Suzuki Vitara mk1 the first urban off roader Goes For a Drive

The Suzuki Vitara was part of a small group of world changing cars, evolving 4x4 off roaders into what became the modern SUV. It was a huge success and was seen with Wide Boy bodykits everywhere!
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[@Daive1988]

Another stupendous video, sir! These 90’s Vitara’s were the go to small 4x4 for being able to hire out on Mediterranean holidays back in the day 😉 before the Jimny’s took over that role… I’m also one of the (actually not that many in the U.K. !) current Gen4 Jimny owners, having had the Gen3 before. The Suzuki 4x4 community is bloody great to be fair - doesn’t take itself nowhere near as serious as the LR lot, of which I’m also an ex member as an old Series/Defender purist 🤣. The newest Jimny mixes heritage and just enough modernity to perfection in my opinion, and is bloody brilliant off-road straight out of the showroom 🙌🏻

[@antoniorodriguezgrau2559]

Still a pretty common sight on the rural areas here in Spain. The ones made by Santana were still in production when the second generation arrived (1998/99), and after a minor facelift, they were badged as the Santana 300 (3dr) and 350 (5dr), and made until 2007/08 almost unchanged. At some point in the early 2000s, they even went from the good old PSA XUD (1.9D/1.9TD) engines to the more modern but also reliable 2.0HDi ones.

[@danmccarthy4700]

I was obsessed with these when I was a child, and I still see a ton of them on the roads here. This has to be one of the most rebadged vehicles on the planet. Our versions in North America had full taillight assemblies where those tiny foglights were on this UK model. I had no clue they did that for your cars.

[@calinescuandrei9662]

Thank you for this Matt! I grew up with one of these, although it is a 5 door, and I gotta say, it's an irreplaceable part of many of my memories from my childhood. A beautifully styled, rugged (a tad of a rustbucked..but oh well), practical (although ours has no tea shelf!!!....blasphemy ik, but it has the dash offered starting from the 1996 model year Vitaras) and dependable off roader. Might as well mention well built & somewhat safe, since my uncle unfortunately had an accident in it, but thankfully he was fine and the car was not too badly damaged (despite it having been rolled over a few times.) I also had the pleasure of learning to drive in it & also take it out for a few drives here and there, till I got my first car (and yeah the clutch pedal travel is quite something compared to others :))) ) I'm proud to see the car that means so much to my family and I, getting restored and refreshed into top shape again! I intend to keep it, along with my SAAB, as clean and as original as I possibly can, until I can't drive anymore. Can't wait to drive it again!

[@nygelmiller5293]

this well styled 3 door version reminds me of the 3 door Mitsubishi PININ, which was also so well styled!

[@phuketexplorer]

The Suzuki 4 X 4 Caribbean came out several years before this model.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

I bought my wife a lime green soft top version new in 1993 and it was actually rather fun and trendy at the time albeit a little basic so thanks for the nostalgia trip.

[@gaufrid1956]

Matt, I never owned a Suzuki Vitara, but I did own a five door Grand Vitara from 1998, and a 2016 three door Grand Vitara. I also had a front wheel drive 2015 Suzuki S-Cross. All of them were very dependable vehicles and the Grand Vitaras were excellent off-road. I lived in Australia back then, and nowadays I live in Mindanao Philippines and don't own a car. My adult son in Australia has driven a Suzuki Alto from brand new for the last ten years and will only consider another Suzuki if ever it dies! Great cars all!

[@organiccold]

Nice little 4x4. We have a lot of them in Portugal. Fun Fact: because the spare tyre covers the RHS tail light, the rear tail lights are only like that in the RHD models, in the LHD ones the tail light are in the top and the ones in bumper are just the rear fog lights.

[@fugawiaus]

Here in Australia (rhd) we just had the normal tail lights not the bumper ones. They were and still are popular here due to our massive off road 4x4 scene.

[@aston-martin-internationalist]

Always liked these. When I was at university (98), a course mate who was actually Ukrainian (wealthy ship owner's son) had a white Bushwhacker version with a donut wheels and arch extensions. I thought it was awesome. The only car where a blanking plate meant you DIDN'T have a poverty spec.

[@tommyistommy]

Awesome to see one so nice! I just picked up the last model year of these in the states, a 1998 that was flat towed behind a RV. It's real nice will get more videos up soon! Love seeing these so stock and original, it's so rare. They really are wonderful driving vehicles for everything but sustained high speeds. It's like a 4wd Miata the way it drives, shifts, feels....I had one 10+ years ago with no AC and 8v motor. It was fun but with soft top and no AC it was brutal in winter and summer. Found one this time with a 16v (world of power difference. Seriously!), removable hardtop and AC. I knew I had to have it

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

What a gem of a car, always liked this version of the Vitara compared to the newer ones which are huge in comparison, excellent Review as always Matt.

[@joshbrailsford]

The dashboard is clearly not a universal LHD/RHD item: the gap for the steering column is far narrower than the passenger side insert bearing the Vitara badge - just look at how those two parts line up with the air vents above them.

[@jim.m75]

I thought nothing could fill the void left by the recent sudden death of my beloved volvo 940 but I absolutely love my 04 vitara td, absolutely excellent off road and a very capable little work horse!

[@frothe42]

Got this as the Geo Tracker as GM owned controlling interest in Suzuki. I know we got the Vitara, but I believe only in a four door.

[@BrooksterMax]

Yup remember seeing loads and can’t recall seeing any in recent times. Never seen inside one so this was a real treat. What a pokey boot! Quality radio blanking plate action. Still looks fun!

[@andrewmusisi7147]

Thanks, Mr. Furious this brings back fond Memories, my late sister bless her soul had one of these with the over-flared wheel arches and the chunky Yokohama tires when I was still living and studying in South Wales in the Rhonda valleys. We used to go clubbing all over the country with it. As always thank you for your in-depth knowledge on these 90s motors, Cheers.

[@MikeSmith-nl3fc]

Fond memories of these; I had 2 of these in the noughties, a 1995 blue and silver 5 door, and then a 1994 black 3 door with custom roof rails. Beautiful cars which I still miss to this day.

[@nygelmiller5293]

they ALSO did a stretched 5 door 7 SEATER version! Very rare and desirable!

[@ianthomas8743]

My 18 year neice old had one this age car in white was a convertible she lived in Essex blonde hair and white boots I fitted a remote control alarm and central locking

[@Bumper3D]

I used to work with a guy that has a Vitara exactly like this. He bought it new and has taken really good care of it. The man is now retired, but I still see him and the Vitara around every week. Can't be a terribly bad car if you keep one this long!

[@petertrinder3127]

Great review Matt as usual , thank you for this what a car so clean 😊

[@maxidyne]

Another gem Matt! These where great, my barber had one of these. Always had a couple of surfboards on the roof.

[@davidhinkson8856]

I have a friend who's had one of these since 1991 and it still looks factory fresh! He works in construction and says although his associates in that field have told him he should upgrade to something newer and heavier, he's stayed faithful to his Vitara because he's never had any major issues with it.

[@worldofrandometry6912]

I loved those when they came out. Something about those flush lights at the rear really appealed to me.

[@fhwolthuis]

Very tidy example! I liked them back in the day. Haven't driven one but did drive the competitor Daihatsu Feroza / Sportrack, which was also a fine car. BTW I think the engine was 1.6 liter.

[@phillipevans9414]

@Frank Wolthuis. Yeah, the Feroza was the other pioneer of the urban style 4x4 that would eventually morph into the modern SUV. There's a very clean 1989 Feroza with only 160k kms advertised here in Australia for sale ($8000), which is the first I have seen for ages. The Feroza has a 1.6L engine and I like you, thought the Vitara was also a 1.6L, at least in the early models, and was surprised when Matt said it was a 1.8. These kind of small basic 4x4's are heaps of fun, and my first car was a 1981 Suzuki LJ80 (technically an LJ81 , as it was the hardtop) with 800cc 4cyl, and would go anywhere and a great fun first car when probationary drivers were restricted an 80Kmh speed limit. Mine had a heater and a radio (surprised this on didn't have a radio), but nothing else...no tea shelf, no floor carpets, no door pockets, and the seats (only 2 in mine) were mounted on a set of rails via 4 bolts, and to adjust the seat, you got your tools out, loosened off the nuts, moved the seat to where you wanted it, and tightened the nuts back up. Great memories. Cheers!

[@mikecawood]

Around here, Vitaras were girlies' cars. One lived in the house opposite and the car alarm used to go off regularly at 3am.

[@coopers4491]

Had 2 suzuki jeeps back in the 80s 1 in green soft top and 1 in white hard top , pasadenas in the charts at the time,they both use too break down quite a lot due to plastic fuel filters !!!!! Great fun cars👍👍👍👍👍great content takes me 🔙 sj410s

[@jameswellard6798]

Worked as a store man in a suzuki dealers in the 90s.. The salesman loved putting the big wheels and arches on. Ruined the ride for me.. Remember the v6 5 door coming out they were lovely

[@jefferysmith3930]

In America the tail lights were in the rear fenders...nothing in the rear bumper. Save maybe a reflector. We rarely saw the 3 dr. Hard top. Almost always convertible. I never saw a 3 dr. with power windows. I think all of ours had the biggest engine and fuel injection. There were a whole host of different names for these in Canada. I once had to teach a customer to drive manual in one of these. Not the easiest car to learn on.

[@ryanm.3681]

Oh man youre on a roll.. Firs the S coupe and now this... Both were two of my favorite cars as little kid

[@andyarmstrong1493]

That looked so good!

[@ProdigalPorcupine]

I love all 4x4s, including these and Jimnys! I have a Freelander 1 facelift, currently off the road, recently sold a FL2 HSE, and just bought a 2007 Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 SE Lux+ that is in the £615 a year tax bracket, ouch! That's over a third of what I paid for it, sigh. All diesels, including my Mk4 Golf GTTDi I'm currently putting back on the road. No doubt I'm going to a sooty hell for poisoning the planet! Oh well...😁 Love all your videos, I really appreciate the effort you put into them.

[@mateya07]

My dad taught me how to drive in one of these, convertible version. Driving this on the dirt roads between fields is a blast.

[@andrewstones2921]

I was a passenger in one of these (front seat passenger) from Northern Thailand all the way to Penang in Malaysia, back in 2013. It was very comfortable, it had air conditioning that worked well, and the only criticism really is that it was terrible on fuel range. The driver, after leaving me in Penang went on back to the north of Thailand with two other adult passengers and the proceeded through Laos and Cambodia along some truly challenging roads.

[@MineshShah]

In the early 1990's when I was a college for my A levels, I had two friends who's parents owned these, complete with bull bars (they were legal then)... And I've fond memories of being driven around in them with early 90's R&B/hip-hop playing on the stereo! They were extremely fashionable! To me, they represent the beginning of the rise of SUV in the U.K. Although they appealed to a younger style conscious audience... My two friends were insured on their parents policy... If you actually take time to look at the aesthetics of them, they do actually look like an 'Agricultural Tractor' that has morphed into an urban 4X4. FC

[@leonardosimm3536]

Sounds a lot smoother than I thought it would. Would be tempting if there were any in my neck of the woods...

[@hutchcraftcp]

We had the same thing in the states but it was named the " Sidekick". 1.6L.

[@tristanpage6805]

A true gem. Hope it goes to a new understanding home. Keep up.the great work.

[@billgriffiths1685]

Yipee I'm 2,025. I remember all those aftermarket spare wheel covers.

[@JK061996]

My great uncle had a 2dr tin top Vitara, it was a 1.6 JLX in blue with beige body mouldings. They were very popular in my area, as was the following Grand Vitara. Also MacPherson struts on a ladder frame seem like a pretty unique configuration.

[@SoapMovie2300]

My first gf had 1988 jdm Suzuki Escudo with 8 valve g16a engine. The car was solid but it had horrible 3 speed automatic transmission made by GM. Driving this thing on a highway was a chore. Tho Suzuki quickly realized this transmission sucked and replaced it with japanese 4 speed in the 1990. The interior space was tight but as we were young it was never a problem. Me, gf and a friend packed it to the brim with camping stuff and went driving for hundreds of kilometers cramped in there lol.

[@haddonmacdonald3824]

When I was a little boy I had a carer who took me to places in her Vitara it was electric blue. Great memories 🙂

[@JK061996]

8:28 my mother's 2002 Ignis also had a blanking plate but came with speakers and an antenna. When I installed a radio a couple years ago I literally had to cut out the plate to fit the head unit.

[@RichieRouge206]

The Vitara reeks of the 1990s - in a good way of course! I had my first car in the Max Power days and the Vitara WideBoy was definitely a common sight! I had the most Max Power darking of them all -a Nova with obligatory Peco Big Bore 2, clear rear lights, 3 spoke GSI alloys, Yaris rear wiper and a brace of subwoofers to match the blue neon lights everywhere 🤣 Brilliant times.. great review of this lovely car and never faiks to amaze me just where Stonecold manages to find such rarities! Maybe you should do a video about them?

[@furiousdriving]

That is peak '90s right there, and Im there for it! Yes, probably should but he might not want to reveal his secrets..

[@iain4]

This dealer was located not far from where I grew up. It had a Q8 forecourt located outside. It was demolished around 2008. A Tesco Express now sits on the site. Good memories.

[@timcox7673]

the coin holders were handy back in the days coins were needed for parking meters and paying to use toll roads, chocolate bars will melt if left in the little recess as it is exposed to the sun

[@djgoldthing7166]

I remember in 1990 where I live near Wigan, a rather attractive girl had one of these, a convertible in white, white roof and a wide boy kit. It looked amazing at the time.

[@frankie6849]

That is in perfect condition. Very interesting video thank you

[@noahdunaway]

I just bought a 1996 Tracker in like new condition, 78k miles and most of them were pulled behind a motor home. It’s a rust free Texas vehicle. It’s a wildfire red convertible with black fiberglass tops, 2WD 5 speed manual. It was stored inside when not used and still looks new.

[@paulwlynch]

I had a poster of a Vitara(also a Saab 900 Turbo and Kawasaki Ninja)on my bedroom wall when I was younger and thought they were pretty cool. Looking forward to this review Matt

[@davidkendall2992]

I attended the press launch of the 5 door variant when it came to the UK. Suzuki put us up at Cliveden , best remembered for the Christine Keeler/Profumo affair and next day we roamed the local Countryside in the various models.They presented the journos with a very nice pair of Timberland boots if I rememeber correctly. Still got them !!

[@furiousdriving]

Suzuki do good launches. I went on the new Jimny event in Germany and they presented us with excellent models of them and some other cars from the range that are still in my office

[@alansimpson835]

I love these. You can see exactly why Toyota and Land Rover saw pound signs when they saw how the "Lifestyle Offroader" could take off with the sales of these. I suppose you had the Daihatsu Sportrack back then too but this just came at the right time. For some reason "Scared Parpy" needs to be followed by Atatata in my head too (like Stool Pigeon by Kid Kreole and the Coconuts)

[@gogosegaga]

This jeep was the hottest and coolest car to drive back in the 90s

[@forcraigslist3432]

Thank you, super entertaining and great job "keeping it real" and I now know what I will do with mine.... Keep it as stock as possible... It is what it is and I want to use it how it was intended.... Minus the big stereo.

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

Parents neighbour had one of these in the early 90s. The bodykits and decals were deals options I believe, at last they came off the forecourt like hat sometimes.

[@Ramcharger85]

I like this bodystyle of Vitara. Had the Geo version. A black 92 Hardtop 4x4 automatic.

[@deanprosser5224]

One of those cars I wish I'd owned, beautiful example.

[@nygelmiller5293]

very impressed that they've bothered to make the rear windows open.

[@milksheihk]

Aus spec Vitaras of that era had full light clusters in the usual position on the rear corners & the light clusters in the rear bumpers.

[@Jam3sA]

I don't know if it's just me, but it's weird seeing one of these without a bull bar. Quite capable off road though (unlike modern SUV's), as I found in Cyprus many years ago

[@tonys1636]

It was a toss up between one of those and a Lada Niva, the Niva won unfortunately as actually tougher and more suited for off road, no carpets, self draining as floor had many unsealed apertures under the rubber floor covering, a tad more agricultural mechaniclly though.

[@wadegarret]

Back in the early 90s, Land Rover Owners magazine really, really rated the Niva...I'd certainly have one if I could ever find one in good nick!

[@tonys1636]

@@wadegarret There is a company in the UK that does private imports, only LHD as RHD no longer made, they also do the lighting alterations to comply with UK and EU legislation, not cheap though and bit better equiped than the 80's, 90's ones. Should I say or did, I think the present situation has put a hold on that.

[@goclunker]

A “tad more agricultural”? The Lada is a ohv 1960s fiat motor loosely. The Vitara is a 8v/16v 1.6L modern engine. Understatement of the year.

[@wadegarret]

@@tonys1636 I'm English but live in Australia now, I've just had a look on Car Sales here and there's 1 for sale, he says he's more or less restored it but it's $16000 around £8000! It's very nice though 😀

[@neilwalsh4058]

@@goclunker considering the Niva had been in production for 11 years before the Japanese jumped on yet another bandwagon, it has the right to feel more agricultural. Their engines were VAZ's own too, the 1600cc Niva one being the same as the Zhiguli 2106 which we simply knew as a Lada 1600 in UK.

[@jumolbureanu2415]

Great off roading capabilities & great handling around town

[@jumolbureanu2415]

Too bad for rust issues

[@goclunker]

Usdm has regular tail lights, bumper has red reflector stickers

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

I actually owned one of these in 2018. It appears in the title sequence and at the end of very early channel videos. It was a 1996 Vitara JX five door, which had no equipment at all, really. Only drove it a handful of times as it failed its MOT, but managed to sell it without one for more than I had paid for it...

[@furiousdriving]

Thats the least 'you' car I think you've owned, but as you found even without an MOT off roaders love them

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@furiousdriving , I paid £325 for it, back in the days when it was possible to pick such things up! It was really easy to lock the brakes up and the steering really didn't seem to have any connection to what the front wheels were doing, but it was briefly a good bit of fun. The TwinTop may even have been less my sort of car, actually!

[@manofthehour6856]

Yes, LOL, probably about 20 years since a co-worker here in the States had one as a Winter vehicle, albeit the "badge-engineered captive import" Geo Tracker sold through Chevrolet dealerships. You don't appreciate a vehicle if you see it regularly and then it gradually disappears. I did see a Suzuki Samurai near me in the last few weeks, and I was extremely interested in it. I've only been a fan of the pure, workhorse, rational-sized 4 x 4 that were available in the 1970s until about the 1990s when they became cushy, electrics-laden showhorses with most buyers interested in impressing others as well as focusing on comfort gizmos, etc. I really do miss the vehicles such as this, the Samurai, as well as the "Squarebody" C/K Chevrolet / GMC Blazer, the Jeep CJ7, Isuzu Rodeo, and Mistubishi Montero (aka Shogun or Pajero). Now everything here in the States is oversized, over-priced, over-technical, and just extracts the interest of the driving experience. This is a very nice selection indeed!!!

[@asloan1976]

I used to make a fortune flogging these in the 90’s. Bloody awful to drive but utterly reliable, the looks appealed to young folks who part exchanged their Fiestas and Novas by the boatload then wanted out of it after a few months because of the way they drove and the poor economy. It wasn’t unusual to find 4/5yr old examples with 7/8 owners yet with no faults to explain it. The RAV 4 absolutely murdered it when it arrived. Great video as always but it wasn’t a 1.8, it’s a 1.6 and later a 1.6 16v. No 1.8 was ever offered.

[@petermoller8337]

Adjustment of clutch is easy, took my little Vitara for a run today On dusty roads, 😊

[@grayfool]

I worked for a Suzuki dealer in the early nineties so remember these very well. I can't remember seeing a completely unoptioned one, very rare. The engine was a 1.6 though not a 1.8. The fitting of big wide wheels made them a horrible thing to drive. We sold ship loads of the things, Great cars.

[@Landie_Man]

My dad had one as a retrieve vehicle in 1990 for his Hot Air Ballooning Business. Supplied by BMW as he flew one of their balloons. He is still flying but doesn’t have the Suzuki now ha, and has had several balloons since.

[@stevolarry420stevenslozz3]

You so live near me!! Always cruising around north Kent!! I want ur autograph when I do eventually bump into u 👍

[@panji7793]

i had this 4 doors version in 93 and i had freelander td4 in 2000,i,m more regret sold the vitara than a freelander,so much fun to own this vitara,in Indonesia the price of vitara is more expensive than they new

[@runoflife87]

Great crossover, simple to drive, cheap to maintain and rugged.

[@globalcitizen8321]

It Is not a crossover, but rather a tough little off-road vehicle, capable of going head to head with legends like the Mitsubishi Montero or the Toyota Four-runner

[@milksheihk]

That is not a DeDion rear end, it's a live axle, a DeDion rear end is basically a full IRS but with a tie bar between the rear uprights so that rear rear wheels don't actually have independent travel but the axles are fully articulated & the diff is mounted to the subframe.

[@shaunmatthews3791]

great car, one point though it had a 1.6 not 1.8 engine, i just sold a highy modded spanish 4u2 model vitara, best small 4x4 and would go anywhere and often went where l/rovers could not at a local 4x4 site, a real classic and getting rarer as they rust and get off roaded to death. i still miss mine but was just not using it enough for all the outlay like tax, mot & insurance!

[@seancooke7332]

A friend had a red convertible Vitara Wide Boy. Sooo Cool. Hated him! Very good looking, and isn't it a very well designed car that looks its best in White ? If they still sold the Mk1 I'd have one in a moment. My Dad bought a Mk2 in 2002 and then a brand new Mk3 in 2007 which he is still driving, it only turned 100,000 last year. If you think the clutch is long, I dare you to try moving off in a 1300 Vauxhall Chevette without stalling it. Your knee will be well past the steering wheel before she bites. Lovely car otherwise.

[@brianiswrong]

Seems affordable at £7'000 with the mileage and condition. I like the look of the ford scorpian estate they have for sale aswell.

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

Somebody left one of these in the late 90s for me to look after for a few months (I lived near the international airport). Unfortunately it had a loud engine knock so I treated it very carefully and only drove it a few miles to collect the owner.Think it may have been a wrist pin, only knocked under load.

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

Back in the day I saw these as a hairdresser car Lol especially in Essex along with the white XR3i 😁

[@Guguzzz]

My grandpa had one from the mid 90s,till the first 2000s a dark red one,i don't remember it very much because i was just a couple years old,don't know if it has been sold when he passed away or broke down

[@martinhill2109]

Always fort had freewheel hubs you turn by hand on the hubs

[@TheStobb50]

Yes then were the days I regularly went to Stokesley farmers market and the car park was full of these cars plus the Daihatsu four truck, what happened to them as well

[@jimmyquinn9639]

Another good video 🚘🚙🚗👍👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@EVguru]

I have history with the Suzuki Vitara. Built an electric one on Scrapheap challenge. Decent little cars, but I'd rather have the Lada.

[@davidthehillbilly7995]

Over here in the "real" world (sarc off), GM sold the 2 and 4 door as the GEO Metro. Suzuki called the 2 door a Sidekick and the 4 door version could be had off a Suzuki lot as the Grand Vitara. Tough as nails....

[@lesklower7281]

Well as usual l enjoyed this review on the Suzuki Vitara what a nice little car an off roader and a cool look to it do you know why the Suzuki Jimny is so popular compared with the other 4x4s available it is the most reliable and you mentioned tge V6 Vitara the engines comes from Mazda because my son has one he bought for his step daughter still got it and l have driven it but its an auto not bad Suzuki reliability wise is up there with Toyota and Honda

[@buggs9950]

16:20 That's not a de Dion rear end, it's a standard live beam axle.

[@REPOMAN24722]

Wondered where they got the V6 from, should have chosen a Nissan VG series.

[@reynardkitsune1]

A girlfriend of mine had a Vitara in the 90s with all the whiz and bangs which were only good for the looks but definitely not for the handling like those extra wide tires on (back in this time) extralarge alloy rims. You could chase a hare just with the gas pedal as the Suzi went in all directions except straight ahead...oh yeah, and that assembly kit they had the nerve to call it a convertible roof. 😉 Unfortunately, the bodies of the MKI Vitara tended to rust away pretty fast and that's why they had become almost extinct in Germany. Wasn't a bad car as far as I can recall my experiences with it, but back then I was young and more into powerrrr and that's why I had owned a Kadett (Astra) E GSI 16V (which rusted away almost as quick as the Vitara).

[@robertmartindale563]

Work for a Suzuki dealership, and picked one of these up for MOT, had only done 60,000 miles, felt like new to drive.

[@furiousdriving]

You cant go wrong with a Suzuki, they as so well made

[@neilwalsh4058]

Brilliant review of a now uber rare car. Almost as cool as a Lada Niva.

[@Teribus13]

Like another commenter said, I am certain these only came with a 1.6 litre engine rather than 1.8 (in the UK at least), as did its closest rival back in the day - the Daihatsu Sportrak*. They also came with a Peugeot diesel option in 1.9 XUDT form. I'm not sure if the 2.0 DW10 PSA diesel was available on these mk1s but it certainly was on the mk2 Grand Vitara. EDIT- I forgot about the 2-litre V6 engine option. *If you want a headache, look into the different names Daihatsu used on the Fourtrak and Sportrak around the world. You'll even find they used the same name for each in different markets, Rocky. In some countries, the Rocky was the Fourtrak, in other countries the Rocky was the Sportrak. Yeah... 🤯

[@phillipevans9414]

@Teribus13. Yeah, that's my recollection too...that the early models were 1.6L. Here in Australia, later longer wheelbase models got a 2.5L V6 and eventually a 2.7L V6 (these models were badged Grand Vitara, and I believe there was an optional 7 seat configuration (An uncle of mine had one of the 2.7L V6's for a while, but I'm pretty sure it was only a 5 seater). Cheers!

[@emmajacobs5575]

That looks like a live axle; I think the de Dion rear end came in with one of the later generations of Vitara

[@furiousdriving]

I think you're right, I meant to edit that out!

[@skyll4141]

sclub7 springs to mind.

[@sumeragi69]

About the rear lights, I was wondering why some Japanese 4x4 (but not all) had main rear light moved on the bumpers : Vitara, Patrol, Terrano II, Land Cruiser. Regulation due to the spare wheel seems to be a good answer. It was intriguing for me, why putting the fragile lights in the most vulnerable place of a car. But concerning the Vitara and some Land Cruiser, I saw both possibilities , main lights on the sides, or main lights in the bumper, maybe the rules have changed at a certain time. In France, we first had Santanas, because of Japanese restricted importation,. In 1994 we discovered, Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, so Santana disappeared from the French market. I remember the Vitara with Peugeot engine, the hood had a fake elevated intake, to give more room for this diesel. The design of this small 4x4 is a real masterpiece. Nothing wrong. A cousin of me had a soft top Vitara, really fun in the mountain, very uncomfortable, and he needed to refuel it twice to do 500 km, due to the very low gas mileage, and the really small gas tank. I saw one of them regularly in the mountain, the secretary of the town hall have a 5 doors one, it is very useful there. Maybe it is my favorite. Only complain with the last ones : Suzuki added wheel arches over the already large wheel arches. A bit ridiculous

[@JK061996]

The Daihatsu Feroza/Rocky/Rugger also suffered from the tail lights relocation, in that case they just put some blanking plates in glossy black or body color.

[@marknoxx4698]

My frist wife had one barbie pink convertible I hated the dam thing she got it just before we met she spect it up with the body kit from the dealer she would pick me up from work in it with the tunes blasting

[@baggierols73]

Tuuuuuunes lol

[@nerdlydood]

American models definitely had tail lights where those blanking plates were, i think the bumper probably just had a pair of reflectors since you pretty much only see rear fogs on premium European brands like Audis or Volvos here edit: checked images and the bumper was just blank on our version

[@wadegarret]

The NHTSA in the USA rated the frontal crash rating 2* which is appalling, they also don't like cornering but not as bad as the 1980s Suzuki Jimny!

[@davidhayes4814]

Great high energy video but the SJ413 was cooler in a “less is more” way, maybe?

[@crusinclassicslucas6218]

6:51 beep!

[@martinbrockbank2174]

Another excellent vid but pretty certain that model were all 1.6 litre and not a de Dion just a live rear beam axle!

[@furiousdriving]

Its what the research said