We drive the all-wheel drive 1.6 VVT version of the new Suzuki Vitara: 18.5 cm of ground clearance, AllGrip all-wheel drive and increased evasion angles make it versatile off-road
It doesn't need much introduction. The his name, constitutes legend in the ranks of SUVs of all time and, for many, is the very same the reason for which they would buy it, are buying it, or will buy it, without a second thought. The reason for the Suzuki Vitara, which we are testing today.
Although the average Greek learned the Vitara open, ploughing the beaches in the summers, in the previous generation this had become Grand Vitara, now he returns... shorterbut adventurous, as the trend that "shows" small crossover. And the truth, with this model is that has evolved by a long way compared to the predecessor. Because it keeps the "hard" character but it is more friendly and more comfortable in urban mobility.
Why?
It's not just the Equipment. It is not the low displacement engines, low fuel consumption and emissions, together with low operating costs that, in combination with the all-wheel drive make the Vitara look like the ideal solution for Greece. It is based on the floor of the S-Cross, which means that it has a good rolling quality and, above all very good behaviour on unpaved routes, as well as driving on the highway. No more times when the occupation four-wheel drive SUV meant... bankruptcy and travel ban for safety and comfort reasons.
So the small but roomy Vitara is not only versatile in the city and adventurous off-road. It has a driving feel which refers not to a four-wheel drive SUV, but to a conventional road model- even when you drive it off! On the long straights, it has no annoying noises -has a good level of comfort- and especially he's steady as a rock, without any ripple effects, and on the big bends it is safe.
In the -asphalt- turns, even on closed tracks, it doesn't lean or sway with ambiguity, as the old Vitara's used to do, and it has a precise steering wheel. If pressed, will undermine, but within reasonable limits and without even scaring the driver, since the stability system intervenes before him, for him, and the "playing" with the right pedal corrects easily and quickly.
Except
Of course, it would be... sacrilege for Suzuki to make the Vitara and bow to the dictates of the times that want SUVs with little off-road capability. Even with the 1.600 petrol engine which lacks torque compared to the -in my opinion- diesel of the same displacement used by the Vitara will hardly "chew" on difficult climbs or descents on dirt, rocks, or mud. Besides, the front and rear bumpers of the new Vitara are designed to give it large escape angles.
The AllGrip all-wheel drive system which has a program for driving on terrain for... skating (Snow) and a Lock feature for easy unlocking, when you try it you know that it works better than you'd expect, since he... gets out when he needs to.
On the plus side and the increased distance from the ground (18,5 cm), the front bumper that doesn't go down easily and the suspension.
It may not be so Hardy as much as its predecessors, but the new Vitara retains the adventurous character and gives off-road thrills, but it's clearly more responsive, so it responds better to a lively driving style.
The Inside
Inside the Vitara, there is a familiar image for Suzuki, but confused with notes of luxury and retro modernism. For example, the steering wheel and the dashboard are reminiscent of Suzuki - and that's good - but in general, the dashboard is elevated compared to the S-Cross and in the middle, a large round, large, rounded analog clock (I really liked the sweet lighting of it, at night). A glossy fascia runs through the dashboard, giving it a touch of luxury, while in the middle, under the round air vents, is the easy-to-use and easy-to-read 7-inch touch screen. On the positive side, for a country like Greece, the fact that the screen is legible and in bright sunshine.
In general, it's hard to find any ergonomic flaws in the Vitara, as the passengers have space for themselves and for small objects and will not feel in any way claustrophobic, because of the large windows. Despite its small overall size, the Vitara has luggage compartment which exceeds the average for its category (375 litres) and this is helped by the cleverly made double bottom. In addition, there are two removable compartments on the sides of the boot, which make it possible to fit wide items.
The engine
The new Suzuki SUV I'm testing wears the 1.6 VVT petrol engine which yields 120 hp at 6,000 rpm. and the maximum torque of it reaches the 156 Nm at 4,400 rpm. The engine is quite supple but also relatively sluggish in low revs. However, when you select the program Sport, things are looking much better.
In any case, the weight (1,160 kg) of the body is attributed to the petrol engine, although the 5-speed box as it has "long" gears, it manages well and gives good performance, reaching 100 from standstill in 12 seconds (in practice even faster!). I must admit, however, that as good as the gearbox is, I missed the sixth gear in it.
And from consumption; Average consumption remains at a reasonable level for a four-wheel drive thanks to the very good Start/Stop system for the engine that comes as standard. Thus, after the end of the test and under a lot of pressure on and off the road, I saw on the trip computer an average consumption of 8.1 litres for 100 km, and if you are careful with the accelerator, you can keep it around 6.
