2018 Suzuki Vitara first impression

Making way for its share in already congested crossover car market in the Philippines, Suzuki Philippines recently launched their 2018 version of Vitara against the likes of already established Subaru XV, Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3, along with many others. But, is this newest entrant capable enough to give a competition to favorites of already occupied crossover sub-segment? Let’s see what this car has to offer:

Exterior Features

Suzuki has done a lot of work on the exterior of this car, giving it an aggressive yet a sleek look. On a first glance, this model looks like the Range Rover Evoque’s Japanese version, especially from the front end. The front of Vitara sports a muscular looking bumper, a large grille, wrap-around LED projector headlamps, equipped with Daytime Running Lamps (DRL). On the side of the car, It has got sharp character lines and flared wheel arches with black plastic body cladding and dual tone exterior. It also sports 5-spoke, 17-inch black alloy wheels.

At the rear, there are huge hexagonal tail lights and a revamped clear tailgate (the spare tyre is kept under the vehicle) for a more premium look, which opens upwards instead of sideways. Overall, this model looks pretty good from outside, giving it a much premium look and an edge over the competitors.

Interior Features

The interior of this car is as impressive as the exterior and imparts a nice feel sitting in the cabin. It can accommodate 5 occupants with a host of features loaded in. Interior is based on the dark theme and has Suede and Leather trims all over, including seats. The cluster panel sports a white-on-black theme and dashboard is loaded with a 3 spoke steering wheel and circular air vents. There is a 10-inch infotainment system provided at the centre of the dashboard which has impressive features like offline Navigation and WiFi, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

There is a panoramic sunroof also which further increases the list of features provided in the car.

Engine

Powering the 2018 Vitara is present a 1.6-litre gasoline engine, delivering 115hp of maximum power and 156 Nm of torque and has a front wheel drive via a 6-speed automatic transmission system with paddle shifters. But for off-roaders, the sad part is that this car doesn’t have a 4x4 variant.  Suzuki could have included a 4X4 option with Vitara to take the added advantage in the segment as most of the other options are also lacking hardcore off-roading capabilities.

Construction

Vitara 2018 is based on a monocoque chassis ( unlike the old body-on-frame construction). Although we have not been at the back of the steering wheel, we expect that the handling would have been improved to a great extent due to new body structure. Let's wait and see how people respond to the handling part of this new offering from Suzuki. 

Safety

The all-new Vitara has a 5-star rating from Euro NCAP due to its adult and Child Occupant protection system. It also comes with front, side, and curtain airbags as standard fitment for safety and also has ISOFIX child seat anchorages. Hill hold control and Brake assist function are also a part of safety features provided in this model.

Variants and Colours

Currently, only 2 variants are available for Vitara 2018: GL+ and GLX. While GL+ is available in 5 colours: Atlantis Turquoise Pearl Metallic, Cosmic Black Pearl Metallic, Galactic Gray Metallic, Silky Silver Metallic 2, and Cool White Pearl, the GLX is available in dual tone exterior like Atlantis Turquoise Pearl, Bright Red 5 Metallic, and Horizon Orange Metallic.

Overall, the car seems promising with a loads of features and safety measure added in. Let’s see if Suzuki is able to make a dent in subcompact crossover car market and makes its space against the already popular models available.