Tested: Suzuki's crossed-over Vitara

By: Jason Woosey

Johannesburg - Is there really anything in a name, besides an entire reputation? It wasn’t too long ago that a Porsche could only be a low-slung sportscar, an Apple that you couldn’t eat was a PC and Donald Trump was just a crude business tycoon with a tacky reality show. Now Porsche is churning out SUVs by the thousand, Apple is your phone, TV and music store and Canada is contemplating building a wall to keep the US refugees out.

What does this have to do with the new Suzuki Vitara? When it first hit the scene in 1988 as an early pioneer of today’s booming small SUV segment the Vitara was a trail-gobbling offroader, built on a tough ladder frame and (in most cases) featuring a traditional part-time four-wheel drive system with a transfer case and low range. You could certainly forgive Suzuki for having assumed that most SUV buyers actually wanted to go bundu bashing.

Fast forward to modern times, though, and car-based, road-biased crossovers have gone viral and Suzuki has taken the “if-you-can’t-beat-‘em” approach with today’s unibody SX4 and Vitara SUVs.

Of the five models in the new Vitara range, three are front-wheel-driven and even the two All-Grip models, as they’re called, follow modern ‘softroader’ formula with a permanent all-wheel-drive system, albeit with four selectable modes, hill descent control and locking centre diff. That’s more than the average buyer in this segment is ever going to need, which is why one can’t really blame Suzuki for shifting direction here – it is simply keeping with the times.

Playing the crossover part

But how does the new Vitara stack up against its modern crossover rivals? For starters it’s sized within the ballpark, being slightly larger than the Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke but smaller than the Mazda CX-3 and cabin space in the Suzuki is relatively ample.

It’s Evoquative yet fairly restrained styling also fits the modern, sleek mould and, as long as you don’t choose the base model, there are ways to spunk it up a bit, with four roof and three grille colours to choose from as well as an array of contrasting dashboard panels and air vent surrounds.

Despite these few touches of flair, the interior is still more utilitarian than boutique-hatch-chic. All surfaces are hard to the touch, but the cabin is very solidly put together. You get a conventional audio system rather than a touchscreen, although it does have all the basics like a USB socket and Bluetooth connectivity. The mid-spec GL+ front-wheel-drive featured here also packs cruise control, automatic climate control and a multi-function steering wheel.

Good performance and ride

All versions are powered by the same normally-aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine, rated at 86kW and 151Nm and thanks to a surprisingly light kerb weight of 1 075kg in the case of FWD manual models, performance is more than acceptable. It cruises very comfortably on the highway and briskly in town, although if you’ve driven any of its turbocharged rivals you might wish for more mid-range torque.

Only the FWD GLX model comes with Suzuki’s six-speed automatic gearbox, meaning the rest make do with a five-speed manual, although the ratios are well spaced.

The Vitara sits on conventional MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension and it’s clearly been set up for comfort, with a cushy ride being the order of the day on most surfaces. Despite this, and bearing in mind that its 185mm ground clearance does result in a bit of body roll, its road-hugging ability is perfectly acceptable by class standards. Chucking it through the urban grind is both painless and enjoyable thanks to an easy clutch action and solid-feeling gear-shift and steering.

VERDICT

The reinvented Vitara is a comfortable, solidly made and reasonably practical crossover with agreeable styling, but it doesn’t quite do enough to stand out meaningfully among its rivals. It’s a capable all-rounder, but for the money I think I’d find Mazda’s CX-3 a bit more attractive. At this level it’s also not too much of a stretch to bigger contenders like Suzuki’s own SX4 and the Nissan Qashqai.

FACTS

Suzuki Vitara 1.6 GL+

Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder petrol

Gearbox: 5-speed manual

Power: 86kW @ 6000rpm

Torque: 151Nm @ 4000rpm

Price: R289 900

Warranty: 3-year / 100 000km

Service plan: 4-year / 60 000km

ALTERNATIVES

Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend- 92kW/170Nm - R268 900

Kia Soul 1.6 Star t – 91kW/152Nm - R293 995