Plenty of interest from Irish customers in new Suzuki Vitara
Suzuki has been thrown a lifeline with the arrival of their Vitara earlier this year. Orders are ahead of supply and with the 152 plate now in full swing, they are relishing the rest of the year. While that may be surprising to some, the new Vitara is a massively important car for the Japanese brand and with an attractive entry price tag and four-wheel drive as an option, there is a lot of interest from Irish customers.
It is also a very handsome SUV in the right bracket just now. Sales of this type of vehicle are an all-time high and with some buyers always chasing something different, the Vitara makes a lot of sense. Starting at €19,995 for the 2WD 1.6 petrol model, it sits below many of its competitors making it an alluring proposition. That price is a special introductory price that will last until October, so now is a good time to have a closer look.
There is also a range of 1.6 DDiS diesel models and these are expected to be the most popular with Irish customers. All are available in GL, GL+ and GLX grades. Both the petrol and diesel models have 120 bhp with CO2 emissions for the diesels at 106g/km and 123g/km for the petrol.
Suzuki has been in the SUV business longer than most and since its market launch in 1988, the Vitara name has been noted for reliability, style and ease of use. This new car takes these qualities to a new place with its city-oriented design; compact, easy to manage dimensions; good on-road performance; and genuine off-road capability.
I have been driving the top-of-the-range GLX grade with ALLGRIP 4-wheel drive and all the bells and whistles that come as extras in this model. Large diameter wheels and the higher ground clearance make it ideal for going off road while it still manages to behave with good manners on the public roads. With the ALLGRIP four-wheel drive system you get four modes that allows the driver to choose a mode to suit the road surface and driving conditions.
All Vitara models come with seven airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, DAB Radio with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, Cruise control with speed limiter, auto air conditioning, front and rear electric windows and projector headlamps. GL+ adds 17-inch silver painted alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, Smartphone link audio and navigation system.
Moving up to GLX, the car that I got to test, you get the addition of LED Projector headlights, 17-inch polished alloy wheels, suede seat fabric, keyless entry with start button, Adaptive Cruise Control, Radar Brake Support and Panoramic sunroof. This model has a price tag of €27,995, a price that will again rise in October.
My test model came in a turquoise blue colour that certainly stood out from the crowd. There are a wide range of colours available and this would not be my favourite. The colour scheme was carried inside the car too and while it may be attractive to some, I think it cheapened the interior. There are more traditional schemes than this and I would prefer an all-black dashboard.
Otherwise, the cabin is a bright, well appointed, easy to use offering with a colourful touchscreen that is easily navigated. I also like the seating and the panoramic sunroof adds the bright ambience.
On the road the Vitara drives like many other SUVs. You have a high seating position and while there is some roll in the corners, it is nothing that will make you feel out of control or uncomfortable. The engine is a lovely power unit that attached to a silky six-speed gearbox give you all the driving prowess that you need in a car like this.
It comes with a detachable tow hitch and when tested, the car proved to be a very competent car with a trailer attached. It is a lot lighter than you would expect and this has a positive effect on fuel consumption – my return was 6.9L/100 – and on CO2 emissions.
All-in-all there is little to complain about with the new Vitara. It is a stylish, likeable SUV that stands out from the norm with some clever touches both internally and externally. Suzuki has been making SUVs for a long time and this new Vitara is their best so far and, at the discounted price, it is worth consideration.