Suzuki Vitara turns 30

The Suzuki Vitara has been a mainstay of the Japanese manufacturers range for three decades, writes Damien O’Carroll.

After selling more than 3.65 million units in 191 countries around the world, the Suzuki Vitara hits another milestone this year when it turns 30 years old.

While the current incarnation of the Vitara has morphed into a more crossover-style SUV, the original is much-loved the world over for its blend of rugged off road prowess and on road usability, but it is also famous as being the basis for (well, let’s be honest – it lent its grille and name to) the frankly insane 700kW+ twin-engined Escudo (the Japanese market name for the Vitara) that the legendary Nobuhiro ‘‘Monster’’ Tajima dominated the Pike Peak hillclimb with for a number of years.

To celebrate its 30th birthday, we take a look at the four generations of Vitara.

1st Generation (1988)

In the mid-1980s Suzuki decided it needed a vehicle to slot in above its venerable and tiny Jimny, but didn’t want to go full-size (and heavy) SUV, so it took the thendramatic step of creating an SUV that was totally unlike the heavyduty cross-country vehicles and passenger style sport utility vehicles of the time.

The first-generation Vitara was based on a sturdy ladder-frame chassis with simple, refined suspension, but weighed less than 1000kg, making it lighter than any other off-roader available at the time.

It featured front and rear coil springs that were superior to the leaf springs used on a lot of 4x4 vehicles at the time as well.

Because it was so light, Suzuki could also get away with a far more modest engine in the shape of its 60kW 1.6-litre petrol fourcylinder unit.

Called the Escudo in its home market (oddly named after a Portuguese money), the Vitara was also sold as the Mazda Proceed Levante in Japan and the Suzuki Sidekick, Chevrolet, Geo and GMC Tracker and Pontiac Sunrunner in the United States and Canada.

The first-generation Vitara sold about 1.1 million units over nineand-a-half years world-wide.

2nd Generation (1998)

The second-generation Vitara went a bit fancier with the addition of ‘‘Grand’’ to its name to become the Grand Vitara. This enabled Suzuki to keep selling the original car as the Vitara alongside the new Grand Vitara until 2003.

The Grand Vitara’s front end got a distinctive, chunky grill and large reflector headlamps, while it kept the sharp wedge profile from the previous generation vehicle.

Suzuki was well aware of the increasing use of SUVs in the city and other urban areas, so for the second car took the opportunity to deliver better on-road performance, changing the steering to a car-like rack-andpinion steering box instead of the recirculating ball unit used in the first generation, although counter to this also changed the rear axle to a five-link rigid set-up.

It grew larger and more expensive and moved up to a range of 2.0-litre engines and a V6, except in the United Kingdom where the 1.6 remained available.

It was as successful as the first car and in its seven years of sales saw Vitara’s total climb to more than 1.7 million units.

3rd Generation (2005)

The third-generation Vitara made its debut in 2005 and was a dramatic departure (under the skin, at least) from the second car.

The ladder-frame construction was replaced with unibody construction that featured a unique built-in ladder frame to improve stiffness and ground clearance while also reducing the floor height.

The front MacPherson strut suspension was retained, but the rear solid axle was replaced with fully independent multi-link suspension and a 2.7-litre petrol V6 was available, along with a 1.9-litre Renault-sourced diesel four-cylinder, although the 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol engines continued as well.

In some markets the five-door version was sold as the Grand Vitara, while the three-door version took on the Vitara name.

4th Generation (2015)

In September 2015, 27 years after the first-generation Vitara’s debut, Suzuki dropped the ‘‘Grand’’ and returned to the Vitara name for all variants with the brand new model.

Sitting on the same monocoque platform as the S-Cross, the new Vitara also shares engines with its more urban cousin in the form of 1.6-litre petrol and diesel fours.

The Vitara also scores Suzuki’s excellent 1.4-litre turbo BoosterJet petrol engine.

Over the years the Vitara has moved constantly away from its off-road roots and more towards on-road comfort, with the newest incarnation being the ultimate expression of that, while still actually retaining a surprising amount of off road capability, despite its decidedly on-road underpinnings.

Now, before someone starts howling in indignation that an on-road-focused Vitara is an affront to the name, relax; you can still actually buy the 3rd-gen Grand Vitara, and Suzuki has said it has no firm plans to replace it – or even stop making it – keeping in line with the Japanese company’s long standing tradition of offering the previous model alongside the new one.

The Vitara was originally only available as a two-door hardtop or convertible, the longer five door came two years later.

The second generation Vitara got bigger and more expensive. It also had a ‘‘Grand’’ added to its name.

By the time it hit its fourth generation the Vitara had morphed into a crossover SUV, with better onroad dynamics and a brilliant turbo engine.

By its third generation the Vitara had migrated to a monocoque structure, although it still had a trick integrated ladder platform for good measure.