Suzuki has ditched the 1.6-litre petrol engine from its Suzuki Vitara small SUV, replacing it with 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre engines from the brand’s other models.
Borrowed from the new Suzuki Swift, the 1.0 is new to the Vitara and provides 109bhp and 125lb ft of torque. The 1.4, shared with the Suzuki S-Cross, gets 138bhp and 162lb ft. The smaller engine is available on entry-level SZ4 and mid-range SZ-T models, while top-spec SZ5 cars get the 1.4.
The emissions of both engines are lower than those of the 1.6 and were tested on the new WLTP cycle, although Suzuki will not release the figures until closer to the car’s on-sale date in early 2019.
In addition to the revised engine line-up, the Vitara gets a subtle refresh in exterior styling in its facelift, with revised light clusters, grille and bumper at the front, as well as more intricate tail-lights at the rear.
Inside, higher-quality materials have been used on the dashboard, while a colour screen is now fitted to the instrument cluster, which has also been redesigned.
Safety equipment has been given a boost; top-spec SZ5 trim now gets standard automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and assistance, traffic sign recognition, blindspot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
The Vitara is currently Suzuki’s best-selling model in the UK after being introduced, in its third generation, in 2015. Suzuki shifts about 1000 per month. The current best-seller is the two-wheel drive 1.6-litre SZ-T, and the 1.0-litre SZ-T with two-wheel drive will take over as the range best-seller after the tweaks take effect. The 1.0-litre engine is expected to outsell the larger 1.4 overall.
Prices won't be revealed until closer to the car’s launch date, but a small increase is expected from the current range’s starting price of £16,000. First deliveries start in September.
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