Try, Suzuki Vitara: the hybrid SUV that does everything right
Vitara's appearance has always been pleasant: simple but pleasant and still able to ensure a good presence on the road for the car . The updates have made it even more attractive, with some technological inputs that allow it to keep up with the best competition. The most interesting integration involves the lighting system: Full LED headlights make their debut, recognizable by a captivating blue line within the silhouette of the optical groups. The two-tone body color is available for the Starview trim level, with 17 ″ alloy wheels gaining even more class.
Habitability is certainly very good: four adults sit comfortably and even long journeys can be faced with excellent serenity. The seats upholstered in leather and velvet are very comfortable and can be heated. To add more brightness (if equipped) the panoramic sliding glass feel. The internal environment is concrete and rational. Assembled with care, it uses rather rigid materials. Among the most curious elements, the analog clock in the center of the dashboard. The feeling is that of simplicity: no particular virtuosity, the project was designed to offer a comfortable and practical structure.
The 7 ″ screen of the infotelematics system is not of the latest generation: the video quality is rather low and the operation of the software is not particularly satisfying. The main screen is divided into four submenus through which you can easily reach the service you want to use. However, these are not particularly advanced applications, but the choice falls within a logic of quality / price / equipment ratio that does not currently have many comparisons, and in this Suzuki still remains the reference. The choice to keep the physical keys for adjusting the air conditioning is winning.
The power unit of Suzuki Vitara is composed of a 1.4 turbo petrol engine with 129 Hp and 235 Nm of maximum torque, which works in synergy with a 13.6 Hp electric generator and 50 Nm of torque. The collaboration between the two structures is completely imperceptible on the part of the motorist: teamwork brings benefits especially in the city, where thanks to the intervention of the small electric motor, efficiency is gained especially when restarting and braking. Complete the equipment of ADAS that ensure the car level 2 homologation for the driving assistance systems.
Traveling on urban and city roads, Vitara shows excellent dynamism, the steering is soft and light, the dimensions allow agile maneuvers and the 235 Nm of torque are a guarantee for safe starts and overtaking. The six-speed manual gearbox is controlled through a very manageable clutch, light and intuitive to use, and a lever with a rather long stroke: slightly shorter shifts would perhaps have improved the understanding. On the fast-flowing sections, you travel in a fairly soundproofed environment: the aerodynamic rustles and the rolling noise of the tires filter inside, without being too annoying.
On the motorway, this interference increases, while the engine at 130 km / h travels around 3 thousand rpm. This is not a particularly favorable area for Vitara. As for fuel consumption: in the city you travel between 16 and 17 km / l, in the suburban you reach 19 km / l while on the motorway it is difficult to do better than 14 km / l. The suspension work is good, copying the roughness of the asphalt well. The impact is only a bit dry when dealing with motorway joints over 100 km / h.
The added value remains the AllGrip four-wheel drive: composed of two differentials and a central viscous joint. Through a small rotor you can select the driving modes, divided into normal, sport or slippery surfaces. If on asphalt it offers a greater guarantee of safety, on off-road the Vitara has shown almost surprising skills. Of course, it is not the ideal car for a demanding excursion (as the Jimny can be) but it remains a useful tool for overcoming pitfalls and uncertainties: taken to tackle a dirt climb with a 25% gradient, the small SUV with great ease has overcome the obstacle without showing too many uncertainties.
