New Vitara Hybrid from Suzuki

Suzuki Vitara Hybrid test by Graham Breeze

No-one can accuse those bosses at Suzuki of letting the grass grow under their feet.

The “suits” are steering straight ahead and cutting an irresistible swathe through the motor industry on their way to saving money on fuel and producing lower emissions.

And that’s just where the latest model to hit the showrooms comes in with the arrival of the Suzuki Vitara with full hybrid technology as the company ups the pace on its journey from petrol to hybrid and fully electric.

The new offering is a 140V Hybrid with EV mode which joins the range alongside the existing 48V Mild Hybrid and comes with two selectable drive modes in Standard and Eco.

Externally you will notice no changes to the three-grade line-up of SZ-T, SZ5 and SZ5 Allgrip. But the new addition has a 1.5 litre K15C normally aspirated petrol engine coupled to Suzuki’s latest hybrid technology and comes with automated transmission as standard.

And with petrol prices going through the roof would-be owners will be impressed to know that the two-wheel drive model has CO2 emissions of just 121g/km and combined fuel figures of 53mpg.

There’s massive competition out there of course but Suzuki remain confident of sales claiming to have more standard equipment than their opposition.

The package includes Dual Sensor Brake Support, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Traffic Sign Recognition, Adaptive Cruise Control and seven airbags including Drivers Knee Airbag.

There’s also Smartphone connectivity, rear parking camera, keyless entry and start, navigation, climate control as standard on both model grades.

The Vitara has been acclaimed for its stylish design, compact dimensions and good on and off-road capabilities at a competitive price and nothing has changed there.

It’s been evolving for some time, receiving styling and safety upgrades in early 2019 and then in 2020 was equipped with a higher specification and 48V Hybrid technology across the model range.

Brexit and Covid issues have taken a toll. It’s been difficult for many companies to deliver on time and who knows what the impact of Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine might have on the Vitara which is being produced at the Magyar Suzuki plant in Hungary.

Standard equipment for all models is comprehensive and the SZ-T includes seven airbags, LED multireflector headlamps for low and high beam, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, Traffic Sign Recognition, Blind Spot Monitor, Adaptive Cruise Control, auto air conditioning and front and rear electric windows, keyless entry and start, 17-inch silver painted alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, white stitching for seat trim fabric, Smartphone link audio and navigation system.

Moving up to SZ5 adds 17-inch polished alloy wheels, suede seat upholstery, Panoramic sunroof, front and rear parking sensors and availability of Allgrip 4WD as an option.

The Vitara is available in a total of 11 different shades of which one is a solid colour. All others are metallic finish and six are dual-tone metallic with Cosmic Black roof colour.