Practical experience Suzuki Vitara – AutoWeek

The engine range of the ‘new’ Vitara certainly matches its changed role. No more two-liters, 2.4s or even V6s, but basically you get a modest 1.6 with 120 hp. In 2018 this was replaced by a three-cylinder BoosterJet turbo with 112 hp, above which is the four-cylinder 1.4 BoosterJet with 140 hp. In new cars, this is linked to a mild hybrid system as standard, and since 2022 there is also a 1.5 Full Hybrid. A variant that we will not consider in this article.

Space and seating comfort

The Suzuki Vitara therefore became more of a family car, less of an off-road vehicle. Yet interest in practical usability seems limited, because our users only pay scant attention to it. Still an impression: “We have three children (2 teenagers and 1 of 5 years old), so it is a bit on the tight side,” notes the owner of a Vitara 1.6 Experience from 2018. “The luggage space is also not very large… we have now also bought a dog so things are not getting any better.” Another owner might not agree with that. “The car functions well as a taxi for 5 adult men. Received compliments on how spacious it was in the back seat, as far as it is possible with 3 people in the back seat. A few weeks later I went to the Ardennes with friends and there too I received compliments about the space in the car. Now out and about again with wife, child and dog. Everything fits in there, including a week’s worth of groceries.”

A third driver also commented on the interior space. “The trunk is not huge, but more than enough for the two of us, especially with the bottom layer of extra space,” he writes. Then there is a critical comment about the storage space: “Little storage space for small things. We do have the center armrest in there, but that is also only a limited compartment and unfortunately not cooled.”

Reactions about the chairs vary, although they are mainly positive. “I can sit comfortably in it with my height of almost 2 metres, but the seats are flat and do not offer much support,” writes a tall driver. “I am satisfied with the seats,” writes a 1.70 meter rider. “They fit well on the long journey and are easily adjustable in height for me.” The following diesel driver also thinks so: “Comfort on long journeys (900 km/day) was okay for me with 1.80 meters. The reviews spoke of chair seats being too short, but I did not experience this as a problem.” Not only the driver’s seat, but also the passenger’s seat has been extensively tested. The next driver uses his Vitara as a training car. “Chairs are comfortable, even after a long day of teaching,” is the conclusion.

On the road with the Vitara

“A number of reviews indicate that the Vitara steers lightly,” notes the owner of a 2021 1.4 BoosterJet. “I can confirm that. However, it is not that it is disturbing or gives an unsafe feeling. He steers directly and that takes some getting used to.” The driver of a 2016 model is also largely positive. “The car drives well. The suspension is on the firm side. The car drives well through bends and roundabouts. The handling is excellent.” This rider also read reviews that questioned straight-line stability and decided to pay extra attention to this himself. His experience: “At lower speeds I find the steering a bit light and vague, but that is not so bad. You often drive on winding roads and spend more time on the steering wheel. My impression is that at higher speeds, 100 to 130, when more traction has to be transmitted to the front wheels, the car still drives straight ahead better.”

Nevertheless, other drivers experience that their Vitara has difficulty driving straight ahead, especially at highway speed. “I sometimes notice that you sometimes have to make a lot of small steering corrections on the highway, but that looks like rutting. Or am I imagining it?” a 1.6 driver has doubts. But it doesn’t seem like imagination, because the driving instructor also experiences this: “The downside is the need to correct when driving straight on the highway. Students drive straight ahead for relatively little time, but since I also use this car during holidays, I drive straight ahead for long stretches myself. It’s not always pleasant.” Another frequently read comment concerns noise comfort, which seems to increase noticeably, especially at highway speed.

Sullen assistance system

We usually omit experiences with assistance systems in this section. Usually one mainly describes its general operation, not model-specific ones. If experiences do become remarkably specific, they deserve a place here, and that applies to the Radar Brake Support system of this Vitara about which several people complain. “So far I have had a automatically switched off Radar Brake Support system 3 times,” writes a rider after 5,000 kilometers. “Once was during a heavy snowfall. I can imagine that the radar no longer knew what to do due to the many snowflakes, but the other 2 times were during long drives in good weather. The only remedy is to find a parking lot/gas station, turn off the engine, start it again and everything works again.” The following driver also describes this problem: “I regularly get errors from the Radar Brake Assist in my screen. At that moment, several functions are disabled and the cruise control also disappears.”

Maintenance, malfunctions and irritations

In the field of special maintenance and repairs, the Suzuki appears to live up to its name. Not every Vitara appears to be completely problem-free, but the issues do not sound serious at all. Take the following: “Rattles in the roof, these appeared to come from the headliner, which is attached to the sliding roof cassette with a kind of Velcro. After applying a few foam blocks, this was resolved,” said the driver of a 2022 Vitara 1.4 BoosterJet. The driver of a 2016 car is also struggling with similar minor suffering. “A rubber is coming loose from the tailgate. I cleaned it and reattached it and it still stays in place for now. I’m surprised that something like this happens after just 3 years. Worse is the rubber on the driver’s side door. This no longer fits properly, causing a small gap. You especially notice this at speeds above 70 km/h.” A more common complaint concerns the infotainment and multimedia system. Several drivers note that the sound quality leaves much to be desired, but also that the map material is outdated upon delivery. A number of users also find the sheet metal used by Suzuki too thin and vulnerable, which means they quickly discover small dents.

We conclude with the review of a satisfied owner who summarizes the reliability of his car after 41,000 kilometers. “The annoying thing is that if you keep a review, you have to report something every now and then. And that is precisely the problem. I have nothing to report. In recent years, this car has done exactly what it was made for: transporting me and my family everywhere without any problems.”