Models Covered: 1988-2000: Three-door 2/4-
seat soft top, hardtop, 5-door hardtop: 1.6, 2.0V6, 2.0 turbo diesel [Sport, JX, JLX, JLX SE, JX 16v, JLX SE 16v, Sport, 4U, V6 24v]
If ever a car was designed according to a marketing department's orders, the Suzuki Vitara is surely it. This fashionable compact 4x4 was the model that put the franchise on the map in Britain and quickly became a style accessory. Though obviously an off roader, it isn't really designed for the exceptionally rough stuff, though the car's relatively low weight and high ground clearance are an advantage off the beaten track. On the road, the loud bodykits and aggressive alloy wheels fitted to some examples often try to suggest a post-GTi performance car; here too, however, compromises are in evidence. Best just to think of it as something affordably different - a breath of fresh air.