THE Suzuki Vitara seems to be an increasingly common sight on the country roads I frequently travel south of Glasgow.
But that comes as little surprise because the Japanese marque’s most recently upgraded compact family SUV offers superb value for money.
It looks the part, has plenty of safety features and creature comforts, and now comes with clever mild-hybrid engine technology. Another advantage is that, unlike most of its competitors, it is available with a multi-mode four-wheel-drive system.
And that is something that will give many Scots motorists added confidence, given our often challenging weather conditions.
I recently enjoyed the company of the top-spec 1.4 SZ5 Allgrip model, priced from £27,049, when we were hit by snowstorms and downpours.
While other, far more expensive SUVs and crossovers lay abandoned in my village, I ploughed merrily through the white stuff.
After rain washed the snow away, I was able to truly appreciate the smooth driving dynamics of the Vitara on a mix of rural lanes, motorway and urban streets.
I found the Suzuki performed without fuss – the ride was composed over rutted surfaces and the steering, acceleration and braking reassuringly responsive.
Yes, there was a little lean through particularly sharp bends as you might expect from an SUV but, overall, the roadholding was excellent.
Pushing the Vitara along the road is a 129PS 1.4-petrol engine linked to a 48V lithium-ion battery, Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) and 48V-12V (DC/DC) converter to power components requiring lower voltage, including lights, audio and air con.
The super-smart system assists the engine to boost torque and acceleration, replaces fuel injection for engine idling and self-charges the battery – so there is no need to plug it in.
Next to the six-speed manual gear stick, a dial in the centre console operates the enhanced four-mode Allgrip system.
Auto will be most people’s default, driving the front wheels for economy but switching to 4WD if it detects or anticipates wheel spin.
Sport is great for inspiring confidence on twisty roads, while Snow will cater for most slippery, rutted surfaces.
Lock uses a limited slip differential to get you out of more serious trouble. Fuel economy is also decent for such a vehicle – I wasn’t far off the official average of 45.4mpg, which puts CO2 emissions at 140g/km.
And a 0-62mph time of 10.2 seconds and a top speed of 118mph means this car will easily suit most families’ motoring requirements.
Where the Vitara also scores over numerous rivals is with its room for passengers and luggage, which is ideal for a young family of five or four adults.
The sizeable panoramic sunroof in the SZ5 adds to the spacious feeling and the 375-litre boot can easily swallow a few holiday suitcases.
The quilted suede seats are very supportive, a silver and black panel brightens the dashboard and there is a good blend of soft-touch and sturdy finishing all round.
At the heart of the dashboard is the seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 3D intelligent sat nav, DAB radio and Bluetooth, USB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The instrument binnacle houses a large rev counter and speedometer either side of a 4.2in multi-information display.
Goodies include keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, automatic air conditioning, automatic LED headlights and rain-sensing windscreen wipers.
Impressive safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and prevention, driver drowsiness alert, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and traffic sign recognition.
The SZ5 Vitara’s styling conveys its capabilities, too, with a striking front end, clamshell bonnet, muscular profile lines, 17in polished alloys, smoothly sloping roof and sturdy rear.
I think it’s safe to say we will be seeing even more of these Suzuki SUVs on our roads in the near future – especially given the way they can tackle the harsh winter conditions we’ve been experiencing.
