He had specific ideas about the type of car he wanted. It had to perform well in the city, but it had to cover longer distances, even hundreds of kilometres, with ease. After several other brands and another Suzuki model, Zoltán Purger chose the Vitara last May. Since then, he has slowly put 50,000 kilometers on the car. Tell us why he made this choice and what his experiences have been with the now popular Suzuki model.
Zoltan drives a lot, and because of his work he currently makes the Miskolc-Frankfurt-Miskolc trip every week, so it is important for him to have a car that can handle it in all respects. In addition to good motor skills, it was also important for him to spend this time comfortably. When we asked him about his first car experiences, we went back to 1987. That’s when he got his driver’s license, and his first car was a Moskvich 408, which was a year older than him. He recalls his first experiences: “At the end of the eighties, before the regime changed, the options were very limited at that time, and I did not really dream of a car that was not available.”
When we asked him what were the three most important things to him in a car, he answered almost without thinking: sustainability, reliability, and last but not least, comfort. “I’m not a weekend driver, I drive at least 50-60,000 kilometers a year, so the aspects that are important to me are different from someone who rarely gets behind the wheel and drives a fraction of that.” He added that his financial capabilities were limited, so he initially only thought about buying a new car with a maximum value.
This is how I finally chose the Vitara. He watched many test videos, read about them, and when he took the car for a test drive, he was already sure of his decision. “I also use it in the city, but lately I mostly drive on the autobahn. Since there are no speed limits on autobahns in Germany, it was necessary that the car be able to maintain a more forward pace. Otherwise many people would be surprised by the number of Vitara cars “What they see on German roads.” For Zoltan, it was also important that the costs of compulsory service not rise too high. “I drive more than 2,500 kilometers a week, so the mandatory service will arrive very soon, and I will soon be going for my third service.”
It covers the distance Miskolc-Frankfurt-Mishkolc every week
© Matty Philip
However, his first experience with Suzuki dates back much earlier: to 1996, and to the Swift GLX-C model. “I rented it while my car was in service at the time, and I drove it several times between Donaigváros and Budapest. Under the conditions of the time, it was very convincing to me. Someone once said it was the best little car in the world, and indeed there was some truth to that.” ” Just two years later, he was already driving a Swift GLX-C, the blue-violet model familiar to many that had been “skinned” for years. “It didn’t have to be serviced, we happily drove it for 120,000 kilometres, and that’s probably when we had to check it for the first time. It was a reliable and very affordable car and, in the conditions of the time, it proved to be a good choice.” “In all respects, whether we look from the outside or the inside. It is no coincidence that it has become so popular.” Zoltáns tried several Suzuki models in the following years. They had a Swift Sedan, a Wagon R, but also a new type Swift, a Fiat Sedici (Suzuki SX4) manufactured in Esztergom, and even drove an older Vitara for a short time, so it can be said that he really knows the brand and its cars well.
When we asked him why he recently chose the Vitara instead of other models, such as the S-Cross, he said it was because he thought the Vitara was more modern and attractive. “I like its more angular lines, its distinctive appearance and its interior. But of course, mileage is equally important, and my mild-hybrid Vitara performs very well in this regard too. I’m confident that the 1.4 turbo engine that drives it will at least “As durable as previous models. I read that a Suzuki with a 1.4 turbo engine used as a taxi has already traveled more than 400,000 km, and so far only worn parts have been replaced. So I am optimistic, I have never touched a Suzuki before.” He said several people have commented that the Vitara still has a lot of rattle, but is otherwise well suited to the plastic: “My opinion on this is that I would rather choose ratty plastic and a quiet, reliable engine rather than soft, but rattle plastic and a problematic engine combination.”
Sometimes his wife drives his car, which she is also very satisfied with. “He used to say he is unbeatable in the city. He starts quickly, he is agile, he has a small appetite. He enjoys driving when he has the car.” In addition to his own experiences, his opinion also confirms that the Vitara was a very good choice. Zoltan works as a construction manager in Frankfurt, So he drives around the city during the week. “From Monday to Friday, I drive the car only 10 kilometers every day, but it is flexible and has good handling in city traffic, even over shorter distances.” According to him, under today’s Hungarian conditions Whether in the city, on the country road or on the highway, this car is in its element. Its fuel consumption remains modest even when driving at 160-170 km/h on German autobahns – with no speed limits. Thus, in total, even after accounting for all Maintenance and input costs, he believes he made a very good choice and got what he expected from the Vitara in all respects.
Zoltan often travels with his dog, Abba
© Matty Philip
“If you look at it, it’s still feta,” was the obvious answer to the question of why he believes the genre is still so popular today. “If you look from the first model to the latest, you can see the evolution of the car, but without losing its character. It still has the small SUV that it started with, but now it has evolved into an SUV. I really like that continuity,” says Zoltan. Which is clearly visible here.” “If someone asked me today what kind of car you have and I just said Vitara, they would immediately know what kind of car I’m talking about. You don’t need to… family nameAnd I would add Suzuki.” And what does the Vitara lifestyle mean for him? “Others will certainly not answer this question, but for me, a high body is combined with a good view. It’s like driving an SUV, but it can be used for almost anything. You can drive between potholes on dirt roads, but you can also race on the highway. Distinctive and bold lines, I think it is more distinctive than other models.”
From the point of view of the driving experience and driving support systems, Zoltan singled out the adaptive cruise control system, which serves well on long trips, from the equipment of his Vitara GLX. It was also important to him that the car was really safe, so the seven airbags were also an important aspect when choosing. In addition, he also highlighted the cross-traffic monitoring system and blind-spot monitoring assistant: “It has actually saved me from some angry pinging noises and potential dings.” “The built-in navigation is also very useful. Although I prefer online navigation from my phone, there have been several occasions when I have used its navigation when there is no internet connection or for shorter distances. Even then, the factory navigation system works fine.” Reliable and consistent.”
“I really like this car because, as I said, it gave me what I expected. It has good handling, is safe, handles well in the city and on the track, and is light and agile when driving. It was a good choice. If they ask me about my next car, I will clearly say that if Finally appeared in Europe, it will be a new Grand Vitara.”
Cover photo: Matty Fulop
