PARIS MOTOR SHOW: New Suzuki Vitara

Discontent with releasing an upgraded Jimny Sierra in Australia in October and the Alto-replacing Celerio micro-car in the first quarter of 2015, this all-new small SUV will follow soon after from Suzuki.

Seen here for the first time in production form, the born-again Vitara will make its world debut at the Paris motor show on October 2 before going on sale in Australia in the second quarter of next year.

By that stage Suzuki's original Vitara, first sold here in mid-1988, will have been discontinued for more than 15 years, with the first short-wheelbase Grand Vitara effectively replacing it in mid-2000, following the bigger new Grand Vitara's launch in early 1998.

Based on the iV-4 concept that debuted at last year's Frankfurt show and previously spied in testing, the Vitara is based on the same platform as the S-Cross launched last December.

While the three-door Jimny remains one of the cheapest small SUVs available (currently from $20,490), the all-new Vitara five-door wagon is also expected to be priced from the low-$20,000 mark.

That will make it Suzuki's first direct rival for compact SUVs like the Holden Trax and Ford EcoSport, and cheaper than both the S-Cross (entry pricing for which was reduced to $22,990 drive-away in March) and the Grand Vitara (from $26,490 for the three-door and $24,990 for the five-door).

As with the S-Cross, 'ALLGRIP' intelligent all-wheel drive is expected to be optional for the Vitara, base versions of which will drive their front wheels.

However, while its more traditional SUV styling suggests a wider range of capability than the S-Cross, in terms of off-road ability the monococque-platform Vitara will still fall well short of the Jimny, which offers low-range gearing and more ground clearance, making it one of the world's last remaining 'proper' small 4x4s.

The Vitara will be produced in Hungary from early next year with 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines – at least for Europe. Powertrain options should be as per the S-Cross, which is only available with 1.6-litre petrol power here, as Suzuki Australia continues to await a diesel version.

Suzuki says the Vitara will be available with a wide range of colour and trim options, but has provided no further details and just this single image.

However, the iV-4 concept measured 4215mm long, 1850mm wide and 1665mm high, making it about 50mm shorter than the Trax.