10:10am Friday 7th November 2008
By Steve Nelson
It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Suzuki’s Grand Vitara that 2.4 million have been sold worldwide in the 20 years since the original model made its debut.
Here in the UK, we like it too. More than 160,000 have been sold, thanks to a fan club of private buyers wanting a good-looking compact SUV with off-road capability and comfort at a cheaper price.
The three-door and five-door Grand Vitara are almost in a sector of their own, providing near-premium class motoring at a price well below that of bigger-name rivals.
Both have been freshened up for 2009, and their 2.0-litre engines have been replaced by 2.4-litre units that provide smoother running and better fuel economy, yet match the previous CO2 emissions.
Suzuki has incorporated several new features to reduce engine noise and vibration, including thicker window glass and better quality carpeting to complement the efforts made under the bonnet.
The exterior and interior have been given a mild facelift. On the outside there is a revised front end and new door mirrors with integrated turn indicators, while inside the cabin chrome and wood-effect inlays add extra touches of quality and there are improvements to the design and operation of some of the dashboard controls.
The three-door and five-door versions are best considered as completely separate offerings.
In particular, the three-door has now evolved into a sort of fun fashion accessory, while still retaining the off-road credentials that made the car a viable alternative to more rugged offerings.
It has a starting price of £14,499, which in itself will cause some interest when one considers the price of other compact SUVs. There’s a high standard of specification, too, including an in-dash six-CD player with MP3 compatability, 17-inch alloy wheels and rear privacy glass.
The arrival of the bigger engine gives Suzuki a unique offering in the SUV market, with no other manufacturer offering this engine/body style combination.
The wow factor for the five-door model is the inclusion of leather seats with front seat heating, not the sort of thing you would expect in a £17,499 SUV. It also gets 18-inch alloys, high intensity discharge headlamps and an electrically-operated glass sun roof.
With the development of the revised engine comes improved power and torque and a series of features seen for the first time on a Suzuki-designed powerplant.
What the driver and passengers will notice most is the reduction in noise and vibration levels to below those in the 2.0-litre models.
Such has been the attention to detail that even a near-silent timing chain has been used, and for the cabin there is better quality carpeting and an increased thickness of glass in the front doors.
Away from the comfort zone, the Vitara is a proper 4x4, incorporating a monoccoque construction and strengthening elements to get it through sticky off-road situations.
It uses a torque-sensing limited slip centre differential that enables the driver to shift the transmission into low-range four-wheel drive by turning a rotary switch on the dashboard.
The cosmetic changes on the new model include a new front grille and bumper design to give it a more muscular look and new door mirrors with integrated turn indicators. But apart from these and the introduction of new wheel designs, little else has changed. Hardly radical, but Suzuki is sensible in the following the old adage of not fixing anything that ain’t broke or does not need tweaking.
Inside, the refinement factor has been ratcheted up. There is a new multi-information display in the main instrument cluster, and steering wheel-mounted switches are now illuminated.
Five-door models feature wood trim inlays to the centre console and integrated door armrests. A new dashboard speaker improves the audio system’s sound quality.
Hats off to Suzyuki for equipping the Grand Vitara with the ESP electronic stability system and announcing that it will introduce the system progressively on all forthcoming models and model facelifts.
The three-door provides a better steer, and is a more playful companion, but in terms of practicality the five-door is going to win every time. Open the side-hinged door at the back and the three-door’s 184-litre boot will probably make the decision for you on its suitability.
You might also want to consider a more frugal diesel version. Expect that to arrive next year.
AT A GLANCE
Model: Suzuki Grand Vitara
Price: £14,499 (three-door); £17,499 (five-door)
Engine: 2.4-litre petrol
Performance: 0-62 mph in 11.2 seconds; top speed 112 mph
Transmission: Five-speed manual driving all four wheels
Economy: 32.1 mpg
CO2 emissions: 208 g/km
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