Vitara Series II

Models may vary from state to state due to there being three different Suzuki importers – Ateco, Mayfair and Suzuki Australia – operating in Australia until 2000. Today Suzuki Australia – part of the Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan – is the sole importer.

The big news here was the inclusion of the Vitara wagon’s 71kW 1.6 engine across the whole SWB Vitara range, as well as the spread of the four-speed auto to some SWB models.

The wagon’s framed grille also found its way on to all variants, along with revised trim and a slight increase in specification.

Meanwhile, in early ’95 the wagon lost the base JX and gained a flagship model called “Estate Wagon,” featuring a 100kW 2.0 quad-cam V6 engine model, a widened and reinforced platform, retuned suspension, new dashboard, beefed-up body, the option of anti-lock brakes and front airbags and a protruding grille.

V6 gearbox choices were a five-speed manual or four-speed auto. The V6’s new cabin was incorporated in the rest of the whole Vitara range in late ’95.

A 97kW 2.0-litre twin-cam four-cylinder engine became an option initially in SWB-only Vitaras from May ’97, before finally replacing the ageing 1.6 engine altogether a year later.

With the arrival of the new, bigger Grand Vitara models from early ‘98, Suzuki phased out the 1.6 wagons in late ’98, followed by the V6 wagons in late ’99, while the SWB Vitaras soldiered on until around mid-2000, when the first of the SWB Grand Vitara models arrived.

On the limited edition front, there was a Vitara Ultra three-door hardtop in December ’95, with air-conditioning, alloy wheels and roof racks.