Suzuki Grand Vitara 2008 review

The locals say the last serious soaking rain that fell on the MacDonnell Ranges west of Alice Springs was almost 12 months ago.

The region has been drought ravaged for years and the harsh red centre is living up to its name.

The riverbeds are bleached dry. The winter air so devoid of moisture it leaves your throat raspy like sandpaper.

Even the famous outback wildlife has deserted the heartland.

Yet it remains a beautiful, albeit brutal, location and one which challenges not only its inhabitants but the vehicles they drive.

It was in this setting that Suzuki bravely chose to launch its updated Grand Vitara four-wheel drive.

By doing so it wanted to reinforce the car's credentials as a true off-roader, and set it apart from its chief rivals — the Subaru Forester, Nissan X-Trail, Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V.

This quartet of soft-roaders has made it tough for the Grand Vitara because they dominate the compact off-roader sales race.

With considerably more marketing muscle, the rival Japanese push the highly capable Suzuki into the background.

That is until you tackle some sandy outback trails and the wide dustbowl of a corrugated “highway” called the Mereenie Loop Road, west of Alice Springs.

If this deeply rutted road from Kings Canyon Station back to the Glen Helen Resort does not render passengers speechless, the bulldust and car-size potholes will.

But after more than 350km, the Grand Vitara has very little else to prove.

Suzuki has taken notice of customer feedback with the refreshed wagon, lifting equipment levels but most importantly the car's ride comfort and handling without compromising its off-road performance, according to Suzuki Australia general manager, Tony Devers.

“The styling hasn't changed dramatically but the driving experience has,” he says.

“We really want to put it on more buyers' shopping lists.

“If you look at our key rivals, we're certainly ahead on price, equipment, power, economy and towing capacity.”

Devers is confident the new car will double sales to more than 500 a month.

Apart from some extra visual tweaks, a 30mm longer bumper and new alloys, the Grand Vitara's handsome shape continues on from the third-generation model launched in 2005.

However, it gets more standard safety equipment, including side and curtain airbags and electronic stability control across the range, which eliminates the need for a centre limited slip differential.

But the big news is under the skin and under the bonnet.

Gone are the asthmatic 1.6-litre four and 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines, as well as the indifferent and less than frugal 2.7-litre V6.

In their place are a 2.4-litre four cylinder and 3.2-litre V6 in the range toppers.

These two petrol engines join a reworked 1.9-litre turbodiesel that returns 7.0litres for 100km, an 8 per cent improvement.

The Suzuki-designed 2.4-litre develops 122kW at 6000 revs and 225Nm at 4000 revs and gains a balancer shaft for quieter operation.

It is available in both three-door and five-door models.

In the three-door this represents a power gain of 67 per cent over the 1.6, while fuel economy improves to 8.8litres for 100km.

The 3.2-litre quad-cam V6, mated to a five-speed automatic, comes in one guise, a five-door luxury Prestige model.

The V6 develops 165kW at 6200 revs and 284Nm at 3500 revs, 22 per cent more power and 14 per cent better torque than the outgoing 2.7-litre V6.

Fuel economy has also improved to 10.5litres for 100km, a 9 per cent improvement over the old V6.

The V6's five-speed automatic also gets revised shift points that smooth out its operation.

Significantly for both the four and V6 is hey both come with dual-range full-time four-wheel drive.

Across the range, the car's driveshafts have also been changed to sliding constant velocity joints for a quieter operation and reduced vibration.

Buyers also get rear ventilated disc brakes, climate control air conditioning, electric windows, mirrors and central locking and steering wheel audio controls.

The 2.4-litre five-door adds cruise control while the luxury Prestige gains a four-speed automatic, leather trim, sunroof, mirror-mounted side indicators, premium seven-speaker CD stereo and 17-inch alloys.

The range topping 3.2-litre V6 Prestige has the same equipment as the 2.4-litre Prestige but adds automatic high-intensity headlights with washers, premium sound system, hill descent control and hill hold control and six-stacker CD.

Suzuki is confident that the toughened front end and body structure, along with six airbags, will improve the previous Grand Vitara's four-star crash rating.

Thicker steel is now used around the engine bay and engine supports, while at the back the independent rear suspension is stronger with better location to the monocoque body and its built-in ladder frame chassis.

Suzuki has not forgotten about the cabin either.

Inside, the trip computer has moved from the top of the dashboard to inside the instrument cluster.

The climate control functions are easier to use with an LCD display and the steering wheel mounted switches for audio and cruise control are now backlit.

Of the line-up, Devers believes the three-door has the most potential, even though the 2.4-litre five-door will be the volume seller.

“At $24,990 the three-door has the potential to grab buyers who want something different to a four-cylinder hatch,” he says.

“We are the only ones who offer a three-door compact SUV.”DRIVINGWE have to admit, even carsGuide has been seduced by the popularity of the Grand Vitara's four key soft-roader rivals.

That's because we spend most of our time in the city, with an occasional side trip to the snow.

But when you go bush it's a different matter.

Of the four the X-Trail is really the only one we'd feel reasonably comfortable venturing right off the beaten track.

And then there's the Grand Vitara.

Suzuki Australia boss Tony Devers says about 60 per cent of Grand Vitara owners actually take their cars off-road.

Its dual range four-mode off-road capability, 1850kg towing capacity and good approach and departure angles turns the trusty Suzuki into a good all-Aussie vehicle.

With the new 2.4-litre four and 3.2-litre V6 soft sand and steep, rock-strewn bush tracks along the Finke River west of Alice Springs prove no trouble.

Even the harshest corrugations on the Mereenie Loop Road could not unsettle the car's integral strength, or dust sealing.

On bitumen both engines also proved their mettle. The 2.4 is impressively quiet and torquey while the five-speed manual is crisp to operate.

The V6 likes to be worked and really gives its best high in the rev range. Once you give the accelerator a good prod, it will snap to attention and the torque spread is far better than the old 2.7 V6.

Both engines proved reasonable frugal, too.

In a mix of some low-speed off-road work and high-speed driving the 2.4 delivered around 9.7litres for 100km and the V6 less than 11.7litres for 100km.

With gentle driving, Suzuki's claimed fuel consumption figures for both models should be attainable.

Apart from the curtain airbags, the other significant safety plus is the addition of electronic stability control, which is well calibrated for our gravel roads.

Inside, the cabin has an upmarket feel and standard of quality, fit and finish that beats some of its much-vaunted Japanese rivals.

Apart from the touch and feel things, there are other palpable improvements.

On-road handling is more refined and the cabin quieter than before.

The stronger body helps the suspension cope better and maintain a flatter ride, requiring less steering correction.

The Grand Vitara has the right ingredients to convince more buyers that it is just as good, and in some areas, better than its competition.

With credentials like that it has a crack at being leader of the pack.