2015 Suzuki Vitara; pricing, specification, on-sale date

The all-new Suzuki Vitara will go on sale in the UK in April, priced from £13,999. It will be sold with a choice of new Euro-6 compliant engines and in three trim levels.

Unveiled at last year's Paris motor show, the small SUV is a rival to the Citroen C4 Cactus, Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and Vauxhall Mokka.

What is it?

Suzuki's new Vitara is shorter than the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross, but slightly taller and wider. It has been designed to offer genuine off-road capability. Suzuki's Allgrip four-wheel-drive system will be available as an option.

Suzuki is following the trend of offering buyers a wide range of personalisation options. There will be a choice of 10 exterior colour options, including five two-tone combinations. Buyers will be able to personalise their cars by choosing from a variety of different colour surrounds for the bumpers, front grille, dashboard and clock.

Despite being smaller than the S-Cross, there is still a decent amount of legroom in the back, while there is also plenty of headroom. The back seats are quite flat, though, and not quite as supportive as those in the S-Cross. The floor is flatter than that in the S-Cross, though, so legroom in the middle seat should be ok for an adult as well. 

What engines can I choose from?

Two new engines are available, one petrol and one diesel. Both are 1.6-litre units that put out 118bhp.The petrol engine develops 115lb ft of torque at 4400rpm, while the diesel produces 236lb ft at 1750rpm. Four-wheel drive is available on both.

Petrol buyers can choose from a five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox, while those opting for the diesel get a six-speed manual.

Fuel efficiency has been a priority. An official economy figure of 70.6mpg is quoted for the two-wheel drive diesel variant, with figures for the rest of the range yet to be confirmed. 

Suzuki says that CO2 emissions are 106g/km for the diesel two-wheel drive six-speed manual variant and 111g/km for the four-wheel-drive six-speed manual diesel.

CO2 emissions for the petrol engine in two-wheel drive manual form are 123g/km and 131g/km in four-wheel drive manual form, respectively.

What equipment does the new Vitara come with?

Standard equipment on the entry-level SZ4 includes seven airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity and automatic air conditioning.

SZ-T trim adds 17-inch silver painted alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, smartphone link audio capability and satnav.

Range-topping SZ5 adds LED headlights, keyless entry with start button, adaptive cruise control, radar brake support and a panoramic sunroof - with two opening glass panels as first seen on the Suzuki S-Cross.

How much does the Vitara cost?

The entry-level two-wheel drive SZ4 model starts at £13,999 and climbs to £21,299 for the four-wheel drive 1.6 DDiS SZ5 Allgrip range-topper.

Available as a £500 optional extra, cutomers can choose one of two packages for further customisation. Urban package adds chrome-plated fog lamp bezels and a roof spoiler. Rugged package gains front and rear skid plates and loading edge protection.

Can I get a discount?

Savings of up to £2000 can be had on Suzuki's SX4 and other models, which is unlikely to change for the new Vitara.

How good are its rivals?

Citroen's C4 Cactus is an affordable and stylish SUV with plenty of kit, but suffers from a jarring ride. The Renault Captur offers decent practicality and refinement, however it could do with stronger engines and better cabin quality.