Suzuki Vitara 1.6 Allgrip SZ5, review: The youngsters’ runabout that’s now all grown up
Twenty seven years on, its boxy shape has been transformed, and last summer's revamp made it appealing for mums and dads, too.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It’s 27 years since Suzuki launched the Vitara – I used to see them around west London where I lived (soft-tops, usually) driven by kids going to parties I wasn’t invited to. Back then, its boxy shape and faux-rugged styling were quite innovative – the intervening decades have seen the Vitara get left in the Kings Road dust by others.
Of course, in that time the car has changed too, but last summer’s revamp is the most transformational; and perhaps it’s just me, but it feels like a car aimed at who those youngsters turned into – mums and dads with their own teenagers to contend with.
It’ll never get the cool vote again, but there’s enough swagger and tricks to stop it being terminally tagged “the mum-mobile”.
The bodywork is lightweight steel (which helps with fuel efficiency) but has add-on styling reminiscent (to this reviewer) of a designer sneaker – from the back, certainly. Distinctive diamond-shaped cluster of lights at the rear, chrome roof rails, contouring on the sides and black-edged wheel arches give the Vitara a placid tweak from the standard-issue SUV looks.
Once you’re up and inside – and the car sits quite high in classic style – it’s not quite as expansive as it looks from outside, but there’s enough boot space to cope with a family’s weekly shop. And if there are five of you tucked in, safety features are very 2015, including seven airbags.
The lightweight body and good all-round visibility made the manual version a confident, decisive drive, but, on the motorway, I find myself reaching for a sixth gear that isn’t there, the 1.6l engine seeming to strain a little above 80mph (I’d welcome the even-newer six-speed automatic model).
It’s on the winding roads and imperfect surfaces of more rural locations that the Vitara works better, its four-wheel drive and radar brake support coping well with the quick-quick-slow of country lanes (and the dashboard’s rear parking camera is useful for those inevitable reversing incidents, too).
In fact, the touch-screen audio and navigation system is one of the functions that Vitara customers may like best. It’s quick to action and clear to read with, of course, smartphone connectivity. (All useful for the most likely owners, mums and dads responding to texts requesting pick-ups from parties.) In short, it may be a little middle-aged and not moving as swiftly as it once did, but this is a reliable car with plenty of experience. Sound like you?
PRICE: £20,299
ENGINE Capacity Four-cylinder, 1586cc, petrol
POWER OUTPUT: 120 @ 6,000rpm
TOP SPEED: 112mph
FUEL ECONOMY: 50.4mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 130g/km
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments