New Suzuki SUV to make Paris debut

Suzuki is dusting off the Vitara badge in order to have some four-wheel-drive fun.

It is getting ready to launch a new compact five-door SUV at the Paris Motor Show in October that will be focused on personalization.

When it goes on sale in early 2015, as well as carrying the Vitara bade, a name that made its debut over 25 years ago, customers will be able to pick and choose from a host of color and trim choices in order to customize it to suit their style.

Due to the near ubiquity of SUVs of all shapes and sizes currently on the roads, it's easy to forget that not so long ago, if you were in the market for a practical, affordable, entertaining and capable small wheelbase 4x4, a Suzuki Jimny, or its slightly bigger, slightly less utilitarian brother, the Vitara were pretty much the only choices available.

Although Suzuki doesn't want to give too much away about the new car until its official unveiling, it has confirmed that the car will be focused on balancing off-road capabilities with environmental responsibility -- it will come with a choice of petrol and diesel engines and will offer low CO2 emissions and what it claims will be class-leading fuel economy.