 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 5 years / 200,000 km promotional warranty 4 years; regional conditions apply

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Cullinan has a slight advantage, but Across remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Cullinan +65 pts
Efficiency Across +48 pts
Safety Cullinan +7 pts
Practicality Cullinan +13 pts
Ownership Across +7 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Across

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Cullinan

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Across

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Cullinan

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Across Cullinan
Model Introduced Year 2026 2018
Generation First South African generation of the current Across Cullinan Series II, the current evolution of the marque's five-door super-luxury SUV
Facelift History All-new March 2026 South African launch model; no facelift yet Cullinan was introduced in South Africa in 2018 and received its most extensive evolution as Cullinan Series II in May 2024
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door compact SUV Five-door luxury SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status On sale active
Segment C-segment family SUV Full-size super-luxury SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Internal-combustion sport utility vehicle
Tare Mass Kg 1200-1250 kg -
Spec Across Cullinan
Drivetrain Layout Front-engine, front-wheel drive All-wheel drive with all-wheel steering
LSD Available Not Applicable -
Transfer Case Not Applicable ATC 13 transfer case
Differential Lock Not Applicable No lockable differential
Paddle Shifters Standard No
Gearbox 6-speed automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Final Drive Ratio 3.683 2.81:1
Number of Gears 6 8
Transmission Type Automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Drivetrain 2WD front-wheel drive All-wheel drive
4WD Engagement Not Applicable Everywhere off-road capability engaged by one button
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not Applicable Everywhere button
Automatic Shift Paddles Standard No
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Gearbox Type 6-speed automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Applicable
Low Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
Axle Layout 4x2 All-wheel-drive power delivery with active rear-axle steering
Rear Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transmission Speeds 6 8
Gear Shift Type Straight-gate automatic selector Satellite Aided automatic gear selection
Clutch Type - Torque converter

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Cullinan leads by 10 points

Cullinan has a slight advantage, but Across remains highly competitive.

Winner 73 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 94% confidence
73
#1 Winner

Cullinan

94% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 99 Check Efficiency 28
Performance 99
Efficiency 28
Safety 99
Practicality 75
Ownership 44
Leads by 10 points
63
#2

Across

86% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 76
Safety 92
Practicality 62
Ownership 51
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Cullinan +65 Efficiency Across +48 Safety Cullinan +7 Practicality Cullinan +13 Ownership Across +7

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Cullinan

Performance 99/100
Efficiency 28/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 75/100
Ownership 44/100

Across

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 76/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 62/100
Ownership 51/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Rolls-Royce Cullinan wins with 73 pts vs 63 pts for Across

In structured scoring, Cullinan emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Across may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Cullinan edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Across 76 vs Cullinan 28. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Across 92, Cullinan 99. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Across 51, Cullinan 44. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Across 62, Cullinan 75. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Across 34, Cullinan 99. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Cullinan edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Cullinan scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Across and Cullinan in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Across scores 34 vs 99.

Efficiency: Across scores 76 vs 28.

Safety: Across scores 92 vs 99.

Practicality: Across scores 62 vs 75.

Ownership: Across scores 51 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Cullinan the advantage in this comparison.