Suzuki Vitara

THE FIRST IMAGES FROM SUZUKI SUGGEST that the Vitara will be a lot like the iV-4 concept displayed at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The basic design is typical SUV, featuring high ground clearance, big wheels, a long bonnet and a raised front bumper. Suzuki is tight-lipped about the engines and the dimensions, though the compact SUV seems similar to the 4215mm length, 1850mm width, 1665mm height and a 2500mm wheelbase that featured on the iV-4 concept.


What Suzuki has confirmed is that the SUV will be available with a front-wheel drive set-up, while ALLGRIP intelligent four-wheel-drive will be available as an option. The new Vitara is likely to employ the 1.6-litre petrol engine from the SX4 S-Cross, which is also scheduled for India some time next year. A diesel motor for India is almost a given, though whether it'll be the 1.3-litre DDiS motor, or something larger, is yet unknown. Expect a late 2015 or early 2016 launch. As the Vitara is based on a newplatform, local manufacturing may require a sizable investment.