Reviews of the Suzuki Vitara

by: Donna Kelly

Donna Kelly has over 14 years of experience in the motoring industry, writing, test driving and tweeting about cars. Her weekends are spent trackside, covering racing events.

Suzuki Vitara Review 2021

If you're looking for an affordable, practical SUV that's great to drive, the Suzuki Vitara might be the car for you. 

With its bold, unique styling and spacious interior, the Vitara is a popular choice with growing families, rivalling the Fiat 500X, Ford Puma, Renault Captur, Honda HR-V and the Volkswagen T-Cross in the competitive family car market. 

Our Suzuki Vitara review covers:

• Key Features
• Design and Practicality
• Interior and Trims
• Power and Performance
• Leasing vs Buying

Suzuki Vitara Key Features

• Off-road exterior style with sporty chrome front grille
• Spacious interior with easy-to-use infotainment system
• 375-litre boot, which expands to 710 litres with rear seats down
• 1.4 Boosterjet Petrol Hybrid engine with 129hp
• Five models available, including SZ4, SZ-T, SZ-T ALLGRIP, SZ5, SZ5 ALLGRIP

Design and Practicality

The Suzuki Vitara boasts a rugged off-road look compared to other compact SUVs like the Renault Captur and Fiat 500X. However, its clamshell bonnet and front wing vents look rather sporty, with chrome elements and angular LED headlights completing the Vitara's unique stance.

Inside the Vitara, it's easy for drivers and passengers to get comfortable, thanks to seat and steering wheel adjustments. The Vitara’s high-sided design offers lots of rear head and legroom, even for tall passengers, with more space in the back than in the Honda HR-V and Peugeot 2008. Its box-like body and large glass areas also make for good visibility when manoeuvring. 

At the rear, the Vitara’s boot can hold up to 375 litres of luggage with the rear seats in place and 710 litres with back seats down. Yet, while this is big for a small SUV, those after more space may be best with the larger Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq. 

Interior and Trims

Unfortunately, the Vitara’s interior feels a little dull, with numerous hard plastics and brittle materials impacting overall cabin quality. It's no match to the Honda HR-V or Volkswagen T-Cross, but Suzuki’s infotainment system is simple and easy to use. 

Five trim levels are available, including SZ4, SZ-T, SZ-T ALLGRIP, SZ5, SZ5 ALLGRIP.

The entry-level SZ4 comes with DAB digital radio, cruise control, a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity and 16-inch alloy wheels as standard. SZ-T versions feature an easy-to-use infotainment system, sat-nav, a reversing camera and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The SZ-T ALLGRIP models boast the same tech and alloys as the regular SZ-T model but with the addition of automatic air-conditioning and LED headlights. ALLGRIP models also offer all-wheel drive for more traction in slippery conditions.

SZ5 models come with partial leather and suede trim, a panoramic sunroof, upgraded stereo, tinted rear windows and front and rear parking sensors.

The top-of-the-range SZ5 ALLGRIP variant has similar features to the SZ5 but adds Android Auto/Apple CarPlay compatibility, LED headlights, heated leather seats and adaptive cruise control.

Power and Performance

Under the bonnet, a 129hp 1.4 Boosterjet petrol hybrid engine is on offer, which cuts emissions of greenhouse gasses by an impressive 20%. The hybrid comes in manual and automatic variants, with the SZ-T ALLGRIP and SZ5 ALLGRIP models offering four-wheel-drive over standard front-wheel drive.

Out on the road, the Vitara’s elevated driving position and light steering make for an impressive driving experience, and the car is well-suited to driving around town. The Vitara is also quite nippy for a small SUV, beating its rivals such as the Volkswagen T-Cross and Ford Puma off the mark for acceleration.

Leasing vs Buying

Prices for the new Suzuki Vitara start from £24,120.13 OTR* or to lease from £244.02 per month.

Want to know more about leasing the Suzuki Vitara? As one of the UK's largest providers of car leasing, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has a great range of lease deals, including the full manufacturer's warranty (from date of registration), road tax, breakdown cover and free mainland GB delivery (exclusions apply). 

What's more, with fixed monthly rentals, a low initial outlay and flexible mileage and contract terms, leasing a new Suzuki Vitara could be cheaper than buying outright with a bank loan or dealer finance.

*'On the road' price is correct at time of publication and typically includes one year’s road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Always check with the manufacturer.