99: Suzuki Vitara – an honest, affordable compact crossover

Suzuki’s Vitara was once an oddball of a car - a small, and relatively affordable off-roader that had some high-street posing cachet (you could even have a convertible version at one point).

Now though, it has been reinvented as a compact crossover. Which is a shame in one sense, but as compact crossovers go, it’s a good one. Or at least an honest and affordable one. It looks handsome on the outside, and if the interior is a bit black and plastic, then at least it’s all well enough bolted together.

Passenger space is good, and the boot is bigger than is the norm for cars in this class. The 1.6 litre diesel engine should be the default choice, but actually our heads are rather more turned by the sporty 1.4 litre Boosterjet turbo petrol, only found in the Vitara S model. It’s pretty decent to drive, too, and if you get the AllGrip model, then it’s surprisingly capable when the going gets properly tough.

Best model: 1.4 Boosterjet S for €27,995