Suzuki Vitara review: Is this ageing SUV still worth your cash?

The Suzuki Vitara is like your favourite pair of trainers from five years ago – familiar, dependable, but increasingly scruffy. It still looks cute from the outside, especially after its 2025 facelift gave it a fresh grille, new bumper, and a sporty roof spoiler. But underneath those minor tweaks, it’s essentially the same car that launched back in 2015, and it’s starting to show.

Step inside and the interior feels decidedly last decade. While Suzuki added a larger 9.0-inch touchscreen and wireless smartphone connectivity, it’s still clunky compared to more modern systems like those in a Volkswagen T-Cross or Renault Captur. You’ll also find yourself squinting at a tiny screen between analogue dials, which is annoyingly the only way to disable the driver assistance settings.

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When it comes to space for passengers, the Vitara actually punches above its weight. It comfortably accommodates tall adults in the back, even with a panoramic roof eating into headroom on pricier trims. But the 362-litre boot is adequate rather than generous, and due to the battery placement full hybrid models drop to an embarrassing 289 litres – smaller than almost any comparable alternative.

Material quality inside won’t win awards either. Plastics feel cheap, the dashboard looks dreary, and there’s an unsettling hollow feel about everything you touch. For the same money, you’d get something significantly plusher and more modern-feeling from a Volkswagen T-Cross or even from the much cheaper Dacia Duster.

Thankfully, the Vitara claws back some credibility when you get behind the wheel – provided you pick the right engine. The 1.4-litre mild hybrid turbo petrol is genuinely enjoyable, especially paired with the slick manual gearbox. It’s nippy, handles well thanks to a low weight and sharp steering, and is surprisingly good fun on twisty roads. It can even tackle mild off-roading if you spec the optional four-wheel-drive system.

On the flip side, avoid the 1.5-litre self-charging hybrid model at all costs. Its sluggishness, noisy engine, clunky automatic gearbox and lethargic responses will drain your will to live. Fuel economy is theoretically slightly better, but in practice, you’ll push the throttle so hard to get anywhere that you’ll struggle to beat 40mpg – worse than the peppier mild hybrid. Avoid the Vitara with this engine completely – it’s that bad.

All models come decently equipped, including adaptive cruise control and handy blind-spot monitoring, but refinement is lacking on motorways, with notable wind noise at higher speeds. Safety ratings are outdated too; despite a five-star Euro NCAP score in 2015, newer alternatives have surpassed it.

In terms of reliability, the Vitara is solid enough, supported by Suzuki’s excellent warranty scheme – up to 10 years if serviced at dealerships regularly. But at a starting price north of £27,000, it’s increasingly hard to justify against newer, cheaper, and more polished alternatives like the Dacia Duster or Skoda Kamiq.

If you love its rugged charm and must-have manual gearbox paired with genuine off-road ability, the Vitara still has appeal. For everyone else, fresher, cheaper, and more refined alternatives are waiting.

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