What’s hot?
- Big engineering shift up from the outgoing Vitara makes the new model more refined, safer, more efficient and rewarding to drive.
- Compact size, five doors and rugged SUV looks, a format that plays right into one of the industry’s hottest segments right now.
- Choice of two 1.6 engines: petrol (Suzuki’s own) or Fiat-sourced diesel. CO2 emissions of just 106 g/km for the front-drive 1.6 diesel Vitara with 6-speed manual box. Go petrol and it’s a still competitive 123 g/km.
- Dynamically, this is the best Vitara yet. Much improved body rigidity, ride and steering control. Handling also well balanced and responsive, making the Vitara fun to punt along a twisty road. It also cruises well and is as easy/convenient to thread through the city as a normal family hatch.
- Strong, smooth torquey performance from the diesel 1.6. Decent 6-speed manual gearchange to match
- Suzuki’s ALL GRIP four-wheel-drive system with four modes – Auto, Sport, Snow and (rare in this class), Lock – is easy to configure to boost on/off road traction.
- First Suzuki model in the EC to have Hill Descent Control
- True to form, plenty of ‘lifestyle’ personalisation on offer, plus two option packs – Urban and Rugged – to upspec the car further.
- Bluetooth and DAB radio as standard. Smartphone link audio and sat nav also standard on all bar base SZ4 models.
- Top SZ5 also gets radar brake support and adaptive cruise control, as options.
- Competitively priced to undercut the big names, with prices starting from £13,999 OTR
