Suzuki Vitara review
The Suzuki Vitara is a practical and great-value small SUV that’s easy to drive and packed with a surprising amount of kit for the money.
Author: Charlie Harvey
17th Dec 2025 – 8 mins read
The Suzuki Vitara has been a familiar name on our roads for a long time, and for good reason. It has always stood for honest, no-nonsense motoring, offering the chunky looks of an SUV with the low running costs of a small car. The fourth-generation model, launched in 2015, brought the Vitara right up to date with a sharp new look, modern technology, and a much-improved driving experience. It’s a car that’s easy to live with and represents fantastic value for money. It might not have the plushest interior or the most prestigious badge, but it’s practical, reliable, and surprisingly fun to drive. With a choice of efficient engines and the option of Suzuki’s excellent ALLGRIP four-wheel-drive system, the Vitara is a brilliant all-rounder that’s perfect for families who want a capable and affordable small SUV.
Pros
- Fantastic value for money
- Comes with a lot of standard equipment
- Relatively fun and involving to drive
Cons
- The interior quality isn't the best in its class
- Some rivals are more fuel-efficient
- Rear seat space is a little tight for tall adults
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The inside of the Vitara is straightforward and functional. You won’t find lots of flashy design elements, but everything is logically laid out and easy to use. The plastics are mostly hard and durable rather than soft and squidgy, which feels like it's been built to stand up to the rigours of family life, even if it doesn't feel particularly premium.
A real highlight is the amount of tech you get. Most models come with a clear and simple-to-use touchscreen infotainment system that includes satellite navigation and a reversing camera. It's a great feature to find on such an affordable car. The driving position is good, giving you a commanding view of the road, and the simple, clear dials are easy to read at a glance.
Comfort
The Vitara is a comfortable car for everyday driving. The seats are supportive, and the ride is generally smooth, soaking up most bumps and potholes without much fuss. It feels light and easy to drive, which makes it great for nipping through town and squeezing into parking spaces.
On the motorway, it’s perfectly capable, but you might notice a bit more wind and road noise than you would in some of its more expensive rivals. It's a car that feels most at home on A-roads and in urban environments, where its comfortable and easy-going nature really shines.
Quality
The Vitara is a car built to a price, and the interior quality reflects that. As we've mentioned, the cabin is a sea of hard plastics. While this means it might not feel as plush or upmarket as some competitors, it does give the impression of being very tough and durable.
Everything feels solidly screwed together, and Suzuki has a brilliant reputation for building cars that are reliable and last a long time. So, while it may lack a bit of showroom sparkle, you can be confident that the Vitara’s interior is built to last and will handle everything you can throw at it.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
For a small SUV, the Vitara offers a decent amount of practicality. There’s plenty of room up front for the driver and passenger, with good headroom and lots of adjustment in the seats. You’ll also find a useful number of storage spots and cupholders to keep the cabin tidy.
Space in the back is reasonably good for children and smaller adults. However, the sloping roofline does eat into headroom a little, so taller passengers might find their heads are quite close to the roof lining. If you regularly carry tall adults in the back, some rivals offer a bit more space.
Boot space
The boot is a good, practical size. With 375 litres of space, it’s bigger than what you’ll find in a Nissan Juke and is large enough for a weekly shop or a couple of suitcases. The boot opening is wide and square, which makes it really easy to load bulky items like a pushchair.
The rear seats fold down to increase the total load space to 1,160 litres, which is very useful for those occasional trips to the tip or furniture store. There are no awkward intrusions into the boot area, making it a very usable space.
Driving
Driving experience
The Vitara is surprisingly fun to drive for a small SUV. It feels light and agile, with steering that is responsive and direct. It’s a car that feels keen to turn into corners, making it more entertaining on a twisty road than you might expect.
This engaging handling doesn’t come at the expense of comfort, as the suspension does a good job of smoothing out rough road surfaces. It’s an easy and enjoyable car to drive every day. For those who want extra security in bad weather, Suzuki’s ALLGRIP four-wheel-drive system is available on some models and is one of the best and most effective systems you’ll find in this class.
Performance
Suzuki keeps the engine choice nice and simple. Most models use one of two turbocharged petrol engines, which Suzuki calls 'Boosterjet'. The range starts with a 1.0-litre engine that produces 109bhp. It might sound small, but it’s a punchy little engine that feels perfectly adequate for a car of this size, nipping from 0-60mph in around 11 seconds.
For more performance, there’s a larger 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine. This gives the car a much sportier feel, cutting the 0-60mph time to just over 9 seconds. It’s a smooth and refined engine that’s well worth seeking out. More recent models feature mild-hybrid technology to help improve fuel economy even further.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
The Vitara offers respectable running costs, though some of the latest rivals are a little more efficient. The 1.0-litre engine can officially return around 45mpg, while the more powerful 1.4-litre engine is not far behind at about 43mpg. Choosing a model with four-wheel drive will have a small impact on these figures.
As with any car, the real-world figures you get will depend on your driving style. Overall, the Vitara is an affordable car to run, with reasonable fuel, tax, and insurance costs.
Value for money
This is the Vitara’s trump card. It offers incredible value for money, both new and used. It’s priced very competitively against rivals but comes loaded with standard equipment that you’d have to pay extra for on many other cars.
Suzuki models tend to depreciate more than some other brands, which is great news for used car buyers. It means you can pick up a nearly-new Vitara with very low mileage for a bargain price, getting a huge amount of car for your money.
Reliability & Warranty
Suzuki has a fantastic, long-standing reputation for building cars that are extremely reliable and dependable. The Vitara feels solid and well-engineered, and owners report very few problems. You can buy a used Vitara with a lot of confidence. From new, Suzuki offers a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.
Safety
Safety features
The Suzuki Vitara is a very safe car. It was awarded the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP, so you can be sure it offers excellent protection for you and your family.
The level of safety equipment you get depends on the trim level. All models come with multiple airbags and electronic stability control. Higher-spec SZ5 models come with more advanced features like autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, so it’s worth looking out for one of these if safety is a top priority.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Vitara is available in a simple range of trim levels, all of which offer great value.
SZ4: The entry-level model is surprisingly well-equipped. It comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control, Bluetooth, and cruise control as standard.
SZ-T: This popular mid-range trim is a real sweet spot. It adds larger 17-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, and the excellent touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation and a reversing camera.
SZ5: The top-of-the-range model is packed with features. It adds keyless entry and start, a panoramic sunroof, front and rear parking sensors, and advanced safety features like autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
Engines
The engine range is focused on efficient turbocharged petrol units.
1.0-litre Boosterjet: A 109bhp three-cylinder engine that offers a good blend of performance and economy. It’s perfect for general driving duties.
1.4-litre Boosterjet: A more powerful 140bhp four-cylinder engine that gives the Vitara a much livelier, sportier feel. It’s the engine to go for if you enjoy driving. Both engines are available with a manual or automatic gearbox, and with front-wheel or four-wheel drive. Later models also come with mild-hybrid technology.