STYLE WITH ADDED MUD
The new Suzuki Vitara combines form and function
Believe it or not, Suzuki is actually one of the world’s top ten car manufacturers. It makes three million cars a year – which puts it close to Ford, above Renault and way ahead of Kia/Hyundai. But when Britons are thinking of buying a new car, very few would list Suzuki among the first ten names that cross their minds. The new Suzuki Vitara aims to change that.
In the past, most Suzukis have been sold in Japan, the Far East and the USA. In Britain, hill-farmers may have valued the economy and the mud-plugging virtues of sturdy Suzuki classics such as the indomitable Jimny; but, while the rest of the world has been turning to stylish urban swankers such as the Range Rover Evoque, the Suzuki range has been looking a little primitive – like something the country cousins dragged in from the peat bogs.
The new Vitara puts an altogether different gloss on the Suzuki name. Built at the company’s factory in Hungary, it is designed with a calculating eye on Europe to compete in that teeming market for compact SUVs dominated by the likes of Toyota’s RAV4 and Ford’s Kuga.
Unlike many products aimed at European customers, which ride serenely on the glossy surfaces of German and Spanish highways but come to grief on the pot-holed disgrace of our roads, the Vitara’s chassis was developed and tested here – so it should deal comfortably with the pitted tracks that pass for public roads in the East Neuk.
At the same time, Suzuki is keen to stress that the Vitara continues the long-standing traditions of the company’s cars in being able to haul itself out of a quagmire, with an optional four-wheel-drive system called Allgrip which has been specially developed in-house.
‘It should deal comfortably with the pitted tracks that pass for public roads in the East Neuk’
Best of all worlds at a surprisingly moderate price – that’s Suzuki’s overall pitch for this car.
It’s a plausible account. To my eye, the pronounced shoulder and waist lines on the sides of its body and its sloping roofline are too reminiscent of Vauxhall’s far-from-distinguished Mokka; but there is undeniably an air of quiet composure about the Vitara’s overall presence. It might not be furiously trendy but that’s no disadvantage if it means the car won’t look out of date next year. If you crave cutting-edge, however, the Vitara’s panoramic sunroof – consisting of two individually sliding glass panels and extending over front and rear seats – could almost qualify for the term.
Diesel or petrol engines are on offer, both with 1.6-litre capacity, both generating 120bhp and both with a top speed of 112mph. The diesel, however, has more torque or pulling power than the petrol version (so it accelerates more sharply), 50 per cent better fuel consumption (overall average 70.6 mpg) and far lower CO2 emissions. The advantage it would appear to have on paper is confirmed in reality. If any question ever deserved to be dismissed as a no-brainer, it’s which option would be preferable between these two engines.
The two-wheel-drive, petrol-engined Vitara with the most basic specification is priced just under £14,000, which is close to the price territory of the ultra-cheap Dacia Duster. The most expensive four-wheel-drive diesel is almost £22,000. That’s getting towards upper crust for compact SUVs. For that price, you get LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, satnav, Bluetooth, DAB radio and more knickknacks than you can shake a stick at. It also has Suzuki’s Allgrip four-wheel-drive system – a genuine rival to the excellent Haldex system which is the industry standard for European manufacturers.
All contemporary four-wheel-drive systems distribute power to front or rear axles and to individual wheels according to need and prevailing road surfaces; but the Allgrip system can also predict the risk of frontwheel spin from the driver’s own inputs on steering wheel and throttle pedal. Such stunning innovation alone might place Suzuki among the world’s top manufacturers.