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First drive: Suzuki Vitara Hybrid

Saturday, 18 March 2023

The popular Suzuki Vitara now has a hybrid variant, complementing the manufacturer
The popular Suzuki Vitara now has a hybrid variant, complementing the manufacturer's other hybrid models.
The new hybrid’s launch included a drive around some of the best roads around Cambridge.
The new hybrid’s launch included a drive around some of the best roads around Cambridge.
The Suzuki S-Cross has been updated inside and out for 2022.

The updated Suzuki Vitara is a lot like the old Suzuki Vitara. That’s a line as true today as it was when I used it almost four years ago, when I last drove one.

Not that age has been any kind of barrier to the Vitara’s local success even today, of course. It continues to be a quiet, steadfast achiever for Suzuki in New Zealand, with 1400 sold in the last 12 months. And this week, Suzuki launched the model’s new hybrid variants – an option the brand believes will bump those sales figures even higher.

Make me an instant expert: what do I need to know?

Little to no change inside the updated Vitara.
Little to no change inside the updated Vitara.

The bulk of the updated Vitara is unchanged save for a few minor details, which we’ll get to. What is changing is the underlying fabric of the Vitara nameplate. This hybrid powertrain will soon be the only option for anyone wanting to buy a Vitara, with Suzuki New Zealand outlining that it won’t be ordering any more pure combustion Vitara stock.

**READ MORE:

The updated 1.4-litre is less punchy but more efficient than the engine ir replaces.
The updated 1.4-litre is less punchy but more efficient than the engine ir replaces.

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Auto is expected to outsell manual models.
Auto is expected to outsell manual models.

The hybrid in question is a mild one, pairing Suzuki’s familiar Boosterjet (I love saying that word) 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol four cylinder with a 48V li-ion battery, 10kW/50Nm integrated starter generator, and DC-to-DC converter unit. Suzuki’s made lots of tiny tweaks to the 1.4 to improve its efficiency, too, like adding a quicker-spooling turbo, dual variable valve timing, a higher-pressure fuel delivery system, and a gasoline particulate filter.

All of these changes mixed in with a splash of electrification mean that the Vitara can return as little as 5.0L/100km and 112g/km in fuel economy and CO2 emissions in its most efficient trim level. Solid gains, then, given that the best that the current Vitara Turbo can do are 6.0L/100km and 153g/km.

The Vitara is one of the only electrified SUVs priced under $50,000 in New Zealand.
The Vitara is one of the only electrified SUVs priced under $50,000 in New Zealand.

When it comes to the matter of performance, things are a little complicated. All those little changes designed to make the 1.4 more efficient have had a somewhat inevitable impact on the bottom line. It now makes 95kW/235Nm – less power but more torque than its 103kW/220Nm pure petrol predecessor.

Are there any other changes? There’s a couple! Car nerds will be able to pick the Vitara Hybrid out of a pure petrol Vitara line-up via its ‘multireflector’ LED headlights with distinctive blue strips and its new badging. Inside, the analogue clock that once lived between the two central vents on the dash has been ‘blanked’ with a Suzuki logo.

Those wanting to get the most economical model in the new Vitara line-up will need to opt for its cheapest model; the $39,990 2WD JX manual. Apart from, yes, being one of the few cars to come with a ‘stick’, the base Vitara gets the same touchscreen as the rest with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, radar cruise control, and much more.

Priced at $41,990 and $44,990, the slightly more plush 2WD JLX auto and AWD JLX auto get all of that, whilst adding leather and suede cabin appointments, polished alloy wheels, and more. All three are eligible for the Clean Car Discount, too, with rebates set between $1,614 in the AWD flagship and a massive $2,851 in the base FWD.

Where did you drive it?

We got to drive both the FWD and AWD auto Vitaras (the manual won’t hit showrooms until next month) on a loop that began at the Velodrome in Cambridge and wiggled through some of the neatest roads in the Waikato, before arching back to a pit stop at The Henley and then a short drive back to our start spot.

The tight, cambered roads functioned as a sound reminder of how surprisingly fun the Vitara is to drive. It feels like a bigger Swift, with confidence-inspiring chassis and well weighted steering helping make this one of the nicest steers in the SUV space. The secret sauce in this case is that the Vitara Hybrid weighs around 1220kg. Unbelievably, that’s a couple hundred kilograms lighter than a Porsche Cayman and a Honda Civic Type R.

It is a bit small, admittedly. The 375L boot is reasonable for the segment, but legroom for those in the second row is below average, and thanks to its narrow 1775mm width driver and front passenger are likely to clang their elbows on a regular basis.

The most important question, of course, is how the hybrid performs.

For the most part, the electrified 1.4 is adequate. Despite the hybrid system acting as a ‘torque fill’ early in the rev range, it still feels less punchy than the (soon to be departing) Vitara Turbo. During our ‘spirited’ drive, which was anything but an economy run, we saw best figures of 6.0L/100km. This should mean 5.0L/100km should be achievable when driven smoothly around town.

We didn’t get to do a lot of plain drain commuter driving, so we therefore had limited exposure to how refined the hybrid engine is during ‘normal’ driving. But that’s something we’ll revisit once we get a Vitara Hybrid on extended test.

What’s the pick of the range?

For those playing off 2WD against AWD, the answer will be largely dependent on your use case.

If your typical Saturday morning is catching up for a city brunch with mates, the 2WD will do you just nicely (indeed, the JLX 2WD is likely to be the volume seller of the group). But if you often find yourself on gravel, the AllGroup all-wheel drive flagship will be the go.

It’s tempting to back the JX and its 6-speed manual as analogue shifting continues to become a disappearing art form, and certainly if you’re after the sharpest value proposition you cannot go wrong. Otherwise, the 2WD JLX is the one to go for.

Why would I buy it?

As a former Suzuki owner myself, it makes a lot of sense that a large chunk of their customer base tends to come back for more. As much as anything else in its line-up, the Vitara Hybrid is a ‘does what it says on the tin’ car. Well equipped, affordable, and trusted. Yeah, they’re going to sell a bunch of these. Also, how many all-wheel drive SUVs are priced under $45,000 and eligible for a further discount on top?

Why wouldn’t I buy it?

Suzuki identifies the likes of Toyota’s Yaris Cross and C-HR, Kia’s versatile Niro, and Subaru’s all-paw XV as being the Vitara’s core rivals. Each feels much more like a car designed and executed in this decade, whilst the Vitara feels like it’s Marty McFly’d its way into the picture from a different period in time.