Suzuki Vitara RT-X 2016 - Review

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Suzuki Vitara RT-X 2016 - Review

Review - The turbo diesel RT-X model is only available in all-wheel drive, so we figured why not test it on the dirt to see what it can do?
You could be led to believe that the turbo petrol has plenty of torque, but the 1.6-litre turbo diesel model has has an extra 100Nm on it – its outputs are 88kW and 320Nm.

That’s a pretty huge amount of pulling power for a car of this size and weight. It is a bit heavier than the petrol versions, but at 1325kg it’s not chubby.

You can tell this has a different type of gearbox to the other models in the range when you’re pottering around town: it has a dual-clutch automatic, and the shifts can be a little bit hesitant, particularly from a standstill, but once you’re on the move they’re smooth and rapid.

Adding to the low-speed limitations is low-rev lag as the turbo spools up – when you hit about 2000rpm the engine is strong to respond, but below that it’s a bit sluggish. And while the engine offers decent response at speed it is pretty noisy at idle.

As for fuel use, we saw about 5.3L/100km, though that figure rose the more off-road driving we did.

Now, that all-wheel-drive system – let me just say this: if you really want a small SUV with proper off-road cred, you should buy the Suzuki Jimny, which has high and low range and can shuffle itself up craggy hillsides better than most humans.

But the AllGrip system in this car has a few different settings for different situations. Auto mode chooses whether you need 4WD or not; Snow mode – well, there’s not much need for that unless you’ve got the skis on board; Sport mode is designed to make it feel better in corners and makes the transmission hold on to gears longer; and Lock mode modulates the torque to ensure good progress on mud or loose surfaces.

We’d have to say we wouldn’t be too keen to venture on too hard a terrain. Although those AWD settings are handy and undoubtedly have an effect on the behaviour of the car in different situations, it is let down by a few key things: its ground clearance, at 185mm, isn’t great; and all three have the same Continental tyres, which are road-focused.

The suspension doesn’t allow the vehicle a lot of lateral travel through deep ruts or washouts, and the approach angle isn’t terrific (18 degrees), but the stumpy rear end allows it a fine departure angle (28 degrees).

Still, this model is pretty expensive, and how often are you actually going to want to get your car off the beaten track to exploit the AWD system? We drove it around town and found it to be equally inoffensive to drive despite the extra weight, but our biggest gripe with the diesel was that noise. It rattles like an old tractor.

In terms of equipment, it has the panoramic glass roof, and the interior looks a bit more upmarket with its grey stitching and that plush suede/leather combination trim. The fact it doesn’t have a silly big badge on the dash (it has a small AllGrip badge), means it could appeal to more mature buyers.

But while the range is impressive, it does – in its entirety – fall a little short on safety features. The rear-view camera is great, and the mid- and high-spec models have front and rear parking sensors, too.

Each Vitara has seven airbags (dual front, front side, full-length curtain and driver’s knee protection), but it doesn’t have any of the latest high-tech equipment like autonomous emergency braking or blind-spot monitoring.

And even at $35,990 plus on-roads – or what could be close to $40,000 driveaway – the RT-X doesn’t get seat heaters. Source by caradvice.com.au

Tag : Car, Review, SUV