2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Review

Specifications

Tires groaning, knee braced, heart pounding, and knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel; it sounds like the makings of a spirited drive in a sports car, but an important part of this picture hasn’t been painted in. The vehicle that was being driven wasn’t a prestigious European sports sedan or a high-strung Japanese sports compact. It was quite possibly the scariest vehicle I’ve ever driven, a Chevrolet Tracker, and it was taking a cloverleaf on-ramp at the very low, suggested speed limit. It’s a vehicle that I suspect, if it were an animal, would be a well-trained puppy dog whose special trick is to roll over on command.

But that was then and this is now. Chevrolet canned the Tracker, replacing it with the much more car-like Equinox, and, as for the vehicle that the Tracker was based on, the Suzuki Grand Vitara, it’s grown up and has become one of the best compact sport utility vehicles on the market. Oh, and I should mention that now it not only goes around corners, but takes them in stride, feeling stable and secure. In fact, after spending a week in the Grand Vitara, I can comfortably say that it is quite possibly the best car Suzuki has ever made, which not only goes to show how good of a vehicle it was when it was launched back in ‘05, but it also shows how much promise the brand holds.


As a product to Suzuki, the Grand Vitara and its relatives before it have been particularly important, which explains Suzuki’s efforts in getting it right. Being a reputable, international best-seller, Suzuki has done well in bringing the Grand Vitara name up to date, creating a vehicle that cannot only deal with rugged terrain, but with the demands of consumers for a more refined SUV. The body on frame chassis, for instance, which is great for off-roading, is gone. Well, it’s mostly gone. The unibody structure features integrated body on frame components, giving it the backbone that might otherwise overstress something like a CR-V’s frame over heavy articulation. It’s the same sort of tactic that Honda has used to beef up the Ridgeline, but it isn’t as extreme as Land Rover’s two-in-one chassis as found in the LR3 / Range Rover Sport.

The appendages to this new skeleton were also brand new when it debuted, and furthermore, completely independent. The setup includes a multi-link rear suspension that is geared towards ride quality and road holding. I know it sounds like business as usual in the compact SUV segment, but it makes all the difference in the way the vehicle drives. Of course, the fact that the Grand Vitara’s frame has broadened significantly, with wider front and rear tracks, hasn’t hurt its dynamics either.


Equally as impressive as its road manners and 4×4 capabilities is the Grand Vitara’s interior. Wow, what a difference! The Tracker and earlier Grand Vitaras were crudely finished, with inexpensive materials and switchgear, put together with assembly tactics that never seemed to move forward from the ‘80s, the era in which they were first launched, but not anymore. Suzuki has stepped up fit and finish comparable to any of its mainstream rivals, not to mention it’s an interior that can withstand an active lifestyle or the trials of a young and growing family. The Grand Vitara employs a neatly styled dash that’s split by a vertical center console, color coded with the rest of the cabin. At night, the console, switches and top-of-dash trip computer light up red, and the dials, set into deep tunnels, give the impression that this could be a Mazda… if not for the white and blue illuminated numbers on the speedo.

My only two bothersome complaints have to do with the front seats. For the most part they’re comfortable, and surprisingly well bolstered - it’s just that they’re flat. The height adjuster also seems to only raise and lower the back half of the bucket, which means the higher you go, the less thigh support you have. I also wished for a telescoping steering column - it currently only tilts.

But the GV hasn’t gone all soft. It may have lost bits and pieces of its hardware, and gained features typically unexpected on a Suzuki, but it’s still an authentic SUV. While almost all crossovers and compact SUVs are offered with some form of four or all wheel drive, and some with a mode that allows the power distribution to be locked in, the Grand Vitara is one of the only small vehicles left on the market with a true and proper transfer case. Its electronically-controlled knob allows drivers to select between high and low range four wheel drive settings, as well as a neutral mode which allows the GV to be towed behind a motorhome without racking up mileage. There isn’t, however, a 2-Hi mode for rear wheel drive, which could help its fuel economy.

Compared to other compact SUVs, the Grand Vitara feels a bit more like a little SUV and less like a car. It is sprung stiffly, and deals well with unpaved roads, but as such it never quite settles down the way a CR-V would. I am also quite impressed with its cornering skills; its steering is much more accurate than expected and isn’t dogged with slow response. It also rolls and pitches less too, its all-terrain Yokohama Geolanders holding on well. As a safety net, ESP stability control is standard, but the setup of its chassis is sufficiently balanced that you’d really need to be doing something stupid to activate the electronics.

And on that note, the Grand Vitara also looks the part of an off-roader. It lines are chiseled rather than bulbous, giving it a rugged and handsome appearance. It’s the same sort of rugged that you might associate with a five o’clock shadow. And yet, with its 17-inch alloy wheels and shiny pearl white paint, and the glimmering glint of its projector beam headlamps, it manages to look classy.

As of right now, Suzuki only offers the Grand Vitara with one engine, a small-ish V6, which in theory bridges the gap between a four-cylinder and a bigger V6 engine, like the one that can be found under the hood of a RAV4. The only problem is that it doesn’t provide the best of both worlds. Fuel economy is more akin to a V6 and performance isn’t that much stronger than rivals’ fours. Average fuel economy was 21 mpg, which is a step back from the RAV4 V6 we tested earlier this year - also, under acceleration, the V6 can be a bit noisy. Although the 2.7 musters 184 horsepower, which is okay for a vehicle of this size, more wouldn’t hurt. It doesn’t need as much power as say, the 3.6-liter V6 in the XL-7, but it’s up against some competitors’ engines that produce 250 horsepower plus.


While offering a V6 as standard equipment, which, incidentally makes it the most affordable compact V6-powered SUV on sale, I do have a feeling some buyers might pine for a more efficient four-cylinder model. I’ve been told that one’s on the way for model year ‘09, so if you’re in the market for something a little thriftier at the pump, hold out for just a few more months.

Stopping power is adequate for a vehicle of this size and weight; the GV comes equipped with standard ABS brakes, but only the front brakes are discs. Nevertheless, for the money required to buy this SUV I feel the rears ought to have discs too. Six airbags come standard - front, seat-mounted side, and curtain, and there’s LATCH and tether attachments for child seats on both rear seats.

The Grand Vitara is one of the few remaining vehicles on sale to feature a tailgate that’s side hinged. Although it has drawn some criticism for way the door swings (it’s configured for right hand drive markets), having heard gripes about the inconveniences of loading big screen TVs and other bulky objects when parallel parked, I do wonder how regular of an occurrence this is. If anything, the height of the tailgate with the GV’s rear tire strapped on the back is more likely to serve a problem in garages. All said, the tailgate is light and easy to open and close with one hand. Trunk space is also good - besides a relatively low loading floor, the bay is tall and fairly deep. It also happens to be the perfect size for carrying a set of wheels and tires, standing vertically.

I especially like how Suzuki has priced the Grand Vitara rather modestly. It’s hard to think of a better deal in terms of content on the Luxury, given what you get. V6 power, automatic transmission, digital climate control, proximity sensing key fob, leather heated seats, all for a little over twenty-five thousand dollars. I’m actually surprised that more of these aren’t on the road considering that it’s quite a good vehicle for not a lot of money.

I’m even more baffled as to why I haven’t seen more of the lesser trim levels around either. The base GV is a great deal, with prices starting at just a little over $19,000. Since its introduction, Suzuki now offers air conditioning as standard equipment, and that makes it the cheapest V6-powered compact SUV on the market that money can buy. Good deal? Most certainly, though you will need to pay extra if you want the five-speed automatic gearbox.

Wood trim, leather and fancy electronic gadgets aside, Suzuki has created a little SUV that’s worthy of its “Grand” title.