Suzuki Vitara
Comfortable, capable and refined
These days there’s a plethora of cars in grey, silver and black and, it seems, very little else. Occasionally you see a colour such as red or blue and it stands out. Then you get the cars with a colour that has you reaching for the sunglasses.
My recent Suzuki Vitara test car was a case in point, finished in a very bright metallic yellowy gold, or solar yellow to give it the correct name. Thanks to a duo tone scheme with black roof the effect was to lessen the impact slightly and it suited the Vitara well. To my surprise there were quite a few favourable comments on the colour too.
The Vitara has been a staple of the Suzuki line up for years and regular facelifts and updates to the car, and engines, have made the latest version a comfortable, capable and refined SUV. Prices start from £27,299 and all models come with either mild or full hybrid assistance and there’s a choice of two and four-wheel-drive. It’s 50 years since Suzuki’s All-Grip system was launched and they are amazingly capable off road, and I’m not talking about the local field at a village fete but proper off-roading.
Standard fare includes adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and start, navigation, Bluetooth, auto dimming mirrors, high beam assist, heated and powered door mirrors, auto lights and wipers and tyre pressure monitoring. Two trim levels are on offer, Motion and Ultra, and an option of either 6-speed manual or automatic gears.
The interior of the Vitara is nicely finished and whilst earlier models had quite a lot of hard plastics the latest versions are a definite step up in terms of quality. Comfortable, good amounts of space and nicely refined the Vitara is an easy drive. The ride quality is good and if you are in the All-Grip, or 4-wheel-drive, model a rotary control makes it easy to switch drives depending on the conditions.
Looks are subjective but most agree that the Vitara is a good-looking car. The mild-hybrid two-wheel-drive model returns a creditable 53.2mpg and, although none of the Vitaras are quick, 0 to 62mph in 9.5 seconds, which is more than adequate. The full hybrid model improves on the mpg but is more sedate to the benchmark 62mph.
Suzuki has a well-deserved reputation for reliability and this just adds to the Vitara’s appeal. It may not be among the premium SUVs but needs to be on your shopping list for a useable and very capable SUV.
Words by Mark Slack
