It’s a twisty road with no passing places yet there’s a young man in a battered old VW right up my exhaust pipe.
The judicious thing to do would be to pull in and let him pass but I’m not feeling prudent and neither is the car.
Very soon he’s no longer a tailgating terror, he’s a blip on the horizon and it’s not because I have sped off and broken the law.
On the back of the test vehicle, the latest Suzuki Vitara, is the word Allgrip and it transforms the SUV into a terrier of car that belies it new conservative looks.
Its all-wheel-drive system increases traction and control so when required all four wheels work together to push and pull the SUV through the innumerable bends, thereby carrying more speed, smoothing progress and minimising acceleration and braking.
The result is incremental rather than irresponsible and less-than-speedy Gonzales falls away.
On the dual carriageway the smoky diesel-powered Polo does overtake and apart from having to breathe in its particulates I don’t really care. In truth it’s been no competition for the new-look Vitara, no test at all.
But a couple of days later, on one of my favourite bendy bits, the opportunity arises to try again. This time there are three lit single headlamps in the distance behind me – motorbikes.
Picking up the pace, while remaining safe and legal, of course, over the next 12 miles they never come close. Now that is impressive.
You would never know it from the fresh, almost retro looks, but this latest Vitara is an eminently capable and enjoyable ride.
The 1.4 litre turbo hybrid offers sprightly performance, more than enough to keep ahead of the crowds, while retaining 50mpg economy.
The real strength of the vehicle is its ride and handling prowess which are both top-notch. The long travel suspension soaks up the bumps from countless potholes and patches that afflict are roads today – remind me why we pay so much tax again?
But the suspension also controls the body well through the twists and turns, the steering is sharp with plenty of feel and the level of grip is immense, breeding justified confidence in the driver.
Allgrip is as clever as owt, as they say up North. Auto mode boosts fuel efficiency by running in two-wheel drive unless you need more traction.
Sport mode activates 4WD based on your acceleration, reducing traction control intervention and dialling up the responsiveness, cornering ability and sportiness of the drive.
Then in trickier situations there is snow mode for added traction and stability in winter weather and even lock mode to help you drive out of deep snow or mud, with torque evenly distributed throughout all four wheels.
The new look sees various exterior styling revisions including redesigned front grille and bumper, rear upper spoiler incorporating rear window side spoilers and new design 17-inch alloy wheels.
In black it looks innocuous and unassuming – you might want to call it stealth mode in these days of cameras round every corner – even slightly retro as the front has been de-blinged of shiny accoutrements. The changes have made it more refined, dignified even.
Inside has changed slightly too and is intuitive to operate and well specified. There’s a panoramic sunroof to allow light to flood in and every luxury you could possibly need. There’s also a useful amount of space for people and paraphernalia.
It’s a serpentine track we follow through life and we often feel pursued.
New Vitara is proof that sometimes the best options don’t have to be flash to be fun.
Factfile
Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Hybrid Ultra Allgrip
Engine: 1.4 with electric mild hybrid
Power: 129PS
0-62mph: 10.2 secs
Top speed: 121mph
Combined MPG: 53.2
Transmission: Six-speed manual
CO2 g/km: 113
Price: from £30,799
