Most new car buyers these days prefer to drive an SUV, instead of the traditional hatchback or small sedan. Of course, what these buyers are usually searching for happens to be a compact crossover that’s also affordable. As we all know, crossovers are all the rage right now. To cater to the needs of these folks, carmakers churn out crossover SUVs quicker than you can imagine.
One of these carmakers is Japan’s Suzuki, and one of their latest offerings in this segment is the Vitara. Not to be confused with its larger sibling with almost the same name, the Suzuki Vitara is a sub-compact crossover. In the UAE, the 2019 Suzuki Vitara goes up against the likes of the Nissan Kicks, Kia Soul, Chevrolet Trax, and Mazda CX-3.
Exterior
The 2019 Suzuki Vitara gets a thoroughly revised exterior design, and looks quite modern and trendy. The front fascia gets a double-slatted grille with a large Suzuki logo in the middle, flanked by taut, angular headlamps, and a beefy yet chiseled front bumper. The latter also houses the fog lamps and LED daytime-runners.
The side profile of the new 2019 Vitara has a traditional SUV’s squared off stance, something that’s actually evident from almost every angle on this car. Also apparent here is the large amounts of black plastic cladding, flared wheel arches and fenders, blacked out door pillars, plus a vivid bulge on the lower part of the doors. The rear features large and prominent taillights, well-designed tailgate, and a chunky bumper with an integrated air diffuser.
The 2019 Suzuki Vitara measures in at 4.175 meters in length, 1.775 meters in width, 1.610 meters in height, and has a wheelbase measuring 2.500 meters. This five-seater crossover can hold up to 375 liters of cargo with all seats in place.
Interior
The cabin of the 2019 Suzuki Vitara offers good enough space for five adults, though it’s far from palatial. The seats offer decent amount of cushioning and support, and headroom is good too. The design is pretty lackluster and it won’t strike you as a premium place, but it’s built alright and the fit & finish is good enough for the price as well. Of course, some of the trim pieces do feel flimsy and bit low-rent, but that’s to be expected.
The design may not be the flashiest in town, but you can opt for a dual-tone effect on the dash to liven things up. Features-wise, the 2019 Suzuki Vitara is equipped with automatic headlamps, electric sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, cruise control, keyless entry with push-button start, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, and parking sensors. On the safety front, you get ABS with EBD and brake assist, dual airbags, electronic stability program, ISOFIX anchor points, and hill-descent control.
Engine and performance
Under the hood is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 115 hp and 156 Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, and power is sent to all four wheels (in the AWD variant, only). The 2019 Suzuki Vitara isn’t particularly a brisk thing, and takes 13.0 seconds to hit 100 km/h, while top speed is 180 km/h. Having said that, fuel economy is strong – rated at 5.8 L/100 km.
Verdict
The new 2019 Suzuki Vitara is priced at AED 69,900 for the base GLX with FWD and the range tops out at AED 83,900 for the fully-loaded GLX with all-wheel-drive. The latter also gets a sunroof. Insurance premium ranges between AED 1,573 for the base car and AED 1,888 for the top-of-the-range variant with all the bells and whistles.
