At a time when a mid-spec Vauxhall Astra costs more than £30,000, Suzuki’s chipper Vitara 4×4 seems a mere snip at just under £26,000.

Add to that the inclusion of an eco-conscious hybrid drivetrain and you can see why these vehicles are peppered across rural towns, particularly in the driveways of sensible septuagenarians.

See also: On test: Suzuki Jimny returns as a commercial vehicle

The well-priced off roader has long been Suzuki’s forte. From the old SJs and Grand Vitaras to the compact Ignis and, of course, the Jimny, the Japanese maker has been adept at cornering sections of the market largely untapped by its peers.

Of its current line-up, the Vitara occupies the middle ground. It is smaller than the new S-Cross and Toyota Rav4-derived Across, but it offers considerably more space than the roller skate-proportioned Ignis.

At the top of the current Vitara pecking order is the 2022-launched SZ5 Full Hybrid. This comes with the same 1.5-litre, non-turbo, four-cylinder petrol engine used in the Jimny, albeit with the addition of a 140V hybrid system.

It isn’t a plug-in setup, but it offers more battery assistance than the cheaper Mild Hybrid version, which is powered by the firm’s 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine allied to a 48V battery system.

Driving it

Despite having internal combustion and electricity at its disposal, the Full Hybrid is no firecracker on the performance front.

Part of this is down to the fact it only has 113hp and 138Nm of torque on tap, but it doesn’t help that the power it does have is channelled through a clunky six-speed auto-shifting manual transmission.

Spirited driving results in plenty of strained revving and jumpy gear changes, so it’s best to slide into some metaphorical slippers and take things easy.

This approach makes the car far more pleasant to operate and means there’s a good chance of achieving the quoted combined fuel economy figure of 48.7mpg.

Our test car actually registered an average of just over 50mpg on the dash display when it was driven sensibly on a long run.

Switching from the Standard Driving mode to Eco also dials down the performance and increases the amount of EV assistance to eke a few more miles out of each gallon of fuel.

But with little performance to play with in the first place, it isn’t a feature that many will use that often.

Off-road ability

© James Andrews

For a compact crossover SUV, the Vitara’s AllGrip four-wheel-drive system is surprisingly sophisticated.

Like most cars of this type, it uses an on-demand setup that defaults to front-wheel drive, only sending power to the rear wheels when required.

However, Suzuki gives drivers the option of customising things to suit the conditions in front of them.

Auto mode is the standard setting that only engages four-wheel drive when required, while Sport sends power to all four wheels when drivers put their foot down.

Snow, meanwhile, sends drive permanently to all four wheels for maximum traction.

There’s also a “lock” function, which can be deployed if the car gets stuck. This uses the traction control system to brake spinning wheels, sending the torque to tyres with the most grip.

Another handy feature is “hill-hold”, which prevents the car from rolling back for two seconds after the brake is released, giving plenty of time for drivers to press the throttle.

The way back down is catered for too, with a hill descent mode that automatically applies the brakes to control speed.

Ground clearance of 175mm means it can cope with some moderately rough off-road terrain and minimal overhangs result in favourable approach and departure angles.

Towing capacity is rated at 1.2t, so it can also be teamed with a small trailer.

Interior

© James Andrews

The Vitara isn’t going to trouble more premium brands for material quality. The doors feel a little light and tinny, the exterior plastics are flimsy and the internal ones have a slightly low-budget sheen to them.

But it’s all perfectly acceptable considering the price tag. The SZ5 also comes with plenty of interior kit, include a panoramic sunroof, traffic sign recognition, vehicle sway warning and adaptive cruise control.

The latter is, in fact, standard on all Vitara models and uses a radar to maintain a set distance from the vehicle in front.

Without being treated to recent overhaul – the basic design has not been changed since 2015 – the layout is simple and functional.

This means there’s a standard double-din screen featuring Carplay and Android Auto, conventional dials for climate control, and even a manual handbrake.

The seats are comfortable enough too and, considering the car’s modest proportions, there’s reasonable legroom for rear passengers.

This does come at the expense of boot space though, which is more suited to a cocker spaniel than a Great Dane.

© James Andrews

Rest of the range

The Vitara is available in three basic spec levels, with the mid- and high-spec SZ-T and SZ5 getting the option of Mild or Full Hybrid drivetrains and the entry-level Go only available with the former.

Just the SZ5 models can be specced with the AllGrip four-wheel drive system though. So, for those needing off-road ability, the others are immediately discounted.

That leaves the only decision being which drivetrain to opt for.

The Mild Hybrid might offer less battery assistance, but the manual transmission undoubtedly makes it more positive too.

Performance is helped further by the zippy 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine, which shaves about 3sec off the 0-62 time.

Add to that the fact that fuel economy is roughly the same and the Mild Hybrid could be a better bet for many.

The Full Hybrid does have a place though, offering effortless cruising and the promise of slightly lower running costs.

Verdict

The Vitara SZ5 Full Hybrid AllGrip has plenty to offer for its £27,649 price tag.

The interior is well appointed, it’s comfortable to drive and it has a credible four-wheel drive system.

It’s no green-laning tool, but there’s enough ground clearance for picking your way down rough tracks and cruising across bumpy fields.

A slight let down is the Full Hybrid drivetrain and auto shift transmission which, although efficient, deliver uninspiring performance. Accept that, and it’s a perfectly pleasant car to drive.

But for those that do want a bit more get up and go, the Mild Hybrid model with six-speed manual might be a better bet. It’s £1,750 cheaper too, putting it in the same ballpark as Dacia’s 4×4 Duster.