Cute, stylish but no off-roader
Is a city car really worthy of the Vitara name? David Linklater decides.
That’s easy: two, at least for now. The latest Vitara is a brand new baby-SUV launched this year, but the larger Grand Vitara is still on Suzuki New Zealand’s books.
It’s a bit of a tangled web, but it all starts at the same place: the original Vitara of 1988.
It grew into something larger in its second generation and became the Grand Vitara; the current (third-generation) model has been around for a decade now and is still a rugged off-roader with a low-range gearbox and separate chassis.
The new Vitara has dropped the Grand label, it’s smaller and it’s much more urban-focused: you can even have it in front-drive, as is the case with our test car.
But it’s also bursting with styling references to the original, including that boxy profile and specific styling detail such as the clamshell bonnet and (fake) side vents.
You could almost regard the new Vitara as an enormous retro in-joke; our Limited test vehicle even came in a turquoise colour that’s classic early-1990s. But even though it looks back in some ways, this is also how Suzuki is moving forward: the factory has no stated plan to replace the larger Grand Vitara. That’s cruel but partially correct. The Vitara really is all about the look, because it’s based on the platform of the S-Cross (they’re even the same price model-formodel). Our Vitara test car came in top Limited specification, but for reasons known only to Suzuki the newer Vitara has moved to a proper six-speed automatic. At a stroke, that takes this small-car architecture from feeling like an appliance to being mildly entertaining. There’s a small price to pay in terms of fuel economy: the Vitara is 0.2 litres per 100km thirstier than the S-Cross, even though it’s 35kg lighter. Totally worth it.
The Vitara also has a more appealing interior than the somewhat sparse-looking S-Cross: lots of hard plastic but crisp architecture, including retroround ventilation outlets and an analogue clock. The top Limited has different trim, keyless entry, a panoramic roof, parking radar (a camera is standard on all models though) and rain-sensing wipers. Well, you have to move with the times. Hard-core off-road SUVs are few and far between these days and the baby-crossover segment is growing at a huge rate. If the aim of a carmaker is to actually sell cars, this is a bit of a no-brainer.
You could justifiably accuse Suzuki of trading on the Vitara name to give this new model perceived credibility in a segment full of soft-road vehicles.
After all, it didn’t have to appropriate the styling and badge in such an obvious way.
On the other hand, you could also argue that Suzuki has simply returned the Vitara to its roots.
The 1980s original was indeed a tough off-road vehicle, but it was also a small SUV that became extremely fashionable among the urban set. Started a trend, even.