By Karl Peskett.
Remember the good old days when the Suzuki Vitara was a proper off-road machine? Back then, with low-range, a short wheelbase and good ground clearance, it was a compact SUV that would leave soft-roaders for dead.
Well, that void has been filled by the excellent Jimny. Having two tiny off-roaders would cannibalise Suzuki’s sales, which is why the Vitara has swung around to become a soft-roader. But therein likes the problem. Today, the Vitara is just another crossover competing in an increasingly crowded segment.
What it needs is something special to keep it competitive, to give it an edge. And when the current shape was first launched it had that – price was its USP. In front-wheel-drive, base model form, it was a smidge over $20K, becoming easily the cheapest SUV with the most space. Even now, at $22,490, it’s brilliant value.
Now in 2019 form, the Vitara has been updated, including new materials, better quality and a top-end turbocharged model that promises to offer a more sporting drive. So, is it worth the $34K that Suzuki is asking? Well come back to that one.
The changes to the outside haven’t been massive, however the small tweaks have
improved the styling, such as the new daytime running light signature that curves up like winglets at the edges, and a slightly different grille design.
The interior is where most of the changes have happened, in that the seats now sport a velour insert with a patterned texture, while the outer edges get a leather trim to make them more durable. The analogue clock on the dash has come in for an overhaul and the plastic dash fascia is no longer the solid coloured plastic, rather, there’s a fleck through it which makes it look a bit more upmarket.
The same qualities which impressed us before about the Vitara are still there – there’s plenty of space for both front and back seat passengers, while the boot size of 375 litres (with 1160 litres when folded down) is enough for everyday life, and the occasional trip away.
However, there are still a lot of cheap, hard plastics around. While the general appearance is good, just touching or tapping some of the surfaces reveals that the Vitara is quite a tinny vehicle. Opening and closing the doors also gives the game away, with none of the reassuring “thunk” you’ll find on other offerings.
So, lots of space and a bit cheap inside. Still, you get climate control, Bluetooth streaming and speech, USB ports for Android Auto and Apple Car Play, sat-nav, lane departure warning, forward collision warning and autonomous braking. It has virtually everything you’d want in this price range. But how does it go out on the road?
Actually, a lot better than you’d expect from a Suzuki. The turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder is such a refined unit that it could have come from a far more upmarket vehicle. Its outputs aren’t stellar, but they’re not meagre, either. With 103kW and 220Nm on tap, there’s more than enough to keep pace with traffic and overtake on a country road without getting into trouble.
The power then runs to a six-speed automatic, which is smooth and responds well, and then that grunt is fed to all-wheel-drive. There are a few modes, including Auto, Sport and Snow. Each of these not only alter the all-wheel-drive system’s response, but also the stability control calibration, meaning if you’re on a slippery surface like gravel, choose the Snow mode and it will haul up a lot quicker. And yes, we gave it a go to confirm that it wasn’t just a sales pitch.
The suspension does a brilliant job of giving a good ride and confident handling, while the steering has enough feel to make you feel connected. All in all, the drive experience is very good.
So here’s what it all boils down to: Suzuki’s five year warranty is now matching the rest of the field, so there’s no advantage there. It drives quite well, too, but not so well that it’s a standout. The space is impressive, and the equipment is on par with most other vehicles. It just feels a bit too cheap inside.
Considering the equally spacious Honda HR-V RS is $31,990 but only comes in front-wheel-drive, you’ll have to determine whether having the surety of AWD is enough when you’re only driving on the road most of the time. Likewise, the excellent Skoda Karoq is a bit cheaper, scraping in under $30K and it blows the Vitara away on the quality front, but isn’t quite as big, nor is it AWD.
So, the Vitara has its positives, but the cheap feeling interior may be a dealbreaker for some. We’d suggest cross shopping it against its rivals, and don’t dismiss it out of hand – you might find that drive experience and space is just too good to pass up.
