he original Suzuki Vitara is one of the progenitors of today’s small SUV craze, and despite having been off the market since 1998, the nameplate maintains a certain kind of cache. This is one company that knows a thing or two about small, cheap off-roaders.
That’s why it makes perfect sense for Suzuki to dust off this iconic badge and return it to the fold, affixed to the boxy and uncharacteristically characterful small crossover.
Overall, the new Suzuki Vitara is a rather likeable little crossover SUV, albeit one beset with stiff competition. It isn’t the same type of little SUV its predecessor was, but it’ll steal some sales from prosaic small hatchbacks without a shadow of a doubt, and lure some current Swift owners keen on trading into something bigger.
On first impressions could use a few more kW under the bonnet, and the cabin plastics feel cheap. But then again, the Vitara is cheap in feature-packed RT-S guise, and it has the right kind of pseudo-tough styling and standard features to make an impact. A good start.
Pros
Funky design inside and out
Handles rather well
Well-priced, notably at entry level
Good levels of standard equipment, six-speed auto rather than CVT
Cons
Underpowered
Steering not engaging enough
Base version has no 4WD option, some cabin plastics
Rear headroom when fitted with sunroof, NVH
