2024 Mitsubishi ASX vs 2021 Suzuki Vitara

What's the difference?

While the Mitsubishi ASX has long established itself as a compact SUV fan-favourite, its rivals are becoming better specified and even more affordable, like the Kia Seltos, GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZST.

There's a long-running joke that the Mitsubishi ASX is the oldest 'new car' on the market with technology that hasn't had a makeover in close to a decade.

Is the cool new Street package for the ES base model enough to lift its competitive edge?

Suzuki invented the modern compact SUV. It’s funny how quickly people forget.

Yes, the pioneering Vitara of 1988 rode on a ladder-frame chassis so was not car based, but it was successful enough to show the way for others to follow. Chiefly, Toyota, with the seminal Corolla-derived first-gen RAV4 of 1994.

Fun fact: this earliest Vitara was also known as the Suzuki Escudo (Japan) and Sidekick (North America), as well as the GMC/Geo/Chevrolet Tracker and Pontiac Sunrunner (USA), Asüna Sunrunner (Canada), and perhaps most evocatively, Wanli WLZ5020XLD and Guangtong GTQ5020XLZ (China).

So, respect to the Vitara, especially since it has evolved over four redesigns, eight different badges and 33 years, from fashionable 4x4 leisure machine to 4x4 off-roader (1998 FT and 2005 JT Grand Vitara) to 2015’s monocoque-bodied JY-series small SUV.

How does the 2021 JY Series II Vitara 1.6 auto stand up? Keep on reading.