Suzuki Vitara LY (2015-2018)

The perfect combo of looks, performance and price – Was looking for a small SUV that didn't look or feel like a small SUV. After watching hours and hours of video reviews I landed my heart on the Vitara with its modest price, off-roading heritage and rugged good looks. Many call it a mini Range Rover and they're not wrong because the shape and external styling is very similar. It just so happened… Read more

that the following week I saw an S Turbo in just the right colour (the safari with a black roof) and it was love at first sight. Forget what they say about cheap interior because once you are inside and up close, it is the last thing you will notice. One thing that is a common thread amongst reviews is that it is fun to drive and boy does this car put a smile on your face everytime you hop on the driver's seat. With its miniature weight and powerful turbo engine it handles like a hot hatch. What not a lot of reviewers talk about is that the Vitara is actually classified as a semi-automatic which means you can put it into manual mode and use the paddle shifters to change gears. This is where the performance of the Turbo engine really shines. A funny thing that happened was I actually thought the car stalled because the engine was so quiet when I came to a stop! The USB port though was a little glitchy but it might be due to the constant pulling and tugging causing the connection to come loose, but that's an easy fix. Overall extreme pleased with my purchase.

Very good car - simple and you cannot beat it for value – This car is by no means a performance SUV the 1.6L Is just adequate for city driving and it will not complain if you push it. You need to get past 4,000RPM to get any meaningful performance out of it such as overtaking and for uphill driving it is better you get into 'manual mode' and down shift on your own as the transmission has been tuned for… Read more

economy and it will always select the highest gear available.

If you need any more performance than that you need to be looking at the 1.4L Turbo. The price for what you get is hands down the best value small SUV on the market. The closest in price (at the time) was the Mitsubishi ASX but it was thirsty, ancient, heavy and that horrible CVT auto is subpar (although a much larger car inside).

Pros:

Very fuel efficient the 1.6L engine clocks below 7L/100kms and this is urban driving with a lot of stop and go traffic.

One thing that the Vitara excels at and a lot of people complain about in modern cars is visibility, is that it has excellent visibility all around with big windows! It is so easy to park and drive around the city!

The Vitara has one of the best conventional 6 speed auto transmission I have driven. Its gear changes are smooth and it is very responsive from the get-go. (This is coming from the 6 speed Mazda Skyactiv which I Had problems with from day 1 rough shifts and jolts!)

It drives and handles really well for what it is, the steering is very very sharp (albeit a little sensitive for some) the braking is very powerful (albeit a little sudden for some) the overall handling is great and believe it or not that 1.6L engine is so punchy due to the car being so light! (not sure how the car will fare on the highway but I don't think it will fare well).

It has inclusions that feel ''premium" and most other brands will not give you in their entry level variants; such as LED running lights, a great GPS system, top quality reverse camera, paddle shifters (for the auto), nice looking alloy wheels, darker privacy rear windows and even LED welcome illumination on the front driver's and passenger's foot wells (Mazda charges over $200 just for the welcome illumination!)

The infotainment is excellent, the touch screen is very responsive (albeit a little small) and it comes with standard android auto/apple car play. I am comparing this to the horrible MAZDA MZD Infotainment system which is laggy, outdated and the touch screen cannot be used once the car is moving! Oh and they will charge you $500 for Android auto/Apple carplay (Shame on you Mazda)

The interior is very simplistic but very well thought out with ample space for what it is and excellent rear leg and headroom for its class which is better than a Mazda CX-3and on par with a Hyundai Kona (And those cars are more expensive).

Boot space is also one of the largest of its class (375L vs Kona 361L) which is a plus for a small family and it has the added dual floor for extra storage underneath!

Suzuki has accessories galore and even though a lot are very expensive at least you get the option to customize your vehicle and if you can bargain at time of purchase you can get some accessories thrown in for free!

Cons:

The speakers are below average but for the audiophiles there is an premium upgrade speaker option! (not sure how much that would cost but I assume it will be an expensive upgrade from the dealer so if you are in the market and like your music try to get that thrown in for free from the dealer when you buy!).

Service intervals are very short 10,000 or 6 months (if you purchased before Nov '19) - for those who do not do many Kms like myself it means I will have to visit the dealership more often and they are not cheap averaging $250 per service which is over $500 per year.

The warranty is 5 years which is a plus but there is a catch - you need to have all the services done by a Suzuki dealer otherwise it reverts to a standard 3 yr (as of November 2019 Suzuki have reverted to 5years with yearly services and no obligation to service at the dealership, 15k for the non-turbo and 10k for the turbo models).

Do not expect any advance safety tech (I think this is where a lot of reviews are taking away points here from the Vitara), there is no blind spot monitoring, no lane assist no forward collision etc However to be honest a lot of these are more of a distraction than anything and if something goes wrong they are just another problem to fix. Personally I do not see that as a con.

Of course interior plastics are hard so do not expect a premium feel at this price or category but I find this a plus if you have young children who love to touch everything - the hard plastic is easy to clean!

The front seats feel a little flat and lack lumbar support in my opinion this car is not suited for long trips, after 45min to an hour i begin to have back pain. It is more suited for small/slim people.

Expensive accessories, to give you an example front+rear mudflaps will cost you over $250 dollars. This is ridiculous someone like kia will charge $150 or so.

Cabin noise level is below average but again this is expected, you can see where they have cut costs, there is no sound proofing at all (or at least it seems that way). Something like a Kia cerato is way quieter.

The interior space especially on the rear is still small for things like baby seats - remember this is a SMALL SUV and the wheel base measures 2.5metres which is the equivalent of cars like a kia RIO! This car is not recommended for long trips or families with want to fit more than 2 baby car seats. (You will never get 3 baby seats fitted across the vehicle just isn't wide enough).

All in all this vehicle should be selling way more than it currently is however I believe a lot of people do not make informed decisions and get caught up in the hype buying what is ''trendy'' without thinking of practicality. Also a lot of ''expert" review I see online are very unfair on the Vitara as a lot of scores are very low, I used to own a Mazda CX5 and I can honestly say this is a better product, less gimmicks, no istop or other electric crap you don't need and way more practical and easy to drive around the city but the CX5 of course is a much larger vehicle and on a different category (proper comparison would be a CX-3).

Practical, well-built and economical – Vitara and Grand Vitara are entirely different cars, not sure why PR lumps them together. This review is of the current model Vitara. My car has already done 10,000kms which included lots of highway driving, some town stuff and a few rough dirt roads during a long trip through North Queensland. So far it has performed exceptionally well and is… Read more

proving to be a very versatile and practical vehicle. Ride and handling are good, the driving position comfortable, it has a spacious boot, decent ground clearance and a good turning circle. The engine is remarkably quiet and fuel economy is nothing short of outstanding: I get an overall average of 5.2L/100kms. Equipment levels are surprisingly comprehensive for a base model (SatNav, Reversing Camera, Auto A/C etc. etc.) and it all works very well.

The 1.6L engine is a willing performer but no powerhouse. It has a fairly high compression ratio and runs better on premium fuel. Large families and speedfreaks should probably go for the turbo model.

What's not to like? Well, very little actually. The steering, whilst accurate enough, has very little "feel" to it. The auto gearbox behaves well most of the time but tends to get flustered under hard acceleration; fortunately Manual Mode (using the paddles) works a treat. The economy gearing is a bit too tall: at 110kph in sixth gear the engine is only doing 2,000rpm necessitating frequent changes up to fifth and even fourth gear. Lastly, the rear privacy glass is apparently designed to appeal to the US market; it soaks up the heat and I think it looks pretty silly. Much better to have plain glass and then put a proper metallic tint on it.

Overall I'm very pleased with this car: it's cleverly designed, well-built, practical, comfortable and extremely economical. Highly recommended.

Funtastic – Bought new in 2018 from Peter Davey Suzuki Ray the salesman was very helpful and easy to deal with Dealer services fixed price and always have had great service from dealer Battery overcharging issue after 2 years and dealer advised and replaced battery no hassles car performs well and is very reliable and great value for money have just replaced… Read more

the original tyres with Michelin Primacy 4 and they are much quieter than the original Continental tyres about the same replacement cost also Apple car play works well and waze is great on the screen with traffic updates and detours I prefer the 2018 model grille to the later types may fit a towbar at some stage drive mostly city and have lots of weekend country drives (when not in lockdown) love getting well over 700 klm per tank every time

Great car! – I have had this car for 6 months and I love it! It runs so well and is such a nice car to drive but I do have some cons: it doesn’t have the option to automatically lock the doors when you start driving. The radio screen has restarted itself a few times and it doesn’t have a lot of power when taking off all minor issues though. Overall I would definitely recommend this car to small families.  Show details

Perfect car for all adventures! – Reliable car - never had any problems with it since the day I bought it brand née 5 years ago. Car is used daily and for the entire family including the dogs. Car is serviced regularly every 3-6months as required. Had to change tyres once in its time and only ever had to replace battery once as well. Only down side is the boot isn’t the… Read more

biggest. So I do struggling to put two dogs there, with the kids in the car too. Usually the dogs can’t come when the kids are too. :(

Amazing car, with a serve of faults – This car is my everyday driver. I use it for work (aged care community care worker) and personal. I get this car serviced whenever its required and is always checked regularly up kept, and my machanic is not mentioned any issues in the car, as yet. Show details

I love my car – I love my car it’s my everything but I must say it doesn’t pick up spend well if you are trying to pick up speed on the smallest of inclines the car cannot cope and revs high!! And the fuel economy has not been great after the first 12 months.  Show details

The car quality is very poor and Oakleigh customer service is worst – Wrongly decided to buy this car as the quality of material is very poor. Some of the parts broken as soon as i bought it. Went to the service center to get replaced and they were not happy and raised the issue with Suzuki Australia. Then the service center agreed to replace but after few weeks the same part broken again. I am fed up making complaint again.  Show details

Love the fuel efficiency – Bought the car second hand and I love it more than I thought I would. For long distance trips I'm getting 5.5 litres per 100km. Very easy to drive, and everything is practical and easy. Show details

Great car for going to the shops – Bought this car in 2016. Didn’t think I would ever go to a smaller cc than the 2ltr Mazda 3 I had before. So I was quite surprised about how much go this little car has. The only time it may have been a bit sluggish was carrying 4 people and towing a trailer with camping gear down the south coast. There is a rattle in the front passenger’s seat… Read more

and the gears are a bit choppy when traveling at low kms , so that’s what the manual gear is for. Used on a daily basis for work and going to the shops and where ever. It’s approaching 165000 kms and still going strong and serviced every 10000km.

Great fun car – It's drive is smooth and has turbo power when needed .... I for one do like the interior and I do prefer the hard plastic that others don't , the soft dash can split in time so I'm happy the way it is ..... Mileage is great bought in 2017 , no problem at all .... would buy again ......

Best car we’ve owned – We have the 2018 turbo model and we’re not at 50,000km and haven’t spent a cent on it other than serving and tyres. It’s light, well equiped and punchy with the turbo. We tow a trailer with it and you can’t even tell it’s there even on hills. Love this car, we will drive it till it dies and then buy another one. Show details

Love this car – I drive my suzi in a variety of places daily; up and down a lot of hills, on open roads, on freeways and in the city and im in awe of how it handles it all comfortably and effortlessly. The turbo is punchy, responsive and immediate and she handles corners and inclines like a sports car, i love the feeling of space in the cabin, not lots of moulded… Read more

plastic taking up airspace. The height of the car is perfect, easy to get in and out of and the seats are very comfy, even on long drives.The phone speaker is great quality and people are often surprised when i tell them I'm in the car as there is very little vibration and back noise, ive had it now for 1 1/2 years and as silly as it sounds still get excited when i see the bright dual colour in the carpark , jump into the driver seat and zoom off

Great small car – The Suzuli Turbo is our city commuter and gets used for some quick trips interstate. The motor is a gem - always punchy and very economical but needs 95 octane. Overtaking is easy - put your foot down and it flies. The 6 speed auto and paddles are good. Limited storage space but space enough to replace the spacesaver with a full size spare. No issues in 2 years. Show details

suzuki vitara – best car i have ever owned, love it, easy to get in and out of, smooth ride, love the two tone colour, key less was not necessary i feel, but its there so ok, mechanical is runs quietly and has the power , also have taken on 4wd track, went wonderfully, no complaints, Show details

Perfect Car – I love this car and you cant ask for anything more for the amazing price. Its easy to park and has plenty of boot space, being a music freak the only disappointment in that area is there is no CD player. Although I love this car the fuel economy is really bad, it does not cope with inclines of any type and its the worst automatic I have ever… Read more

driven, it revs out and hates to change gears. All in all the look and features of the car are second to none, but don't get an auto, it will let you down.

Packed with excitement! – I use this car everday for work and also for looking after the grandchildren. I like Suzukis in general just for the internal space they provide for strollers, luggage etc. I absolutely love the turbo boost on this vehicle it really gets you up those hills and in and out of traffic. It has also pulled our trailer for camping without any worries.… Read more

There is a wide range of colours but I couldn't go past the turquoise pearl metallic. This vehicle is serviced regularly with no unusual findings and continues to breeze along with its rear parking camera, usb connection and other perks.

Love my Vitara - everything you need – Bought brand new in Aug 2018 as our new family every day car. I am so happy with it mechanically, tech wise and looks. The Vitara has everything you need and at a very reasonable/affordable price. Drives well long distances and is easy to get up step inclines without too much lag. Fuel consumption has been amazing as well. It offers great cabin… Read more

and boot space with comfy seats. Absolutley would buy again and will be recommending the dealership again and again!

great car but auto transmission rough changing from first to second – 2015 rts 1.6 lt have been happy so far car runs a lot better with 95 octane fuel . Only issue i have had is a rough gear change from first to second when driving hard. Wonder if this normal would love to know if anyone else has this issue.  Show details ·  1

complete city sub compact SUV – bought after having grand vitara for six years. only issue with grand vitara was fuel efficiency and my vitara is the answer for that. not a 4 wheel drive but fun to drive and easy to park. and good with goodies like reverse parking and sat nav. its fun to move around city. i manage to get 15 km / liter on my way to work and back and 13-15… Read more

km/liter on busy sydney roads and 17-19km/liter on highways. negative point is its not a car for over take or speedy moving but its worth the cost. and very soft on wallet by seldom trips to fuel station

Best Value SUV Out There – Had been looking for some time for a replacement vehicle for my wife’s old car which would be mainly used for work commuting so fuel economy was more important than power. With a budget of around $25k we searched the market for a SUV type vehicle and after many hours of research on various motoring websites we narrowed down our choice to 3 models.… Read more

After inspecting and test driving our choices at the dealerships without doubt the Suzuki Vitara represented the best value for its size, features and warranty(5 Years but note: warranty conditions stipulate that it must be serviced every 6 months but it is fixed price servicing) The Vitara is economical, offers a comfortable ride and after 12 months of daily use we have no problems at all. The only slight disappointment is that despite having an excellent rear view camera there are no audible sensors when you are reversing so watch out for unwary pedestrians in car parks.

Really happy with it – For a fairly inexpensive small SUV I'm happy. It drives smoothly, but sometimes takes a second to turn on. Really annoying that the lights don't automatically go off when I turn the car off. The handling is good. Pretty noisy to drive on the freeway and not a lot of guts but it's a small engine and very petrol efficient to that's to be expected.  Show details

I drove this car since new it was a pig – This car was was in need of wheel alignment but was told by Crick's service it was OK Wrong . I get services done by auto leaders now cheaper and better. This car now goes well Better services and wheel alignment. It took 3 years to have a decent car but will never recommend susuki  Show details

Love it – A great car. Very zippy and easy to get around town in and comfortable for longer drives as well. I love the techninc rear parking camera and sensor and the entertainment system. Boot is a little small. Feels bigger inside than it looks. A stylish car, good for kids .  Show details

Beautiful to drive! – This is the car of my dreams! It is an absolute joy to drive and I actually enjoying driving when I am in this car! The leather interior is stunning and has all the bells and whistles you could dream of! Extremely reliable so far while being fuel efficient and cheap to service as per the Suzuki service plan!  Show details

Great Car with loads of power – We purchase the Suzuki Vitra Turbo in 2016 and absolutely love the car! The car is very smooth and easy to handle with a great turning circle - which is rare on cars that size these days. Positives: - Great fuel economy - Good value for money - Great boot space - In built GPS and Carplay - Looks impressive - Great parking sensors … Read more

- Reasonably priced servicing

However....

Negatives

- Doors are hard to close

- Would have preferred all leather seating options

- We have had several issue with the in car display disconnecting, freezing or going static-y

All features of costly cars in Economical price – I love Japanese cars...They are great. So while buying a car, I choose a couple of card like Nissan Juke, Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Honda CRV, Mitsubishi Outlander/ASX but finally landed getting a good deal and good car 3 months ago which is SUZUKI VITARA 2017 GL AUTO. I will mention PROS and CONS of it as below. PROS - 1. Very economical… Read more

price

2. Great fuel economy (7.5 litters for 100 km)

3. Inbuilt Garmin GPS

4. Inbuilt Apple Car play

5. Spacious inside

6. Great Boot space

7. Overall great look

8. If you service twice a year then 5 years warranty and if you service once a year then 3 years warranty

CONS

1. Inbuilt GPS is sometimes taking long route so I prefer mobile google GPS sometimes

2. Engine power is not that great compared to other cars

3. Interior plastic quality is cheap quality

Overall. if you want all the features in your car with less price, then this is absolutely no doubt, great car.

Great little SUV – I purchased this almost 1 year ago. so good on fuel in town and quiet and smooth on the highway. I have never had an issue with in. I like how you can personalise the inside to match the outside. Suzuki are great reliable cars and this is one of there best.  Show details

A happy year – We bought the car 10 months ago and have congratulated ourselves constantly since. We bought the turbo and she is light, economical and when you put your foot down, she lifts her skirts and goes! Drivers height good. Access good. Servicing costs good. A few cute custom options available. We chose the inside trim accents. Plus the turbo comes… Read more

with leather trim seats.

Plenty of room front and back. Seats are comfortable.

My single complaint is that the steering wheel obscures the indicator/light lever. But as everything is automatic, life is good.

Best car I've owned. Suits small family or people with pets.

Fault finding the engine over reving – Have only had minor problems with a/c which refuses to be diagnosed despite plenty attempts to resolve. Leaks big time into passenger seats floor. Now experiencing over revving when accelerating after changing gears. The cruise control now is not working since this problem commenced, they be related, however, may not be  Show details

GOOD SO FAR – Good on fuel,realistic service costs,nice to drive, good visual access to road,good nav system, nice reverse cam,zippy Good on highway and so easy with the auto around town. Comfy seats. Nice paint job Great climate controlled air conditioning looks good good amount cargo space best value after much research was done  Show details

Look past practicality and aesthetics as it drives terrible – 2016 SUZUKI VITARA RT-S: Everything about this car seemed perfect when buying it at the start of this year - maybe a little too perfect for the price. Not even 6 months down the track and I can see why it is so cheap. It is a terrible car to drive - although practicality and aesthetics seem magnificent. This car has a real acceleration problem,… Read more

with even moderate speed changes, causing the car to rev up past the 4000 mark. I have also found frustrating, a momentary lag for a brief second, along with a bunny hop to change from gear 1-2, when pulling away from a stop, such as congested traffic or red lights. Overtaking and merging into traffic have to be very carefully considered, because even if the engine works as hard as it can and the gearbox does its best to help, the acceleration is awfully slow. I would not recommend for anyone to buy this car if you are thinking of having more than 2 people in it, as the power problem already struggles with the weight of 1 person. In my opinion this car should definitely not be sold as a car for travel and adventure, instead a spacious car for a single person - city driving only. It revs high to go up hills, small or large and even trying to use cruise control, will see the car frantically trying to swap gears and that detracts from long-distance smooth driving. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the car (or cant afford not to love it) but when describing to the sales assistant why I was getting a new car and how it is going to be used (camping trips, long driving, lifetime car), I wish he hadn’t said this car would be suitable - as it is clearly not. Speaking to the team now about the issues, I regret buying the car, as apparently this is how the car drives - I wish I was advised before I bought it. I know in the future I will not be buying a Suzuki again, even if the price is appealing.

Suzuki Vitara 1.4L Turbo - Great – Purchased this 2017 car for the engine specs and fuel economy. Pros - Drives amazingly, extra power when you need Stylish and the car is able to be customised The media/navigation screen works really well and easily Cons- Plasticky and cheapish looking interior. Apparently some other cars have more up to date safety features like automated emergency braking Overall very happy with the car.  Show details