Used Suzuki Vitara cars

The style of the car

The Suzuki Vitara is a five-door SUV with great looks and a fresh and modern design. It’s more utilitarian than most rivals, bridging the gap between a true 4x4 and the kind of SUV you’d want to drive every day.

How it drives

The Vitara is a hard-working and dependable car with petrol and diesel engines to suit all needs. All are comfortable on long journeys but also agile in town, where great visibility and a range of parking assistance systems make the Vitara easy to manoeuvre. AllGrip all-wheel drive is also available and its high driving position with good ground clearance make it good for tackling some mild off-roading. The diesel is the most economical and also the best for towing.

The interior

The Suzuki Vitara has a spacious interior with room for five and a boot that can easily accommodate a few large suitcases. The interior is functional with easy to use controls and a high level of equipment. Even entry-level models have air-conditioning and Bluetooth connectivity. Go for the SZ-T to get the touchscreen infotainment system or the top-of-the-range SZ-5 for the full range of in-car tech.

Running costs and reliability

Pricing for the Suzuki Vitara is very competitive and represents great value for money as a used buy. Diesels are the most economical but the one litre offers the best blend of both economy and daily performance. Insurance and road tax costs are inexpensive and Suzuki has fixed price servicing as well as a service plan on cars less than six years old. Reliability is very good and Suzuki scored very highly in the JD Power survey. The Vitara was given a full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

How it compares with similar cars

The Vitara is larger and more practical than the Suzuki Jimny. It has ample space for five and lots of standard equipment. Its stylish colour schemes and good level of equipment make it a strong rival to the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008. It won the Small Crossover of the Year award from website Honest John.