2009 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.

Sales of little soft-roaders have grown faster than any new vehicle segment in our overcrowded new-car market.Last year there were just over 60,000 small SUVs sold, up 53 per cent on 2011. The category parameters have changed and now some models previously considered compact are classified as medium. But sales of the smallest SUVs have increased for the past three consecutive years.The appeal lies in several attributes, not the least of which is in looking more adventurous than domesticated. There's the draw of fuel economy, though the reality is that certain of these models do not perform much better than the big cars they've supplanted.Then there is the versatility of the interior, the elevated driving position and the visibility it affords, and the perception of being unassailable by other road users.The three brands on this page argue about who started the soft-roader craze. Each has a worthy case.Toyota is synonymous with off-road passenger machinery that has a reputation for reliability and capability. The RAV4 introduced a suburban level of versatility to the Japanese brand when it lobbed here in 1996 (there was the Tercel and AWD Tarago before it, but let's not go there).The RAV had the look and lineage to carry off the compact SUV concept. With a new model not far from the showrooms there are bargains to be had in the outgoing vintage.Subaru's all-terrain wagon heritage harks back to the 1970s, when 1600cc (and, later, 1800cc) wagons with transfer cases and raised bellies showed you didn't need a big burly 4WD to get seriously off the beaten track. The Forester might not have retained the forebears' dual-range lever within the transmission console but the spirit remains.Another company with four decades of history in the realm of small, lightweight off-roaders is Suzuki. The original Jimny and Sierra lightweight 4WD wagons were tiny, nimble and bulletproof machines and the modern descendant the Grand Vitara has retained much of the off-road ability without succumbing to the soft-roader sookery.(Search for hundreds more choices) 2011 Toyota RAV4Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl petrolTransmission: 4-speed automaticThirst: 9.6L/100 CARSGUIDE SAYSThe dependable Toyota reputation offsets any styling shortfall. While not a rock-hopper like its LandCruiser big brother, it doesn't mind getting its wheels dirty. Dual airbags, descent and stability control, Bluetooth and USB connection are among the features.2009 Subaru Forester XS PremiumEngine: 2.5-litre 4-cyl boxer petrolTransmission: 4-speed automaticThirst: 9.6L/100km CARSGUIDE SAYSThe Forester has been a segment leader on sales volume and is one of the more versatile of the all-terrain brigade -- some models still have low range. The XS Premium has leather trim, sunroof, stability control, climate control, six airbags and rally-bred heritage.2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara WagonEngine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl petrolTransmission: 5-speed manualThirst: 8.9L/100km  CARSGUIDE SAYSThe brand builds bikes as well as being responsible for the original small off-roader. The Suzuki Grand Vitara has old-school 4WD and genuine off-road ability. Anything but a soft-roader, it's light and nimble off the beaten track and useful around town too.

Unlike the magazine's 4WD Of The Year award, which only looks at vehicles that are new or significantly revised in that year, these annual accolades look at all the 4WDs on the market. In fact long-time champions dominate these awards but sometimes even long-time champs are forced to step aside. Best Value for Money

Now a three-door Suzuki Vitara is not for all. It is a smallish four-seater with limited luggage space if all seats are used.It may not be the first choice for covering long distances week in, week out.But at $25,000 the short Vitara is worth a long look as a daily commuter _ inexpensive to run, easy to park and still capable of a beach or bush weekend.For the Suzuki has a long and honourable four-wheel drive pedigree. It is built by a company with a long and honourable history in bolting together reliable machines.Exterior Current Vitaras are quite handsome vehicles. There are hints of a family heritage dating back to Suzuki's first Vitara in 1988.So the three-door is familiar yet manages to look fresh (even while this latest crop of Vitaras are largely style and mechanical updates to the 2005 versions).It is a no-nonsense, practical shape with just a polite hint of muscle that won’t scare the grannies. It is a sensible style _ if a little sexier than the five-door version _ that's practical in the scrub, tidy enough for town.Interior That line follows through to the cabin with decent ergonomics, sound system and air conditioning; instruments and controls are easily followed and there's good room for two up front, reasonable room (and access) for two behind.With the back seats up there's not a deal of space left in this short wheelbase machine, plenty for a day at the beach but maybe not for a week away for four. It is a compact compact.These rear seats do fold up and toward the front with ease, leaving a deal of cargo space. The spare wheel sits pretty on the tailgate.DrivetrainWhile there are some minor style change, including a flash new grille, it is the addition of a 2.4 litre, four-cylinder engine to the range that makes the biggest impact with the latest three-door Vitara.Allied to the five-speed manual gearbox, the 122kW motor is much handier than previous offerings. It is helped by variable valve timing and forever keen to have a go.All the while fuel consumption is averaging out around 9 litres per 100km. This will climb a little with sustained hard slogging _ up a soft sand track or through a boggy bush byway _ but this engine is generally quite thrifty.And the Vitara package is quite handy when road turns to track. The transmission runs all day in four-wheel drive but there is a four-high lock with centre differential locked, then a four-low range lock for more serious work.DrivingSuzukis are always willing little off-roaders, made handier here with the three-doors smaller body, shorter wheelbase plus better ramp-over and departure angles compared with bigger wagons.It is a nimble machine, whether dodging boulders or bollards; the three-doors advantage runs from tight parking spots to narrow bush tracks.It steers, rides and handles quite well. It is quieter than previous Vitaras, a little less edgy in the ride quality although for regular long trips the longer wheelbase five-door version would be a more comfortable option.It may not turn in, corner or hang on as deftly as a Suzuki Swift but the Vitara does not disgrace itself in the traffic. It is, with that 2.4 litre engine stirred, quite a decent point-to-point vehicle on a back road.So as a weekday run-around and weekend adventurer (for two) it is hard to ignore the three-door Vitara at this price. It is a value proposition with a good mix of on-road cred and off-road ability.Score: 71/100

Suzuki's original Grand Vitara was a bit like that kid. Considered by many to be too much of an underpowered lightweight to be a serious player in the dirt.But the kid has grown up and the Grand Vitara has matured into something desirable in the soft roader market.Suzuki has been working hard to give the Vitara a more vibrant image. Take a look at the Grand Vitara's sales brochure and you will only find one picture of someone middle aged or older.It's all about surfboards, camping, playing in the dirt or snow or heaven forbid, powering through salt water on a beach. Suzuki, known as a small car specialist, is pitching the Grand Vitara at active, fun-loving adventurers.Fair enough, for the wagon is pretty good at what it does and has helped Suzuki maintain sales in what developed into an annus horribilis for the industry.The Grand Vitara has just had a booster injection of vitality, with Suzuki ticking all the right boxes: a new petrol engine, better fuel economy, more refinement and added safety, including the fitment of electronic stability control as standard in all models.While the three- and five-door styles remain, the old 1.6 and 2-litre motors have been replaced with a smart 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine while a 3.2-litre quad cam V6 takes over from the 2.7-litre model.The existing 1.9-litre turbo diesel has been reworked for better fuel economy.Pricing spreads from $24,990 for the base three-door to $39,990 for the V6 five-door or $40,990 if you opt for larger alloy wheels.The Grand Vitara comes from Japan and it shows. It looks well screwed together and shows a degree of quality about its fit and finish which should be the envy of its rivals.DrivingWhile most of its rivals are not true offroaders, the Grand Vitara is and is remarkably capable of tackling the sort of stuff typical owners will encounter _ rough forestry trails, overgrown tracks leading to the best fishing spots or along windswept ocean beaches.You would expect, therefore, this would be a hard-riding wagon and uncomfortably out of its depth in the city environment.And that's the big surprise because it handles the urban jungle with all the poise and comfort of a mid sized family car.It has a constant all-wheel drive system with electronic selection between high and low range but the auto only comes as a four-speeder when five has become the norm.The icing on the Suzuki cake, is that this one comes well equipped for the price with a comprehensive equipment list which includes, depending on the model, six air bags, automatic air conditioning, leather trim, powered sunroof, cruise control, keyless start and multi-stack seven-speaker CD player.Standard equipment also includes hill descent and hill holder control for confidence-boosting offroad driving and 17-inch alloys. Storage space also gets a tick of approval.It's not all good news though.The wagon is best as a four-seater, not a five, the rear visibility is handicapped by the full-sized spare tyre which is slung on the side hinged rear door, there are a couple of blind spots and the way the rear seat folds is cumbersome and doesn't leave a lot in the way of extra luggage space. ON and OFF ROAD My daily route includes a brute of a short but steep hill. It's a great baseline test of how well a vehicle's torque and gearing are matched. Performance vehicles fly up in third gear, most do it in second, a few struggle and occasionally need first. The petrol Grand Vitara fits in that group.While the new 2.4-litre motor with 122kW is the star attraction and is substantially better than the old 1.6l engine, the gearing, designed to gain maximum fuel efficiency, coupled with the wagon's weight, means mid-range performance is sluggish.The Vitara would perform much better with an extra gear and ratios better matched to the engines torque. There's no problem with the Suzuki's off the line acceleration: the 2.4-litre motor has shaved zero to 100km/h times from 12.5 seconds in the old model to 11.7 seconds in the new. Not super quick but this is a constant all-wheel drive wagon designed for the bush. The Grand Vitara is perky most times and the ride is reasonable but not class leading. We tried the petrol and diesel versions, returning a good 10l/100km and 8l/100km respectively. The pick of the two, for me, is still the manual-only diesel because it offers better meaty torque which helps to overcome its mid-range flatspot, especially in the second to third gear range.That said, the petrol is still pleasing and if you desire more power (but at a price), then go for the V6 version. Inside, the Vitara offers a well designed and efficient cabin. It gets ticks for features like a gauge showing fuel consumption but all the gauges could be bigger and clearer and there's still no reach adjustment for the steering wheel.Verdict: On road, there are others which are more refined. Off road, the Vitara shines.The Grand Vitara is a genuine and honest offroader which is happy in city driving. Well equipped but needs a five-speed automatic.