Suzuki Vitara review

The Vitara’s SUV-like driving position is well judged, and while the dials, steering wheel and gear stick that sit before you don’t look particularly inspiring or cutting edge, they all work with a simple precision that’s testament to keeping things uncomplicated.

Indeed, ‘uncomplicated’ is probably how a Suzuki spin doctor would describe the Vitara’s innards to distract your attention away from how basic it feels compared to the several thousand rivals that seem to have launched since its initial arrival.

We personally like a nice analogue rev counter, buttons for the air con (rather than a touchscreen menu) and a proper mechanical handbrake. Heck, base spec models even get a CD player if you’re as luddite as us. But CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity aside, you might not necessarily pin down the 2010s as the decade of this car’s birth if you’d been led inside it blindfolded. Suzuki’s seven-inch infotainment screen is laggy and features some very retro graphics, too.

There are plenty of cheap and scratchy plastics, Dacia Duster-style, but the Vitara is impressively functional. It’s bigger than a Juke and feels like it’ll swallow people and their things with greater ease. The boot is a useful 375 litres, there are no needless premium aspirations and the panoramic sunroof on top spec versions would keep little ones in the back happy.