Suzuki's currency is rising in the UK thanks to the scalp-taking antics of its Swift supermini and hot hatch and the remarkably able and polished Kizashi saloon.

But the Grand Vitara, the mainstay of its line-up for decades, still tends to be underrated and mistaken as a just another 'soft roader'.

Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything, its talents are biased towards the rough stuff. Based around the 5-door 1.9-litre DDiS model, the special edition SZ-T aims to pile on the style at a budget price.

In the emerging age of faux-by-fours (a phenomenon born out of perfectly sound marketing logic), the Grand Vitara is beginning to stick out like a sore thumb.

It has the sort of understated, testosterone-free presence that might lead you to believe its driver would take care to steer around a puddle in the road.

But the reality is it's far more capable in the rough than a Toyota RAV4 or a Honda CR-V and would simply embarrass Range Rover Evoque drivers who momentarily forgot they ordered the front-wheel drive version.

It's no surprise. The Grand Vitara has a four-wheel drive system designed for off-road action rather than wet road traction and that means a low-range transfer 'box for crawling over the trickiest terrain, lockable differentials for maximum purchase on slithery slopes and bags of ground clearance to negotiate those treacherous rocks and gullies. Which is all rather fab.

What makes the Grand Vitara somewhat out of kilter with modern market sensibilities is that all this off-road excellence exacts a price when you pull back on to smoother highways and byways, where the Suzuki can feel a little slow-witted at the helm and compounds this with a ride that's firm and jiggly compared to the best in the 'soft-roader' class.

That said, the Grand Vitara's lack of finesse doesn't choke off the potential to have some fun behind the wheel. It certainly has a rugged charm that, after a while, you find yourself adapting to and even growing to like.

The 1.9 litre DDiS unit that powers the SZ-T is Euro V-compliant and develops a respectable 129PS.

It isn't the quietest of diesel engines but it is very frugal and has plenty of low-down muscle, which makes it feel rather nippier than the 13.2s 0-62mph time would suggest.

The limited edition (500-off) SZ-T model we're looking at here benefits from the Grand Vitara's most recent design updates – front grille, 18in alloy wheels, silver-coloured roof rails, bonnet side vents and door mirrors with integrated indicators – but is most easily distinguished externally by the return of the tailgate-mounted spare wheel and the specific range of metallic colours: Quasar Grey, Silky Silver, Blueish Black Pearl, Phoenix Red Pearl and Nocturne Blue Pearl.

Inside, the SZ-T gets a unique, 'contrasting' trim fabric.

The Suzuki Grand Vitara's inbuilt authenticity has traditionally allowed it to override many of its shortcomings.

That should continue to be that case as buyers wanting an affordable compact 4x4 that can really cut the mustard off-road don't have too many choices open to them these days.

The Vitara has the kind of rough and ready old-school charm that's been bred out of modern compact 4x4s.

It's less composed on the road than the majority of its rivals and fuel economy isn't great but sturdy build, functional design and a certain fun factor count in the Suzuki's favour.

Equipment levels and pricing are clearly set to leverage an advantage over mainstream rivals that might seem more sophisticated and they should generate enough interest to keep sales ticking over.