2015 Suzuki Vitara 1.4 S, car review: Is one of the first small SUVs still relevant?

It’s certainly a belter of an engine

We first met the Vitara back in the ‘80s, and it’s still going strong. As one of the first of the breed of small SUVs, the Vitara was always good value and you can still pick up a new one for under £14,000. But this latest, fully loaded example pushes the price over £20k. Can it be worth it?

It’s certainly a belter of an engine. The Boosterjet is a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and it powers along tremendously well. You can sense Suzuki’s experience at building four-pot motorbike engines not much smaller than this. The engine is light, can pull reasonably from low down and then revs freely and willingly to the redline.

Clutch and gearbox are light in operation and also good, and the whole experience is refined and fun. Handling is well up to the task with slightly stiffened suspension to keep the whole plot running true and flat through most corners.

The four-wheel drive system works well on the road, avoiding too much scrabbling around on wet or loose surfaces and we know that Suzuki built 4x4s that really are capable of going off-road.

Suzuki Vitara 1.4 S

Price: £20,899
Engine: 4 cyls, 1373cc, turbocharged, petrol
Power: 138bhp at 5500rpm
Torque: 162lb ft at 1500-4000rpm
Gearbox: 6-spd manual
Kerb weight: 1210kg
Top speed: 124mph
0-62mph: 10.2sec
Economy: 52.3mpg (combined)
CO2/tax band: 127g/km, 20%

The steering is a bit vague but that’s about all that is. The cabin feels hard-wearing and is adequately equipped with a 7.0in touchscreen, very comfortable seats and a surprisingly spacious and adaptable cargo area. There’s plenty of room for four large adults and some kit in this small SUV.

In the S trim, which is the only trim that gets the Boosterjet engine, there’s plenty of standard equipment, including climate control, adaptive cruise control, sat-nav, suede seats, Bluetooth and much more. But that does bring the total the wrong side of £20k. That seems a bit much for a Suzuki Vitara. Hopefully they’ll bring this engine down the range a bit and then it would be a definite on many a shortlist. Not bad to still be that good after nearly 30 years.