Selwyn_Times: January 10, 2024

32 Selwyn Times Wednesday January 10 2024
Suzuki Vitara Hybrid lively and effortless
DESPITE BEING offered in
Europe, the UK and Japan for the
last five years, Hybrid versions
of Suzuki’s SUV range have
just made it to this side of the
automotive globe.
It’s a case of better late than
never. The government’s clean
car fee and rebate scheme no
doubt played a part in Suzuki’s
decision to offer a hybrid version
of their popular Vitara here last
year. Ironically, the arrival in July
of tougher thresholds to qualify
for a rebate meant most hybrids,
including the Vitara, no longer
qualified for a rebate. Even worse,
some not-so-squeaky green
hybrids’ credentials cop a clean
car fee.
Launched here in 2015, the
Vitara quickly established itself
as one of Suzuki’s best sellers,
making it a prime candidate for
the hybrid treatment. In Europe
it is a sales success story and
Suzuki will be looking for it to
carry that good form into our
market. New Hybrid versions of
the Vitara Turbo offer better fuel
economy and lower emissions,
further broadening the appeal of
one of our most popular compact
five-door SUVs.
Three petrol/electric “mild”
Hybrids are available for our
market, including a rangetopping
All Wheel Drive. Suzuki
claim the Vitara Hybrid Turbo
is at least 15 per cent more
economical than its non-Hybrid
Motoring with Bob Nettleton
Vitara siblings. It will help us all
breathe a little easier with up to
18 per cent lower CO2 emissions.
Prices start at $39,990 for the
Hybrid JX 2WD manual, with
the auto retailing for $41,990.
Rounding out the range is the
$44,990 JLX AWD auto that
was fronted for this road test.
Some customisation – two-tone
body colours – is offered for an
additional $800.
Suzuki has developed a simple,
light, compact and affordable
Hybrid system consisting of
an integrated starter generator,
engine control module, and
an auxiliary power module.
This incorporates a lithium-ion
battery and sensors and a DC/
DC (48 volt to 12 volt) power
converter, all factory warranted
for five years. Powering the
Vitara Hybrid in conjunction
with a 48V self-charging mild
hybrid system is an updated take
on Suzuki’s familiar 1.4-litre
direct injection turbo engine, repurposed
for improved efficiency
fewer emissions.
In its new hybridized state,
the motor produces 95kW of
power at 5500rpm and the
maximum torque of 235Nm at
2000-3000rpm, up 6.8 per cent
compared to the standard Vitara.
Peak torque inches are up by
15Nm.
A newly designed turbocharger
has been specified to give better
efficiency and faster spooling
up response. Automatic stop/
starting saves fuel while the
lithium ion battery powers all the
electrics. The Hybrid’s Integrated
Starter Generator uses braking
energy to efficiently recharge the
battery.
In spite of the improvement
in fuel consumption and less
emissions, the Hybrid Turbo
retains the lively performance
that helped the Vitara build a
large fan base here.
What makes this engine a
real champion is the 235Nm of
torque that’s ready for action
from just 1500rpm. This lays
the foundations for almost
instantaneous throttle response,
and one of the most effortless
drives you will find in a compact
urban SUV in this price bracket.
It’s smoother and more refined
than the standard 1.4 turbo
which is expected to exit our
market as the Vitara range
here goes all-hybrid. A quick,
accurate, and sweet shifting
six-speed automatic is a very
agreeable gear-changing device
and a good match to the hybrid
engine.
There isn’t an abundance of
usable passenger space in a cabin
that always seems a bit tight
and light on headroom for taller
types, if they’re dispatched to the
back seat. One redeeming feature
is the 60/40 split folding rear seat
allowing you to maximize the
limited rear hatch cargo area. An
unexpected bonus is a cleverly
concealed floor in the rear hatch
compartment, perfect for keeping
valuables out of sight of potential
thieves.
The cabin is an obvious area
where the Vitara is showing its
age, and with an eight-year-old
vehicle that’s difficult to disguise.
The test car was let down on
quality by plenty of hard plastic
surfaces throughout the cabin.
It needs to be better, given its
$44,995 asking price.
One of the biggest and
most welcome changes is the
introduction of a range of
new safety technology that’s
instrumental in lifting the
Vitara’s safety game a good notch
or two. Heading an extensive
list of worthwhile safety tech
is rear cross traffic alert, blind
spot monitoring, lane departure
warning and adaptive cruise
Ratings
out of 10:
Performance
7; Handling 7;
Build Quality
6; Comfort 7;
Passenger and
Load Space
5; Avg fuel
consumption
on road test
6.1L/100km;
Value for
money 6;
Safety – Five
Star ANCAP
crash rating.
Clean car fee
neutral.
Overall points
out of 10: 7
control. All hybrid versions
have standard cruise control, a
seven-inch touchscreen display
and a reversing camera, satellite
navigation, Apple CarPlay,
keyless entry and climate control
air conditioning.
Handling feels more composed
and planted on the road than
any Vitara I have driven, and
there have been a few over the
years. Tortured and heavily
potholed and corrugated road
surfaces intent on dismembering
the suspension were quelled
by the Vitara’s tough and wellproven
suspension set-up.
Body roll is consistently kept
in check when unexpected
deviations in the road surface
are encountered. For a smallish
SUV, the ride is supple enough,
although the suspension can get
a bit vocal over high frequency
bumps in lower speed urban
driving.
Light, direct steering does
the job without being a class
standout. Giving the steering
more weight and a stronger dose
of road feel would help improve
on that ranking.
In the final wash up, the
Hungarian-made Vitara turbo
hybrid is an enjoyable drive,
versatile and with AWD well
suited to our gnarly roads and
weather. On the down side, fuel
economy isn’t much better than
the turbo motor model, making
it hard to justify the hybrid
variant’s premium pricing.
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