Suzuki Vitara review: value-packed SUV still delivers despite dated looks
The Suzuki Vitara
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SUZUKI VITARA |
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Rating |
★★★★☆ |
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Price |
€36,140 - €37,134 as tested |
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Engine |
a 1.4 litre turbocharged with 129-138 bhp |
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The Spec |
you’ll be shocked at the kit levels as standard here |
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Verdict |
it might be a little long of tooth, but this is a fine car indeed |
They once labelled themselves ‘the biggest small car maker in the world’ and maybe they were, but in the modern world such an epithet would appear to be underselling yourself, so Suzuki has moved on from it.
They still make loads of small cars – mainly good ones – but they don’t really go on about their size anymore, preferring instead to market them on their value for money, build quality, spectacular specification levels and reliability. And they’re right.
We here at Examiner Motoring have had nothing other than huge respect for machines like the Swift, which is one of the best superminis out there right now, but is curiously overlooked by many, possibly because it would not feature highly on any fashionista’s ‘must have’ list because it’s not exactly catwalk material.
Having been responsible for the sale of two of them recently, I’m quite proud to have been a Swift promoter, especially as I know both owners will be immensely glad they bought the car.
This week, however, we go to the other end of the Suzuki model range and try the Vitara, a small SUV which has stood the test of time and, frankly, might be getting a little frayed around the edges.
There will be a new Vitara soon and it has already been prefaced by the new e-Vitara which has been seen by the press already in prototype form and will be on the road shortly, In the meantime Suzuki are putting a bit of a push on selling the old Vitara before it finally runs out of road.
Despite being a hybrid (albeit with a 1.4 litre petrol engine), there’s not much radical about the car. It has a manual transmission (although there is an auto option), a clutch, a rev. counter and loads of other things we’ve nearly forgotten how to spell it has been so long since we utilised the words.
So, Suzuki no longer go on about the size of the Vitara anymore, or its age; they plug it, as we’ve said, on its many merits – AWD (with genuine off-road ability), a tremendous engine, loads of kit and a decent price.
This car has been with us now since 2015 and while it still looks fresh-ish, it doesn’t exactly look like it drove off the catwalk at the recent Munich motor show, or anything. That said, it is still the sort of car that when people realise what it offers – and the price it is offered at – they might well stray from the smaller SUVs that pricier brands offer.
Built in Hungary, the Vitara has at its heart the excellent 1.4 turbocharged engine which we also recently saw to good effect in the Swift, although the Vitara had it first, if that matters.
It is actually a delightful powerplant and the only fault I could detect was that the clutch was a little grabby and inclined to stall if you didn’t get the accelerator/clutch balance right. The fact I was a touch out of practice with such systems – tells a lot, doesn’t it about how quickly things are moving these days – probably didn’t help.
In any event, it is an engine which delivers much from what appears to be very little. The four-cylinder unit is very responsive and pulls very strongly from low revs. Non-Suzuki people will also be surprised at how smooth it is; they will also be shocked at how economic it is too.
Okay, it’s not exactly a McLaren MCL39 and the 0-100 km/h time of 10.2 seconds clearly illustrates the fact, but the almost 200 km/h top speed demonstrates that it can get around the place quicker than you might credit.
It’s on the consumption front that it really scores, however, and the official figure of 5.3 l/100 km (52.3 mpg) is not only excellent, but it is also very close to the truth, which is not always the case with manufacturer claims. Expect a return close to that mark even if you’ve a heavy right foot.
Suzuki’s Allgrip four-wheel-drive system is also something of a gem; it will anticipate automatically when all four wheels need to be driven but also comes with four modes which you can choose depending on the circumstances.
The ‘auto’ mode it is simply a front-driver, but engages the rears when it detects wheelspin, while ‘sport’ engages all flour wheels permanently, ‘snow’ sets the car up for low-grip surfaces and ‘lock’ is designed to get you out of sticky off-road situations. It’s a very comprehensive set-up and gives you real off-road capability.
There is also a hill-descent control button which makes sure the car will not run away from you as you’re descending the north face of the Eiger.
All in all, it’s a solid handler that will not provide any unnecessary or unpleasant surprises whatever sort of road you’re on. In normal circumstances there is a tendency towards understeer, but nothing drastic and it is rock solid when all four wheels are being driven.
Given all that, the ride is not thrashy – as can sometimes be the case with small SUVs with more off-road ambition than ability. A solid package.
From the ‘looks’ point of view, it might be suggested the Vitara is stuck in a 2015-time warp and it does look a touch dated by now, but there’s nothing fancy-dan going on. The black alloys, bee-sting aerial and the rear spoiler do add an element of raciness, but don’t think it is terribly serious in that regard.
The cabin is not really classy in any way – lots of plastic scratchiness evident – but, damn, it’s practical and easy to operate. The faux aluminium dashboard inserts add an element of shininess amid the otherwise dreary décor.
There is a simplicity about everything that reeks ‘throwback’ but everything from the climate to the infotainment works well and is easily navigated without distracting you from the driving – unlike so many modern cars.
Don’t expect to get a mob intro it, though, because it is, after all, a compact SUV; three kids in the back or two adults – that’ll be your lot. The boot too is not the biggest, but it does.
This might not be the flashiest or most muscular car you’ve ever encountered, but for all that it is simply good. It might be under-the-radar in terms of some of the more premium products out there, but if you want to experience smugness while others bang on about their expensive purchase, then the Vitara will deliver in spades.
Another really good small car from Suzuki then. Just don’t go on about the size because they’ve moved on from that.
