Suzuki has met the economy and low-emission challenge with the new Vitara. Suzuki’s 4x4 heritage is strong, dating back to the 1970s in Ireland with the launch of the legendary SJ models, some of which still survive as off-road event vehicles. The hope for Suzuki is that the new Vitara will build on the 25-year name for the Japanese small car and 4x4 brand with a new level of fuel economy.

I got the opportunity to take the Allgrip 4x4 version of the Vitara for a test drive. The new offering has a smaller feel to it than the now-departing Grand Vitara, while its appearance is more linked to the older Vitara, two of which I have owned over the years.

The big news for this Vitara is the arrival of a new 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine with lower emissions and better fuel economy. This engine is a Fiat-built unit, whereas the Grand Vitara used a Peugeot PSA unit. The engine delivers 120bhp and an impressive 320Nm of torque. The fuel economy improvement is impressive – up from about 15km/litre to close to 24km/litre (42mpg to 64mpg). The CO2 rating is good too at 111g/km for a 4x4 vehicle, giving a low €200 annual motor tax rate, compared to €750 for the current Grand Vitara.

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I found it difficult to match the rated fuel economy figure, and like so many other cars I’ve driven, I was about 30% off the mark at 18km/litre. The fact that the fuel tank is smaller was more of a concern – down to 47 litres from 55 in the older model.

I prefer this Vitara to the S-Cross Suzuki launched some time ago. There is a more solid feel to it and a better off-road ability. We tested this aspect of the Vitara on the launch day and it could take the rough challenge with ease.

The Allgrip four-wheel-drive system, which is standard on the top of the range GLX version, comes with four driving modes. It’s operated by a dial located beside the handbrake. There was a hill descent button also, which allows for serious off-road driving. Hill hold control is also standard, giving easier hill starts.

The high torque figure gave me serious towing notions. Suzuki fitted the test car with a hitch and I made use of this with two different trailer sizes. Suzuki’s reputation is not built on trailer pulling so perhaps I was being a bit too enthusiastic with the new Vitara.

First I took my smaller single axle Ifor Williams trailer on tow, followed by a larger Nugent twin-axle cattle trailer – the latter of which was empty. The Vitara has a towing rating of 1,500kg, which is probably a bit light for farm applications. But I still gave it a test. Hitching up was easy as the Allgrip version was fitted with a clear reversing camera where the ball hitch was obvious in view.

The smaller trailer was loaded to the max and the Vitara took to its task well. The load was noticeable in terms of power demand. For the bigger trailer, the Vitara was under-powered and I would not like to consider my performance if I had added two cows.

There’s lots of safety kit on the new Vitara, including seven airbags and new lighter body that is claimed to give better impact protection in the event of a crash, although you shouldn’t need it with the radar brake support system. This new Vitara has yet to undergo a Euro NCAP crash test, so we will await that result.

The centre console includes a modern audio system with navigation and smartphone connectivity. I found it clear and easy to use and setting up the Bluetooth system was no problem.

The diesel 4x4 versions come with an entry price of €27,995 (£21,299 in NI). That’s competitive with the likes of the Opel Mokka, while more expensive than the Dacia Duster in 4x4 format. It is also shorter than both with a better turning circle for ease of use.

The overall Vitara package is neat and it has a solid, well-built feel. The Fiat 1.6-litre engine is impressive and should be reliable. However, it won’t score high in the towing league. For those with no off-road ambitions, there is an even more economical two-wheel-drive option with all the looks that’s €2,500 cheaper.

Suzuki Vitara Allgrip

Engine 1.6-litre diesel

Engine power 120hp

0-100km/hr 12.4 seconds

Economy 23.8km/litre

Fuel tank capacity 47 litres

CO2 emissions 111g/km

Road tax A4 (€200)

Service interval 15,000km or 12 months

Euro NCAP rating NA

Towing rating 1,500kg

Warranty Three years (100,000km)

Entry price €27,995

NI price £21,299