The Star: May 30, 2019

THE VITaRa
TURNS 30
BY ross KiDDie
12
living
life
Motoring
I have to keep reminding myself, the Suzuki Vitara
has nothing in common with its stablemate, the
Grand Vitara, other than the name.
The most notable reason for this is the Vitara
doesn’t sit on a ladder chassis, it has a monocoque
platform and, in contrast, it has an engine that sits
east-west in the engine bay.
Of course, that makes it a lot softer than the goanywhere
Grand, its four-wheel-drive system will
take you places seriously off-road.
However, the Vitara does have four-wheel-drive
on some variants, but mostly it is a vehicle which is
based around two-wheel-drive (front) mechanicals.
For 2019, the Vitara has just undergone a fairly
healthy facelift, it includes a raft of new equipment,
mostly for safety, but there is also new frontal
treatment and a host of cosmetic upgrades inside.
The Vitara has never been short on safety kit, it
has always had a five-star Australasian New Car
Assessment Program rating, but the new inclusions
keep it well in touch with what buyers expect in a
new car purchase.
The Vitara lands here in five variants, starting
from $27,990 and ending at $38,790. The range is
interesting, buyers have the choice of two fourcylinder
petrol engines, a naturally-aspirated
1.6-litre or a 1.4-litre turbocharged unit. The
1.6 offers the choice of manual or automatic
transmission, the turbo engine is automatic and, as
I’ve mentioned, two and four-wheel-drive options
sit along the way.
The evaluation car was the range-topping All-Grip
turbocharged model, and with two-tone paint adds
$800.
Under the bonnet, the 1373cc engine is rated with
strong power outputs for its size. Suzuki claim
outputs of 103kW and 220Nm, both realised low in
the rev band at 5500rpm for power with a long flat
torque curve stretching from 1500rpm to 4000rpm.
That’s the secret to its performance, the engine feels
strong right through the rev band, it is eager and
drives smoothly through a six-speed conventional
transmission.
Performance is surprisingly swift, the turbo
Vitara will lunge to 100km/h in 9sec. However,
what Suzuki does best is fuel economy relative
to performance. It claims a 6.2-litre per 100km
(46mpg) combined cycle average, which is pretty
tidy when you consider the turbo boost, although it
must be considered, unlike the naturally aspirated
unit, the turbo engine needs 95 to 98 octane.
The Vitara steers keenly into a corner and has
definite directional accuracy. This from a sport
utility vehicle which is firmly aimed at the family
transport market. The suspension is biased towards
the soft side, but there’s just enough firming in the
springs and dampers to arrest body roll in a corner
and absorb rough surface undulations. Bear in
mind, too, there are drive modes which enhance
grip depending on the surface encountered – auto,
snow, sport and diff lock.
The Vitara’s all-round performance is
commendable, the turbo engine adds an element of
fun for the driver; along with the benefits of strong
mid-range boost it is a safe, quick vehicle when
overtakes present themselves.
Mostly, though, the Vitara is there as a comfortable
five-seater for those who like what mid-size SUVs
offer. While rear seat occupants don’t have a huge
amount of leg room, space back there is acceptable,
and the bonus is there’s a healthy 375-litres of cargo
space behind the rear seats. With those folded
forward up to 710-litres can be carried inside.
For 30 years Vitara, in its many forms, has been a
solid seller for Suzuki. If you look at the number
which grace our roads, NZ-new and imports,
suggests it is a force to be reckoned with.
If you don’t need the capability of the Grand, then
the Vitara is still a worthwhile purchase. As much
as I like the fun element the turbo model offers,
I’d be a manual entry-level buyer At $28k it is a
bargain offering, and with all Suzuki models it will
have longevity on its side, the result of the quality
the company builds into all of its models.
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The above vehicles are factory backed,
New Zealand new, designed for our unique conditions and all feature
next-generation technology. These highly fuel-efficient Suzuki vehicles are
purpose-built for minimum environmental impact and maximum enjoyment.
In New Zealand, Suzuki’s new vehicle fleet is the cleanest of any mainstream brand. (2018 result for top 10 vehicle manufacturers.)
You’ll get an unbeatable 10 years cover from no deposit, with easy terms and a low interest rate.
At Hollands, it’s so much more than just FREE servicing. It’s a stress free purchase and ownership experience.
HOLLANDS SUZUKI CARS – CHRISTCHURCH: 2–4 Shakespeare Rd Ph: 03 366 5261. Open 7 days. TIMARU: North Street Ph: 03 684 4408.