The all new Suzuki Vitara returns with a better package

After 27 years since the Vitara first saw daylight in 1988, the compact SUV sporting a familiar nameplate is back, and for good reasons. Suzuki aims to make the sixth generation Vitara more than just a tool of mobility. Instead, it's all about individuality, which explains the vast possibilities of personalisation for the exterior and interior of the car.

Three new colours have been added to the palette - Atlantis Turquoise Pearl Metallic, Horizon Orange Metallic and Savannah Ivory Metallic - and none of which appears to be out of place. You can even opt for the dual-tone package, which allows you to have the roof and wing mirrors in black or white. Minor modifications to the grille and fenders (you can have them in black, white and chrome) are also available.

On first glance, the car can be easily mistaken for a European car. It obviously sports a more muscular proportion of 4,175mm x 1,775mm x 1,610mm (L x W x H) as compared to the heavier Suzuki S-Cross - the car which the Vitara shares the same architectural platform with.

Due to its shorter length, however, the wheelbase measurement of the compact SUV is slightly shorter than that of the S-Cross. But it doesn't seem to have an effect on its rear passengers. While there is a slight shoulder squeeze for three Asian adults, head, knee and legroom remain to be generous. Also generous is the boot space of 375 litres. While not as spacious as competitors such as the Nissan Qashqai (430 litres) and the Subaru XV (380 litres), the low loading height helps a lot when you're transporting goods.

As expected, four driving modes are available on the AllGrip (all-wheel drive) model - Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock. Despite weighing close to 1.2 tonnes, the car will finish the century sprint in a respectable 13 seconds before hitting a top speed of 180km/h - a wee bit faster than the Subaru XV.

The lighter front-wheel drive (FWD) variant, on the other hand, will complete the same sprint in 12.5 seconds - quicker than the recently launched Qashqai 1.2.

Unlike the S-Cross, which is mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), the Vitara is mated to a conventional but creamy torque converter six-speed automatic gearbox. According to Chief Engineer Hiroyuki Yonezawa, driver involvement is one of the vital considerations for the compact SUV.

Both variants of the Vitara are expected to arrive in Singapore in the third quarter of this year.