Suzuki Vitara is back! New small SUV bound for Paris show 2014

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

27 August 2014 17:21

The Suzuki Vitara is coming of age - and this first official picture suggests the populist SUV is growing up to become a slicker, more mainstream 4x4. It’s certainly a far cry from the 1980s Vitara which became synonymous with a certain strata of society (see second picture in our gallery).

Due to be shown at the 2014 Paris motor show, the new Suzuki Vitara is a mid-sized crossover aimed at on-road driving rather than fording your local stream en route to the gymkhana.

Suzuki’s off-roaders have usually fallen into the sturdier side of SUV-kind, but the new 2014 Vitara appears to show the conservative Japanese brand nudging towards the lifestyle segment.

Check out the two-tone paint job - the blacked-out window pillars give the impression of a floating roof, in the style of the Mini hatchback’s.

And the stepped window line dips at the front and back of the daylight opening (or DLO, in designer speak). In plain English? Follow the bonnet line up to the windscreen and around the side of the car. There’s a characterful plunge, accentuating the smoked glasshouse on this rendering.

Suzuki isn’t saying much about the new Vitara, confirming that it will go on sale in the UK in spring 2015 with a range of petrol and diesel engines tuned for low CO2.

Most Vitaras will be front-wheel drive, but you will be able to spec Allgrip as an optional extra for 4wd, Suzuki confirms.

‘The new five door car is named Vitara and it marks the return of the famous badge first used by Suzuki more than 25 years ago, also on a small SUV,’ says Suzuki in a brief statement issued today. ‘The Vitara is the production model based on the iV-4 concept; which was first exhibited at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013.

‘Vitara will have a striking road presence with distinctive design. Customers will have the option of personalising the car with various colour and trim customisation options. Further details of these, as well as final specifications will be available closer to public launch.’

Stay tuned for more about the Paris motor show in the coming weeks, ahead of the press day on 2 October 2014.

By Tim Pollard