Welsh Motoring Writers
  • Home
  • About us
  • News
  • Car Reviews
  • Blogs
  • Contact
  • Members
  • Blog

Suzuki Vitara 1.4 S

3/12/2016

 
Picture
Two hundred-plus classic cars and three countries in one day: 1,300 miles over a long weekend – and one Suzuki Vitara providing the motion.
 
The classic car auction scene continues to grow, with sales being held from the West of England to Perth in Scotland, and all points in between.

​And having to cover a sale at the historic motor sport show, Race Retro, and then be in Scotland for a sale the following day called for a comfortable, economical and reasonably rapid motor.

Picture
​Step forward the Suzuki Vitara S, the latest model to carry the Vitara badge. Now more SUV than just a pint-sized four-wheel drive, it’s powered by a 1.4-litre direct injection turbocharged engine driving through a six-speed gearbox and Allgrip intelligent four-wheel drive, which is standard on the S models.
 
But how would a turbocharged 1.4-litre fare covering around 500 miles in one day? Those used to big-engined barges might approach my journey with trepidation, but that reveals a lack of understanding when it comes to modern engine technology. While diesels have (for the time at least) fallen from grace, their advances have been well documented, and put progress in petrol engine technology in the shade.
 
Any reluctance to accept petrol engines haven’t moved was soon removed with a squeeze on the accelerator pedal going up the M6’s Shap Incline. This notoriously long ascent came after an already long day, beginning in West Wales and having taken in Race Retro, held just outside Coventry.
​

Picture
​Getting as far as Shap was an arduous task, the M6 throwing all its Friday afternoon nastiness at motorists, but the Vitara’s cabin is a comfortable, pleasingly simple place to be. Notable are the good quality materials and, unsurprisingly, it’s very well put together.
 
With a powerful, easily understood ‘command centre’ comprising radio, sat-nav system and hands-free phone facilities it’s easy to stay in touch with the outside world and arrive at your destination without the hassle of using a map. The sat-nav is especially easy to operate and is very clear, while the sound system offers deep resonant sound and, thanks to superbly damped road noise, has little external sound to compete with.
 
With a gentle poke of the gas the Vitara picks up with diesel-like torque, and there’s no need to drop down a cog to get a move on. That’s almost a pity, because the six-speed is a precise, short-throw unit that snicks up and down like a well-rehearsed window cleaner using his ladder. It responds well on the motorway, whether empty or busy, and overtaking slow-movers is accomplished quickly and without fuss, the little turbocharger spinning up quickly and smoothly.
​

Picture
Having successfully negotiated the plethora of motorways around Glasgow, the satnav guided me to Perth just in time for dinner. Outside it was well below zero, inside the Vitara’s heater pumped out the heat and the fan – unusually in many modern cars – is remarkably quiet, so there’s no need to turn up the volume when the need for heat becomes great.
 
Next morning saw me taking the short journey from Perth to Errol Airfield, where auctioneer Morris Leslie was holding its first sale of the year.  There were some real tempters, including two restoration-project last-of-the-line Capri 280s. Their condition contrasted with the less-than-1000-miles 280 I’d seen the day before at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro sale, but all three were bought.
 
Going cross-country the Vitara S is as competent as on the motorway. The suspension is particularly good, ironing out ruts, bumps and poor surfaces, and the handling is way beyond what some might expect, with no body roll and a grip that would be more at home in a sports saloon rather than a competitively-priced SUV.
​

Picture
The well-weighted steering offers plenty of communication and, working with Suzuki’s four-mode Allgrip system, offered sure-footed progress on icy, muddy roads. Allgrip offers both rear and forward torque control, the power split based on road surface, throttle position and steering angle

​ It also has hill descent control, which overcomes the need for engine braking and while I didn’t need to use it, it’s a practical feature that might have been useful if the roads were more icy.
 
I headed back to West Wales the day after the sale, Perth in minus three temperatures. The Vitara’s heater powers up quickly and cleared the inside glass in the blink of an eye, while the windscreen wipers – fortunately still parallel type rather than the ludicrous, increasingly popular clap-hands types – sweep almost all of the screen, so even in heavy rain, progress is relaxing.
 
After three days, travelling through much of England, Wales and Scotland, and covering around 1200 miles in the process, it was clear the Vitara is an extremely competent car, and great value too. Mixing superb build quality with performance, economy and practicality still defeats many car makers, but not Suzuki. Highly recommended, especially at this price.
 
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION: SUZUKI VITARA 1.4 BOOSTERJET S
Price as tested (inc. options): £21,329
Combined MPG: 52.3
Maximum speed: 124mph
Acceleration (0-62mph): 10.2 seconds
Engine capacity: 1373cc/4 cylinder/16 valve
Max output (PS/Kw): 140/103@5500rpm

By Rich Barnett


Comments are closed.

    View by date

    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    July 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    March 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    July 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    May 2010
    December 2009
    October 2009
    August 2009
    November 2001


    View by tags

    All
    Alfa Romeo Giulietta
    Alfa Romeo Mito
    Aston Martin Rapide
    Audi A3
    Audi A6
    Audi A7 Sportback
    Audi Q3
    Bmw 520d
    Bmw 5 Series Touring
    Bugatti Veyron Super Sports
    Fiat 500 Twinair
    Ford Focus
    Honda Civic Type R
    Honda CR-Z
    Hyundai Ix35
    Infiniti Ex37
    Infiniti Fx
    Infiniti G37 Cabrio
    Jaguar Xf
    Jeep Grand Cherokee
    Kia Soul
    Kia Sportage
    Land Rover Discovery 4
    Lexus Ct200h
    Mazda3
    Mazda CX-5
    Mercedes-Benz C-Class
    Mini Countyman
    Mitsubishi Shogun
    Nissan X-Trail
    Peugeot 3008
    Peugeot 508 Rxh
    Peugeot 508 Saloon
    Peugeot Rcz
    Range Rover Evoque
    Renault Mégane
    Renault Mégane Coupe Cabriolet
    Renaultsport Clio Gordini
    Renault Wind
    Seat Leon Cupra R
    Seat Leon Ecomotive
    Skoda Octavia Scout
    Skoda Superb Estate
    Skoda Yeti
    Ssangyong Korando
    Suzuki Alto
    Suzuki Swift
    Toyota Avensis Saloon
    Volkswagen California
    Volkswagen Tiguan
    Volkswagen Touareg
    Volvo S60
    Volvo V60

    RSS Feed

© WELSH MOTORING WRITERS 2023