Hot off the heels of the new generation Suzuki Jimny being launched, the 2019 Suzuki Vitara Series II has been launched in Australia sporting a new look, new interior materials, vastly improved technology including AEB on Turbo models and a revised model lineup. Competing against the Mazda CX-3 and Hyundai Kona, the Vitara has been on sale locally since 2016.
Offering three models for sale, pricing starts at $22,490 plus on-road costs, pricing for the 2019 Vitara has risen by between $500 and $1,000, though the company says that’s offset by the added standard equipment across the range.
Suzuki Australia General Manager – Automobile, Mr. Michael Pachota said the introduction of the Vitara Series II will be key for Suzuki’s growth in the SUV market.
“With the launch of the new Vitara Series II and its many upgraded features and specifications on safety, driver convenience and class leading value, there is no doubt we will increase our presence in the growing SUV market.”
Most noticeable with the Series II Vitara are a round of exterior changes including new headlights and tailights with subtle changes to their inner sections, as well as new bumpers and alloy wheels. Inside the Vitara are new cabin materials, a centre armrest for the front seat and a 4.2-inch colour driver’s display.
Most importantly, active safety levels have been improved with the addition of autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, weaving alert, active cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert are now standard on the Turbo and Turbo AllGrip, though are disappointingly unavailable on the base model Vitara manual and automatic.
Both Vitara and Vitara Turbo models continue with their drivetrains – the former an 88kW/156Nm 1.6-litre petrol engine and the latter a 103kW/220Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Vitara can be had with a five-speed manual, while all other variants are equipped with a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Fuel economy is listed as 6.0L/100km for the 1.6-litre engine and 5.9L/100km for the 1.4 turbo – the former 1.6-litre turbo diesel option has been culled for 2019.
2019 Suzuki Vitara Series II pricing (plus on-road costs):
Vitara manual: $22,490
Vitara automatic: $24,490
Vitara Turbo automatic: $29,990
Vitara Turbo AWD automatic: $33,990
Metallic paint: $500
Two-tone metallic paint: $1,250
Stay tuned to Chasing Cars for more Suzuki news and reviews.
