MUCH of Suzuki's success has been built on its ability to produce tough, reliable small 4x4s at affordable prices and its new Vitara is up there with the best in class.

The crossover market is crowded and fiercely competitive at the moment but the Vitara will still find many followers.

It is over 25 years since the Vitara first arrived and this latest version is a huge improvement over its predecessor.

The Japanese firm offers it as a five-door with a choice of engines, trims and transmissions. It is also available in two or four-wheel-drive.

Sticking to its value for money policy, the entry level two-wheel-drive model is priced at £13,999 and comes with a 1.6-litre petrol engine which produces 118bhp.

It offers more than a decent amount of equipment in this SZ4 trim, including a DAB radio, CD player, USB connection, Bluetooth, alloy wheels air conditioning and cruise control.

Spend another £1,500 to upgrade to SZ-T trim and you will add sat nav and rear privacy glass.

I sampled the top spec SZ-5 ALLGRIP (four-wheel-drive) at £19,799. This top trim version came with all the other toys plus part-leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control, a double sunroof, keyless entry, LED headlights and nice alloys.

It also boasted forward facing radar that detects when you are getting too close to the vehicle ahead and starts braking for you.

You can also personalise your Vitara to make it stand out from the crowd and the test car was finished in very attractive Horizon Orange metallic paint with a Cosmic Black roof to complete its stylish look.

The petrol engine makes a good case even although It does without a turbocharger. It enjoys beingrevved and always feels smooth and willing.

Thestandard five-speed gearbox has a nice lightaction, and the car feels quicker than the quoted 0-62mph time of 12 seconds. Suzuki claims 50.4mpg economy and 130g/km CO2emissions.

On the move, the engine is quiet and he Vitara is also one of the best cars to drive in its class thanks to well weighted and accurate steering and little body roll. The ride is on the firm side but still offers bags of comfort.

The test car came with Suzuki's ALLGRIP on-demand four-wheel-drive system, which costs a very reasonable £1,800. Four selectable driving modes - auto, sport, snow and four-wheel-drive lock which switches power to all the wheels for extra grip, while it also benefits from hill descent control.

The Vitara's cabin offers bags of room and can easily car four adults in real comfort. There is plenty of head, leg and shoulder room and numerous storage areas as well as a decent boot.

The dials and instrumentation are all clear and easy to use and most things can be operated from the touchscreen.

If you do a lot of mileage you might want to opt for the 1.6-litre diesel version which costs an extra £1,500 andcan sprint from 0-62mph in 12.4 seconds and reach 112mph. According to official figures it can deliver 67.2mpg on a combined run with carbon emissions of 106g/km.

The Vitara has been awarded the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP safety ratings with seven airbags as standard, along with an impact absorbing body, adaptive cruise control, electronic stability control, Radar Brake Support and bags of other safety kit.