Suzuki Vitara News

Suzuki has confirmed new timing for three models coming to Australia by early 2026 in an overhaul of the brand’s small SUV range.The Suzuki Vitara Hybrid and electric e Vitara will join the new Suzuki Fronx Hybrid as the Japanese brand aims to “solidify its presence in the Light SUV segment”, though the new timing announcement means there have been delays.Suzuki Australia hasn’t confirmed full local specs - or any specs at all - in the announcement, only broadly outlining the models. Here’s what to expect - starting with the Fronx, the soonest of the trio to arrive given its September 1 on-sale date.The Fronx Hybrid, as Suzuki is calling it, will most likely be a 48-volt or ‘mild-hybrid’ system in truth, utilising a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine.It’s a light SUV with an almost ‘coupe’ silhouette thanks to a sloping roofline, and is built in India by the brand’s subsidiary Maruti.It’ll be followed by a hybridised version of the Suzuki Vitara arriving in Q1 2026 as well as the first electric model Suzuki Australia will sell, the e Vitara.Like the Fronx, the Vitara Hybrid will be a 48-volt system according to comments to CarsGuide from Suzuki Australia last year. A ‘full hybrid’ Vitara is available for sale in Europe.It follows the same name/drivetrain philosophy that led the brand to market the also mild-hybrid Swift hatchback as the Swift Hybrid in Australia.Finally, the fully-electric Vitara will also arrive in the first quarter of 2026.Three key versions of the EV are available - one with a 49kWh battery and 106kW/189Nm driving the front wheels, another FWD version with a 61kWh battery and 128kW/189Nm and an all-wheel drive version with the same bigger battery but an additional 48kW rear motor for a total output of 135kW and 300Nm.Suzuki Australia says local specifications and an official release date “will be the subject of future announcements”.

We’ve known it’s been coming for some time but now the pure-electric Suzuki e Vitara small SUV has been detailed ahead of its launch in what is effectively its home market of India.Produced (for domestic and export consumption) at the Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG) plant in north-western India, the e Vitara rides on the brand’s ‘HEARTECT-e’ platform and features a choice of two - 49kWh and 61kWh - lithium ion battery packs, the latter delivering a claimed range of 500km.A single electric motor in the nose produces 107kW/193Nm or 129kW/193Nm in line with battery size, with front-wheel drive for the Indian market. A dual-motor all-wheel drive version will also be produced for export, raising outputs to 137kW/300Nm. Multiple drive modes include ‘Eco’, ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’, ‘Snow’ and ‘Regen’, with ‘Trail’ on the AWD.External dimensions for the five-seater are 4275mm (long), 1800mm (wide) and 1635mm (tall) with a healthy 2700mm wheelbase.Aero efficiency is obviously a key focus, the car featuring a ‘Smart Grille’ with adaptive shutters, 18-inch aero alloy wheels, a full underbody cover and a rear roof spoiler. The interior is dominated by a 10.1-inch central media display with multiple customisable screens, as well as a 10.25 digital instrument/information display for the driver. A broad, floating console includes wireless device charging.Standard equipment in India is impressive, including a fixed glass sunroof, multi-colour ambient lighting, Infinity (by Harman) audio, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and ventilated front seats. ADAS Level 2 safety includes AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, adaptive high beam, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, ‘Active Cornering Control’, a 360-degree camera view, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and more. Passive safety includes seven airbags - front, front side, side curtain and driver’s knee as well as multi-collision brake to help prevent additional impacts after an initial collision.Suzuki Australia is yet to confirm if or when the e Vitara will hit our shores, although it is worth noting that the brand’s local division has been evaluating rival EV offerings like the Kia Niro and BYD Atto 3 at its Altona facility in Victoria over the last 18 months.

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New Australian Design Rules (ADRs) will begin to bite from March 1, 2025, requiring all new vehicles to be sold with auto emergency braking (AEB) systems. The rules mean major withdrawals from the Australian new-car market but they aren’t quite as widespread as you might imagine, with some manufacturers putting in the effort to keep their cars on the right side of the law. Falling in line with United Nations safety protocols, ADR 98/00 — Advanced Emergency Braking for Passenger Vehicles and Light Goods Vehicles requires the fitment of AEB, a life-saving technology that can automatically apply the brakes if a car senses an impending crash. These systems have various levels of effectiveness but the latest rule change is concerned with being able to detect other cars on the road. The systems must function at least between 10-60km/h and be able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop on a dry road from 40km/h. They must also switch on every time the car is started. This applied to new models of passenger car, light and medium commercial vehicles from March 1, 2023 and will cover all new vehicles imported into Australia from March 1.Mitsubishi is the hardest hit by the new rules, no longer able to sell the Pajero Sport off-road SUV or Eclipse Cross small SUV. The long-running ASX is also affected but Mitsubishi’s small SUV will be replaced by a new model this year.Next casualty is the cut-price Suzuki Ignis, which is not fitted with the technology. A new model, the Fronx, will replace it but probably not at its bargain price. Entry-level Vitaras will also be affected, though the brand did not respond to our query. The Porsche 718 would have been hit by the rule change, but production ceased in September with a new electric generation coming equipped with AEB. Another affordable brand slugged with the need for AEB is LDV, its cheap V80 large van is not equipped with the technology but, like the Porsche, production ended last year and all that’s left is existing stock. The entry trim T60 ute and all G10 van trims also lack AEB. CarsGuide was informed by a spokesperson that both “will meet the upcoming requirements for ADR 98/00”, with more news to share in the coming months. The Toyota Granvia people mover has also been given the chop. Onto the, perhaps unlikely, candidates that are equipped with AEB. Despite their age, these vehicles remain important sellers for carmakers, so it was clearly worth investing.There is none older than the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, over 40 years old its mid-life crisis (or glow-up) saw Toyota add crucial AEB including pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection. Toyota also, a little sneakily, bumped the GVM beyond 3500kg to 3510kg in 2023. The value of this is that the 70 Series becomes reclassified as a medium goods vehicle, allowing it to dodge the latest side impact regulations that would’ve seen an imminent sales stop. The Toyota Fortuner, current HiLux and GR86 manual are all equipped with AEB that permit sale in Australia up to, and beyond, 2026.Another ageing model due for replacement is the Nissan Patrol, though the new version is not due until 2026 the Y62’s many life-cycle updates saw ‘Intelligent Emergency Braking’, an AEB system that can detect cars and pedestrians, way back in 2019.Also worth noting is the British Ineos Grenadier off-roader, the first batch does not have AEB. Cheekily, orders opened in May 2022 (before the mandate for all-new models) but customers didn’t receive cars in bulk until the first quarter of 2023, and Australian media only sampled the cars in December of that year. CarsGuide understands that all Grenadiers and Quartermasters will be equipped with AEB from March onwards.The Australian Government has launched a review into ADRs going forwards now there is no longer local manufacturing to legislate (and protect). The next big active safety ADR change (revised as ADR 98/01) is due in August 2026, when all cars sold must have AEB systems that can intervene if a pedestrian is detected in the path of a vehicle. Some carmakers, including Nissan and Mitsubishi, have called for this to better align Australia’s laws with Europe, Japan and the USA promoting greater affordability and fast-tracking of more efficient models. 

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Suzuki has unveiled two new limited-edition versions of its Vitara SUV for 2024. 

The facelifted 2025 Suzuki Vitara has moved a step closer to Australian release after being approved for sale locally.The mild-hybrid-only Vitara is scheduled for a local release in the second quarter of next year, according to a Suzuki Australia spokesperson.However, that timing could change again as it was previously earmarked to land in the first quarter of 2025.The headline of the new Vitara is its 'Boosterjet K14D' 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with 48-volt mild-hybrid assist that will be a first for Australia.It replaces the 'K14C' turbo-petrol engine in the current Vitara and produces 95kW/235Nm. The new motor is paired with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.There is a 10kW/53Nm electric motor but it does not work like a Toyota hybrid system. The combined fuel economy in the WLTP cycle is listed between 5.3-5.6L/100km.Australia won't get the 'full hybrid' Vitara that is sold in Europe which combines a non-turbo combustion engine with 24.6kW electric motor.The documents show the Vitara will drop its base 1.6-litre petrol engine in facelift guise, too.Additionally, the current five-strong range will shrink to three. There are two variants listed – codenamed 'DD1S' and 'ED1S' – with the lower trim available in front-wheel drive with either a manual or automatic transmission.The higher-end model is available with or 'AllGrip' all-wheel drive and automatic only. Further specification details will be revealed closer to the Vitara's release.A new front bumper with a large grille protrusion, fresh headlights, bulkier tail-lights and all-new alloy wheel designs give the Vitara a nice freshen-up in the looks department.Inside, the technology is improved thanks to the addition of a bigger 9.0-inch touchscreen from the S-Cross with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Safety is enhanced – at least in Europe – with the Vitara scoring adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keep assist and a driver monitoring system.Mild price increases as seen in Suzuki's Swift small car could be matched by the new Vitara. It could lift as little as $500 from the current $36,490 (before on-road costs) turbo model.That would still reflect a total $7000 increase over the start price of $29,990, however.Further details on Suzuki's Subaru Crosstrek, Mitsubishi ASX and GWM Haval Jolion rival will come closer to the Vitara's Q2 2025 Australian release.

While a new generation of Suzuki Vitara seems to have been heralded by the reveal of an electric concept called the eVX, the brand has announced a new facelift for the current generation instead.

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Manual gearboxes are being killed off by the soulless, unromantic savages who want a car with an automatic transmission. Which is nearly everybody. So, the car manufacturers are making hardly any manual cars now. But for the few beacons of hope trying to save this rare animal from extinction we’ve made a list of new cars still with manuals that are for sale in Australia. But for how much longer?