It’s not just another SUV. Suzuki’s hero nameplate – and it really is a hero nameplate, being the most popular SUV from the brand – the Suzuki Vitara is quite literally, a Way of Life.

This is the literal translation of Vitara – a nameplate which has served Suzuki for a few decades now, and while design and styling cues have changed over time, the ethos behind Suzuki’s number 1 SUV has not.
Early Vitaras didn’t really have to focus on what the nameplate stood for. As recreational hard core 4WDs, the vehicle pretty much told everyone what it was by virtue of its adventuring stance.
Today’s automotive landscape has changed, and our sense of adventuring has chilled a little as we have come to respect our environment more.
Added to which, the nature of SUV ownership is radically different and fluid, yet Suzuki has adapted well, delivering vehicles which – like the Vitara – move with the fickle fashionable flow of the times.  
You don’t see this better in any other Suzuki than the Vitara, which remains a popular vehicle of choice for the widest range of buyers, not an easy trick.
What is even cleverer however, is despite the good looks of the Vitara now (and the consistency of the sales numbers says it looks good) Suzuki’s popular SUV can maintain its youthful Peter Pan appeal without too much difficulty.
And speaking of Peter Pan…
With NZSUV being a lifestyle publication, which happens to focus on SUVs, we put the Way of Life Suzuki to the test, seeking out ways of life which we would otherwise not discover.
This is how we found a pirate ship worthy of Captain Hook out in the wilds of west Auckland, and it was cute enough to put on the roof racks of our Vitara.
Actually, it’s trick photography – breathe again if you are reading, Suzuki. The pirate ship is most definitely there, it’s bigger than it looks, and we wouldn’t really ask a Vitara to carry one, though the SUV can accommodate a family of four with luggage and toys for long weekend road-trips away.
Speaking of accommodation, the pirate ship is one of the star attractions of Tanglewood, an eco-retreat just beyond Waimauku and on the doorstep of west Auckland’s adventure playground, Woodhill Forest.
The forest is of course, a renewable resource but it is also home to an off-road driving centre, a mountain-bike park, horse riding trails and a Treetops rope adventure environment – and all a stone’s throw from the peace and tranquillity of Tanglewood.
Tanglewood is the brainchild of a father and daughter team, Peter, and Stacey. Today, Stacey is the kaitiaki (guardian) of the land and with the help of Riccardo, Brenton, and Lachlan, has developed Tanglewood to what it is today: a sustainable playground where people can come together, relax, socialise, and learn and share ideas.
Additionally, Tanglewood offers small boutique weddings, group holidays and conferences as well as unusual accommodation escapes in either the pirate ship, the Aroha Cob house, and The Potting Shed predominantly. And for every booking, a native tree is planted to preserve the land for the future.  
The values of Tanglewood are very much in line with the values of Suzuki, particularly as they pertain to the design concept of the current generation Vitara.
Here is a vehicle which uses conventional vehicular technology, but in a better way than most, as best demonstrated by the ultra-efficient BoosterJet engine.
This 1.4-litre turbocharged engine with its direct fuel injection is a triumph in engine building.
It’s a high-powered unit which is delightfully responsive yet doesn’t sound under stress, returns an easily obtainable – and below – 6.2 litres per 100km for 145gm/km of CO2.
Combined with the six-speed automatic and its paddle shifters and you’ll find you have quite an excitable SUV when it comes time to play on unstable road surfaces – including snow, from previous experience – and the added assurance of Suzuki’s AllGrip AWD system, makes for supremely confident handling.
Vitara is possibly Suzuki’s most prolific nameplate in that there are seven model variants to choose from. Shared throughout the range are features like satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, multifunctional leather steering wheel and climate control air conditioning with pollen filter to mention but a few.
The turbo AWD model we had is the second from the top and by virtue of its specification and performance, we’d rate this our number one choice.
All Vitaras are well equipped, especially in regards safety, where a five-star ANCAP rating is awarded across the range.
Top end models offer improved cosmetics, leather and side seat trims, more sophisticated lighting systems and advanced safety features including dual sensor brake support, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, weaving alert, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
A way of Life? For a cross combination of bringing together work and play in a family-capable vehicle, Suzuki couldn’t have found a better name than the Vitara, nor produced a better fantastic all-rounder.