The current Suzuki Vitara (Suzuki Escudo) was
introduced in 2014 and will receive a facelift for MY2018. A 2018 Suzuki Vitara
test mule was recently spied in Europe, courtesy Motor1 Spain.
The 2018 Suzuki Vitara should gain modest styling
updates with the facelift. Changes may include tweaked radiator grille,
restyled bumpers and tweaked tail lights on the outside. One can expect newly
designed alloy wheels too. Interior changes may include new upholstery and
trim, besides an upgraded infotainment system. The current model’s infotainment
system offers Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink smartphone integration
compatibility. The upgraded unit may Android Auto to the list.
The Suzuki Vitara is 4,175 mm long, 1,775 mm wide
and 1,610 mm tall. The C-SUV has a 2,500 mm-long wheelbase and offers a ground
clearance of 185 mm. It is available with the M16A 1.6-litre naturally
aspirated petrol, K14C 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol and D16AA 1.6-litre
turbocharged diesel engines. The naturally aspirated petrol engine develops 118 hp and 156 Nm of torque. The turbocharged petrol engine produces 138 hp and 220 Nm of torque. The diesel engine is tuned to deliver 118 hp and 320 Nm of torque. It’s unknown if any changes to the
engine line-up or upgrades to the current engines are planned.
Suzuki hasn’t announced the launch timeline of the
2018 Suzuki Vitara yet. Reports say that the debut will take place at the 2017
Tokyo Motor Show that opens October 25. In that case, the Japanese launch could
take place later this year, followed by an international launch in early 2018.