2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Reviews

Graham Smith reviews the used 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara, their fine points, flaws and what to watch for when you are buying them.

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. 

The heritage goes way back to those lightweight LJ machines of the 1970s. These were no-nonsense vehicles of rare ability. Less weight and less bulk allowed four-wheel-drive Suzukis to drive where bigger off-roaders often foundered.This ability continues through to the new century and, while the Suzuki line-up is now a little more extensive and a little more civilised, that off-road ability remains. For today's Suzukis are a throw-back to the days when a four-wheel drive meant a robust off-road machine.The issue has been confused in the past by soft-roaders — machines with some ground clearance and drive to four wheels (via varying methods) but no low range and a bias towards on-road comfort rather than off-road prowess.Suzuki's Grand Vitara, the five-door wagon, has continued with an honest approach to the business of off-roading, continuing with a two-speed transfer case and some decent ability for running down beaches, slogging through mud or climbing over rocks.It is a compact four-wheel drive not always challenged by the newer crop of SUVs when the tracks get rough.To add to the Vitara's credentials there is now a diesel engine option. This gives the Suzuki extra character and clout in this part of the market.Now, for some drivers, the Vitara's 1.9-litre diesel engine, with five-speed manual only, may give the Suzuki too much trucking character.For others, the sounds and flexibility of this turbocharged diesel will add to the “go-anywhere, anytime” flavour of the wagon. Sourced from Renault, the common rail four-cylinder manages 95kW at 3750rpm and 300Nm of torque at 2000rpm. These are not big figures for a 1.6-tonne machine yet, even if it takes 13 seconds to get from standstill to 100km/h, the Suzuki is a comfortable cruiser.The factory claims a very decent 7.6 litres/100km on the combined cycle and for most ordinary commutes it should stay below 10 litres/100km.There are the sounds and extra vibrations of a diesel when the Suzuki is fired up; some vibrations may remain, giving off a little tizz through the likes of the gear shift, or hard objects in cubbyholes at times. This, for some, is a welcome sign that there is some substance to the wagon.The Suzuki has a comfortable and most usable cabin, a fine combination of design and materials which will not confuse users. Along with the usual array of CD/FM/stereo, airconditioning and power windows there are six airbags for secondary safety.Primary road safety is aided by the Vitara's full-time four-wheel drive, ABS, stability and traction control. This adds up to a handy package, a compact wagon with good town manners and four-wheel driveability with the bonus of a diesel engine. Maybe it's not as quick off the mark as a startled bandicoot but with a little practice at keeping the engine in the power/torque band — between 2500rpm and 3500rpm — the Vitara is not disgraced on the open road.Off road there is the advantage of the extra set of lower gear ratios which, allied with the lug of the diesel, makes for a decent crawler. Changes from four high to four-high locked to four-low locked are made with a centre console switch; there is also a neutral spot here for those who may like to tow the Vitara behind the motorhome.The Suzuki's gearing around town is not perfect — second gear feels too tall and will not lug around on low revs as well as it could. The gearbox on this particular wagon was also a little notchy; for some drivers there may be a macho comfort in feeling those lumps of cogs down below.Yet for many these “truck-like” qualities add character to a well-credentialled vehicle.

. . . as we chug steadily up a steep, slippery hill in the new Suzuki Grand Vitara Turbo Diesel it is evident that this is what oil-burners do best.Sure, the new 1.9-litre, direct-injection, intercooled turbo diesel engine miserly sips the Earth's fossil fuel resources and emits greenhouse gases at the same rate as a small car.But it is the generous 300Nm of crank-twisting torque that I am thankful for as the latest in the long and trusted line of Grand Vitaras plods steadfastly up the greasy Mt Cotton hill at just a tickle over idle.Grand Vitara Turbo Diesel is only the third diesel in the competitive compact SUV class, after the launch last year of diesel versions of the Kia Sportage and Jeep Patriot and Compass.The five-door diesel Grand Vitara is listed at $34,990 which places it just behind the top-of-the-range V6 Prestige and completes the five-model range.It comes with the same specification as the Prestige, but without the leather upholstery. So that means it gets a leather-wrap steering wheel, stability control, climate air, MP3 compatible CD player, cruise control and remote keyless entry with immobiliser.Powered by a Renault 1.9-litre common-rail turbo engine, the Bosch magnetic coil piezo injectors can squirt precise amounts of fuel from the high-pressure (1600 bar, 23,000psi) common rail up to five times during one cylinder's combustion cycle.This not only reduces fuel consumption and gas emissions, but also compression knock and therefore engine noise.The water-cooled Garret turbocharger features energy efficient variable fins which at low revs are almost flat so turbine speed is high and boost is up.At high revs the fins turn to a steeper angle, so turbine speed does not go off the scale.Turbo cooling is provided by an electric cooling pump, which keeps engine coolant circulating through the turbo charger after the engine has stopped.The diesel is married to a new five-speed manual gearbox which is notchy but robust. There will be no automatic.Paul Dillon, general manager of Queensland importers Suzuki Auto Co, said their technicians last year evaluated a test vehicle here over 3000km and had not encountered any issues.On a test drive with Dillon around Brisbane last year and on the very short road test at last week's state launch, the vehicle sounded quiet and strong, pulling from as low as 1700rpm.From 2200rpm, it rolls on with more urge than the V6 Prestige for reasonable passing duties. However, with only 95kW on tap, the top end isn't as vibrant as the V6.As it approaches red line, the engine begins to groan and there is minor coarseness through the gear shift and pedal.At 100km/h in fifth gear the diesel ticks over at just 2200rpm, which should yield good fuel economy. Suzuki claims 9.4l/100km in city duties and 6.7 on the highway.The Japanese brand proudly boasts that its compact SUV range is more likely to be used for off-road ventures than most of its ilk.Consequently, the major portion of the launch was conducted on the four-wheel-drive circuit of the State Government's Mt Cotton driver training facility.Here the little diesel "Zuke” is in its element, splashing through the bog holes, stepping over tree roots and chugging up gnarly hillclimbs.Going down some steep hills, the low-revving diesel engine helps to negate the need for a hill descent feature despite its under 2:1 transfer case ratio. Only perpendicular slopes are going to prove a problem.This is a genuine off-roader suited to beach runs, forestry trails and some tight bush work. Only rock crawling is beyond its capabilities.However, greenies shouldn't be perturbed by this off-roader. It is fitted with a particulate filter incorporated in the exhaust that burns off carbon deposits.Inside, the Suzuki looks crisp and modern with comfortable seats, generous leg and head room, and clear vision all round for an open, airy feeling.Safety is aided by stability control that includes traction control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.There are also six airbags in the cabin and the bonnet and bumper area are designed to be pedestrian friendly.Suzuki Auto Co sales and marketing manager Stephen Craig said they expected to sell more than 500 diesel Grand Vitaras in a year, accounting for about 28 per cent of all their 4WD sales, which also includes the practical little Jimny.Suzuki will follow up the diesel Grand Vitara with a minor update and increase in engine capacities for its petrol models in the middle of 2008.The 2-litre four-cylinder will become a 2.4, while the 2.7-litre V6 grows to 3.2. Grand Vitara diesel$34,990ENGINE: 1870cc 4-valve, 4-cylinder direct injection common-rail turbo dieselPOWER: 95kW @ 3750rpmTORQUE: 300Nm @ 2000rpmBORE X STROKE: 80 x 93MMCOMPRESSION: 17:1DRIVE: 4-mode 4 x 4TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual; transfer high 1.000, low 1.970KERBWEIGHT: 1605kg (1660kg with full options)PERFORMANCE: 170km/h (max), 0-100km/h in 13.2secECONOMY (L/100KM): 9.4 (city), 6.7 (highway), 7.6 (combined)EMISSIONS: 195g/km of CO2; Euro 4 compliant