While Maruti Suzuki has chosen to launch the S-Cross in India, there’s another compact SUV in their portfolio that’s all new – not to mention quite well known – the Suzuki Vitara. Here’s an in-depth look at this very capable SUV.
The Suzuki Vitara is evolving. Twenty-seven years after its debut, the Vitara has put aside its penchant for adventure and has dedicated itself to the family. But despite the change of skin, the fourth generation Vitara’s off-road DNA remains intact. Its ability to deal with the ascents, descents, trenches and twists of our off-road track amazed us. Plus, there’s also more dynamic ability on offer. The Vitara is not one to be daunted. It was only slowed by its inherent limitations – tyres that are designed mostly for urban environments, which is where it would be spending most of its time (rather than determining the angle of attack at an off-road course). The only other limitation in the face of extremely steep slopes was the absence of a first gear short enough to take on harsh inclines without making the clutch work overtime.
SHADES OF COLOUR
Of course, all this is merely play and doesn’t represent the essence of the new Vitara. What’s really impressive in this new avatar is a cabin that offers a remarkable mix of space and utility – comfortable seats, where passenger in the rear seat have plenty of head and legroom (even when the front seat are reclined).
In short, it’s a pleasant environment that typical of a new-age Suzuki. There are some novel elements as well, such as the body coloured pieces of trim on the dashboard – this is the kind of detail that you would normally find on a Mini or Fiat 500.
The centre console, door pads, and rest of the interior though follow the usual austere seriousness – lit up only by rare flashes of satin silver placed here and there. At the end of the day, it’s a ‘no frills’ set up where the concessions to any element that are non functional are very rare – with the result that a simple and standard clock, in which the Arabic numerals have been replaced with Japanese characters takes the flavour of a real coup de theatre. The finishing of the Vitara veers towards substance rather than luxury – but it’s certainly not cheap!
AND THE ENGINE IS ABSOLUTELY… LIVELY!
The raised driving position gives the driver a reassuring sense of command. In the city, the Vitara exhibits an appreciable ability to manoeuvre itself through traffic. This is mainly because of its relatively compact dimensions, and a brilliant engine that’s responsive at any speed.
A 1,600cc turbo-diesel, sourced from Fiat, is one of the most remarkable qualities of the Vitara. It gains speed with a brilliance that seems even greater than the impression made by the pure numbers registered at our test centre.
It does, however, sound a bit agricultural – even if you don’t floor the throttle. The noise that seeps into the cabin is one of the downsides of the Vitara, but the otherwise brilliant engine makes up for it by proving to be extremely efficient – even in all-wheel drive mode.
The active speed controller makes longer trips comfortable. But the autonomous braking system can be a bit rude at times, because at low speed it’s quite aggressive on the brakes to avoid collisions (or, at least, to minimise the consequences).
SMOOTH ON THE CURVES
The ride quality of the Vitara is very interesting. At first, the steering feels vague and relays little information to the driver. It takes some experience to know that the steering accuracy and progression is good.
Suzuki says its aim with the Vitara was to make it drive like the Swift. The new Vitara has been built to provide the feeling of driving an SUV with ease, thanks to its shorter wheelbase – 10 centimetres shorter than the S-Cross, which gives it greater agility. But it is less agile than a Skoda Yeti, for instance.
The new Vitara comes with four transmission settings – Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock. These regulate where the power is sent – ranging from a two-wheel drive fuel-saving mode when cruising in Auto, to permanent four-wheel drive modes like Snow and Lock to take you out of tricky situations. The Sport mode sends power to the rear wheels according to throttle inputs.
The Vitara exhibits evident body roll, but the suspension carpets most rough surfaces, including potholes, with ease.
The instrumentation is clear, with four main instruments, a central display and a wide range of warning lights. Switches to the left of the steering column look a bit old school – as do the switches for the seat heaters in this European model.
The Vitara features an optional all-glass panoramic roof.
The clock with Kanji characters is a nice touch of creativity – and nestled between the air vents it looks that much more traditional.
A large, and clear, touchscreen allows you to tune to your favourite radio station with ease. The Home screen, meanwhile, allows you to easily choose between Entertainment, Navigation, and Connectivity.
The Vitara comes with four transmission settings – Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock. These switch between two-wheel drive when cruising to permanent four-wheel drive when you need to get out of tricky situations. Sport mode, meanwhile, sends power to the rear wheels when demanded.
WITH A MADE-IN-ITALY HEART
The Vitara shares much with the S-Cross under the skin, including the 1.6-litre diesel engine, transmission, four-wheel drive, and automatic McPherson front suspension with a torsion beam at the rear. The All-Grip selector on the Vitara offers four modes of operation for the multi-plate clutch with electronic control, which operates the four-wheel drive, as well adjust the engine response. The diesel engine is a familiar one – the 1.6 Fiat Multijet tweaked to produce 118hp and 320Nm, with a variable geometry turbo and electrically controlled fuel injection, using primers developed and patented by Fiat Powertrain Technologies and products from Bosch (able to perform up to eight injections of diesel per cycle). The Vitara is also provided with radar at the front, which activates the automatic braking system to prevent rear-end collisions (or limit their consequences). The same sensor is also used for the adaptive cruise control.
THECNICAL DATA SHEET (data reported)
Engine
• Front, Transverse, diesel
• In-line 4
• Bore 79.5mm
• Stroke 80.5mm
• Displacement 1,598cc
• Max power 118bhp @ 3,750rpm
• Max torque 320Nm @ 1,900rpm
• Cast iron cylinder block, light alloy head
• 16 valves
• Common Rail Direct injection, variable geometry turbo and intercooler
Transmission
• Four Wheel Drive
• 6-speed manual
• Tyres
• 215/55 R17 94V
• Repair kit
Car body
• Crossover, 5 doors, 5 seats
• Front axle: MacPherson strut, coil springs & stabilizer bar
• Rear axle: Torsion beam, coil springs
• Hydraulic shock absorbers
• Disc brakes, front ventilated, ABS and ESP
• Speed sensitive power steering, electric assist
• Tank 47 litres
Dimensions and Weight
• Wheelbase 2,500mm
• Front track 1,540mm / rear 1,510mm
• Length 4,180mm / width 1,780mm / height 1,610mm
• Weight 1,370kgs, at full load: 1,870kgs
Produced in
• Esztergom (Hungary)
In addition to the classic daytime running lights (positioned next to the fog lights), the Vitara also uses LEDs for its low beam headlights
THE QUALITY
The Vitara’s modern and clean look confirms a clear evolution of design, executed with sobriety. Our test car was a pre-production model, which prevents us from passing judgment on its paint quality.
But the door seals are fitted with double rings and anti-rustle lips, which are quite effective. They are well secured and the surface finish is smooth and pleasing to the touch. In the passenger cabin, the seats, made of leather and micro-fibre, are well crafted, comfortable and easily adjustable. But the plastics, including those on the centre console and side panels, are hard and scratchy – Suzuki could have used more up-market materials here.
On the other hand, the layout of the dashboard is nice – with a clean outlay of the multimedia system and the air conditioning controls. In the boot, there are four eyelets for securing luggage and a hook for bags.
SUMMARY
Suzuki has decided not to settle just for the S-Cross, but develop a brand new Vitara as well – which is more stylish and loaded with features compared to its previous models. It’s also one of the few models to offer all-wheel drive and a 1.6-litre diesel engine. Moreover, the latest model retains its ability to cover difficult terrain.
The Vitara may not have the finish to satisfy the most demanding tastes, but it is certainly well built. It’s a practical car, with very good visibility and low fuel consumption. And the best part is that all this sobriety doesn’t force the slightest compromise on performance – the 118 horsepower of the 1,600cc diesel engine is adequate and gives the Vitara a vitality that is among its most enjoyable characteristics.Whether or not the new Vitara will come to India is the big question? We feel it would be a great addition to Maruti Suzuki’s new Nexa programme – especially since it now has the right heart!
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