The Vitara first saw daylight in 1988 when it made its worldwide launch. Now that it's finally back, it seems Suzuki has done more than it should to ensure that the compact SUV doesn't lose its off-road heritage.
If the Vitara were a person, it would most certainly be a Eurasian. It has a mixed ancestry of Japanese heritage with European, rugged good looks. Not to mention that the car was manufactured in Hungary.
Whatever the race or religion, Suzuki's new compact SUV Vitara has managed to slot itself aptly in a segment that is slowly but steadily forming a lucrative slice of the local market.
Designed to offer family practicality and a dash of off-road prowess, which we tried in a small circuit, this muscular no-nonsense car is the kind of vehicle everyone wants to be friends with. In fact, with its humble and honest nature, good looks and generous space, the Suzuki Vitara is like a big family hatchback, and then some…
Exterior
As what you'd expect from a mix of Japanese and Hungarian, the car appears to be good-looking, with a hunkered stance that resembles the Range Rover Evoque. In fact, it resembles nothing like its predecessor, with a front fascia that's more coherent and less conservative.
If the Vitara were a person, it would most certainly be a Eurasian. It has a mixed ancestry of Japanese heritage with European, rugged good looks. Not to mention that the car was manufactured in Hungary.
Whatever the race or religion, Suzuki's new compact SUV Vitara has managed to slot itself aptly in a segment that is slowly but steadily forming a lucrative slice of the local market.
Designed to offer family practicality and a dash of off-road prowess, which we tried in a small circuit, this muscular no-nonsense car is the kind of vehicle everyone wants to be friends with. In fact, with its humble and honest nature, good looks and generous space, the Suzuki Vitara is like a big family hatchback, and then some…
Exterior
As what you'd expect from a mix of Japanese and Hungarian, the car appears to be good-looking, with a hunkered stance that resembles the Range Rover Evoque. In fact, it resembles nothing like its predecessor, with a front fascia that's more coherent and less conservative.
Measuring 4,175mm long, 1,775mm wide and 1,610mm tall, the Vitara sports a shorter and more muscular proportion. Not to say it also has a more modern appearance compared to the S-Cross - the car it shares the same architectural platform with.
Attractive colours such as the Atlantis Turquoise and the Horizon Orange, accompanied by roof rails and available two-tone rooftop and side mirror caps (black or white), front grille and fenders (black, white and chrome) see to the aesthetical appeal.
You could opt for the monotone look, but you'd be dubbed as a boring driver with the car's outdoorsy disposition.
Attractive colours such as the Atlantis Turquoise and the Horizon Orange, accompanied by roof rails and available two-tone rooftop and side mirror caps (black or white), front grille and fenders (black, white and chrome) see to the aesthetical appeal.
You could opt for the monotone look, but you'd be dubbed as a boring driver with the car's outdoorsy disposition.
Interior
Like most Suzukis we can remember, the Vitara has a cabin that appears more durable than dazzling. Hard plastics abound the dash and door panels, which is a waste because the seats are nicely covered in leather and suede, allowing the car to be more upmarket than its S-Cross sibling.
Youthful bragging rights are also made possible with three choices of clocks with fashionable faces trendy buyers can opt for, including one that has Japanese kanji characters.
Getting yourself into a comfortable and confident position isn’t a tough task, thanks to a steering wheel that can be adjusted for rake and reach. It does help a lot, especially for a pint-sized writer such as this one.
Like most Suzukis we can remember, the Vitara has a cabin that appears more durable than dazzling. Hard plastics abound the dash and door panels, which is a waste because the seats are nicely covered in leather and suede, allowing the car to be more upmarket than its S-Cross sibling.
Youthful bragging rights are also made possible with three choices of clocks with fashionable faces trendy buyers can opt for, including one that has Japanese kanji characters.
Getting yourself into a comfortable and confident position isn’t a tough task, thanks to a steering wheel that can be adjusted for rake and reach. It does help a lot, especially for a pint-sized writer such as this one.
Space wise, there is a slight squeeze shoulder to shoulder for three Asian adults, but head, knee and legroom remain to be generous. This is achieved despite having a slightly shorter wheelbase than that of the S-Cross.
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 when you’re transporting goods.
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 when you’re transporting goods.
The Drive
On the road, the car weighing over 1.2 tonnes impresses with an acceleration that will please most buyers. It isn't considered quick off the line, but it has a sincere and hardworking attitude that's sufficient to keep it on par with most of the pack here in Singapore.
While the steering is light and isn't talkative around the twisty stretches of the town we were in, its firm but well-damped ride will do an excellent job in keeping occupants comfortable instead of crashy. The fact that the 17-inch tyres were constantly put to the test on rough and rugged roads can further attest to that.
Although tame, the 1.6-litre engine is relatively vocal on the go, but it settles down once you get up to speed on the highway where everyone else drives past 100km/h. It’s also around this speed when wind noise starts to get more apparent.
The AllGrip offers four driving modes via a transmission mode selector (Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock), each of which tailors the car's responses. In Auto, the car is essentially a front-wheel driver and will send power to the rear wheels if wheelspin is detected. Sport tweaks the acceleration response and puts the car through the paces in a lighter and more likeable manner via all four wheels. In fact, it's in this mode when you can enjoy the 118bhp and 156Nm of torque.
On the road, the car weighing over 1.2 tonnes impresses with an acceleration that will please most buyers. It isn't considered quick off the line, but it has a sincere and hardworking attitude that's sufficient to keep it on par with most of the pack here in Singapore.
While the steering is light and isn't talkative around the twisty stretches of the town we were in, its firm but well-damped ride will do an excellent job in keeping occupants comfortable instead of crashy. The fact that the 17-inch tyres were constantly put to the test on rough and rugged roads can further attest to that.
Although tame, the 1.6-litre engine is relatively vocal on the go, but it settles down once you get up to speed on the highway where everyone else drives past 100km/h. It’s also around this speed when wind noise starts to get more apparent.
The AllGrip offers four driving modes via a transmission mode selector (Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock), each of which tailors the car's responses. In Auto, the car is essentially a front-wheel driver and will send power to the rear wheels if wheelspin is detected. Sport tweaks the acceleration response and puts the car through the paces in a lighter and more likeable manner via all four wheels. In fact, it's in this mode when you can enjoy the 118bhp and 156Nm of torque.
On the other hand, Snow mode utilises four-wheel drive by default and is most suitable should you end up in challenging off-road conditions. It's also only in this mode when the Lock can be activated. This said mode effectively limits the slipping wheel and yields extra torque to the gripping wheels, allowing the car to extricate itself from sticky situations.
Conclusion
Whatever the mode you decide to hustle the Vitara in, it all leads to trustworthy reactions. As a result, you don't find yourself questioning the ability of this vehicle. And that's the sort of charm that's missing in a lot of cars these days - the sort of charm that will help it take on the big timers in its segment.
Expected to arrive in the third quarter of this year, the Suzuki Vitara will be priced slightly higher than the S-Cross. After all, it's like a big family hatchback, and then some…
Conclusion
Whatever the mode you decide to hustle the Vitara in, it all leads to trustworthy reactions. As a result, you don't find yourself questioning the ability of this vehicle. And that's the sort of charm that's missing in a lot of cars these days - the sort of charm that will help it take on the big timers in its segment.
Expected to arrive in the third quarter of this year, the Suzuki Vitara will be priced slightly higher than the S-Cross. After all, it's like a big family hatchback, and then some…
