SUZUKI is giving its crossover cars some extra bite with the introduction of a new turbo engine and a dual clutch transmission.
The new 1.4-litre engine is making its debut in the Vitara SUV while the semi-automatic gearbox is coming on stream in top grade versions of the more family-oriented S-Cross.
Both are accomplished pieces of engineering and broaden the appeal of the two models which are already established as popular players in the growing crossover market.
The engine is the first of Suzuki's new family of Boosterjet turbos and will be arriving in January in an all-new Vitara S that will sit alongside the current SZ5 range topper.
Suzuki has created the Vitara S specifically to show off its latest turbocharged technology and it is a capable performer.
Developing 140ps it is the most powerful Vitara to date and delivers much more punch than the 1.6-litre block which has featured in the car since its launch in the spring.
So confident of its abilities, Suzuki took the unusual step of allowing the Vitara S to be put through its paces on the Croft racing circuit in North Yorkshire where it demonstrated plenty of get up and go as well as a surprising degree of composure for a vehicle with its roots in the off-road fraternity.
Top speed is a claimed 124mph with a 0 to 60 acceleration of 10.2 seconds and switched into sports mode there is a noticeable amount of added urge through the six-speed manual box.
Away from the track and out on regular roads the Vitara S is not only nice and lively but also good on economy.
It is available only with Suzuki's ALLGRIP 4x4 system and officially is rated at 52.3mpg with emissions of 127g/km - an improvement of almost five per cent over the 1.6 engine but delivering nearly 20 per cent more power.
We managed an average of 47 to the gallon and that's not to be sneezed at in a vehicle that offers a fair amount of 4x4 performance.
To distinguish the Vitara S and the new Boosterjet technology, Suzuki has given the vehicle its own features with a bold looking grille and some meaty body kit.
There are tweaks inside as well with coloured bezels around the air vents and some quality stitching around the leather covered steering wheel.
It looks the part and although prices have yet to be confirmed it's likely it will tip the scales at around £21,000 with standard kit including automatic air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, sat nav and full smartphone hook ups.
As an all round package the Vitara S is right on the money and so is the latest S-Cross with the new transmission system.
The new gearbox is being fitted only to the top specification SZ5 1.6-litre diesel all-wheel-drive version and costs an extra £1,350 taking the overall price up to £25,094.
It's technology borrowed from Fiat and is a proven six-speed system complete with paddle-shifters for manual changes.
For a auto system the fuel economy is quite outstanding and while Suzuki claims an official figure of 62.8mpg with emissions of 118g/km we managed to hit mid-50s without any trouble.
In traffic and under acceleration it feels both smooth and sophisticated and that fuel figure is less than five miles per gallon off that claimed for the two-wheel-drive manual model.
From a performance perspective the latest S-Cross has a 0 to 60 time of 13 seconds and tops out at 108mph which is no different to its manual counterpart and it is a vehicle that makes a lot of sense for those who want easy-driving cars.
The S-Cross TCSS (it stands for Twin Clutch System by Suzuki) is the Japanese brand's first diesel automatic - petrol versions are offered with a CVT box in lieu of a five speed manual - and as such it is set to fare well in market that includes offerings from Mazda, Nissan and Renault to name but a few.