BUY, LEASE OR FINANCE A SUZUKI VITARA FROM OSV: http://bit.ly/2HCPlYn

Suzuki's improved Vitara continues to offer a strong option in the small SUV segment and is now based around Boosterjet turbo petrol power.

The Vitara, Suzuki's compact crossover, looks to build a lot of talent into four metres. This model line's now thirty years old and these days is built around 1.0 and 1.4-litre petrol power, with the usual option of ALLGRIP 4WD. This revised model gets sharper styling, extra safety kit and remains competitive proposition in the small SUV segment.

Background

Small SUV-style 'Juke-genre' SUV models are all the rage just at present. Every mainstream brand, it seems, must have one. Here's Suzuki's offering for customers in this sector, the surprisingly light, lithe and fashionable Vitara.

The Vitara is the kind of youthful, dynamic-looking product that buyers of compact Crossover models seem to want. On paper, it certainly seems to tick all the 'Juke-genre' boxes, with lifestyle looks, trendy cabin technology and supermini-standards of efficiency. It even claims to be a rewarding steer on twisty tarmac, especially with the 1.0 and 1.4-litre BOOSTERJET 1.4-litre petrol turbo engines that the Japanese brand has added since this car was originally launched. That really would make it different from small Suzuki SUVs of the past. There are familiar touches though: value pricing, high specifications and a 4WD option - something actually relatively unusual in this segment. It all sounds quite promising.

Driving Experience

The range is now based around 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre versions of Suzuki's well-proven Boosterjet petrol engine. There's now no diesel option.

We'd try and stretch to the 1.4, which puts out 140PS and 220Nm of torque is available from just 1,500rpm through to 4,000rpm. This is one of Suzuki's newest units and gives this car a reasonable turn of speed, enabling it to make 62mph in 10.2s en route to 124mph. The short overhangs will help with off-roading but the 185mm ground clearance isn't that generous. The 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine puts out 111PS and offers 160Nm of torque.

The ALLGRIP four-wheel-drive system is available with both units. The set-up features an electronically controlled clutch pack, controlled by a four-position switch on the centre console. Choose 'Auto' and it'll stick to driving the front wheels unless slip is detected, whereupon the rear wheels are pressed into action. 'Sport' diverts up to 20 per cent of torque to the rear wheels to give livelier handling. 'Snow' offers permanent four-wheel drive with the system choosing how much torque to split front and rear, while 'Lock' splits the torque equally between front and rear.

Design and Build

With tight proportions and a front end that has more than a hint of current Land Rover design about it, the Vitara is quite an assured piece of design work. This improved version gets a sleeker front grille and lower bumper, plus the rear of the car features revised design and distinctive LED combination lamps. There are smarter alloy wheel designs too. As before, there's also a blacked-out floating glasshouse and heavily sculpted flanks. Buyers can also specify a rugged package which adds front and rear skidplates as well as additional body side mouldings.

Suzuki cabins used to be the marque's weak link but this Vitara shows the company pulling its socks up a bit. Okay, so the idea of body-coloured metal across the dash isn't a new one (a few of you will recall the Fiat Coupe mining that trend way back in '93) but Suzuki also offers chrome around the gearlever and door trims, plus an analogue clock. This revised model gets a smarter upper instrument panel incorporating soft touch material, while the instrument cluster has a fresh design and features a colour central information display. As ever, this is by no means a large vehicle, breaking the tape at just over four metres long, but it still features a features a 375-litre boot. That's competitive with the rival Renault Captur, although the Suzuki lacks the Renault's sliding

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