Grand Vitara does it in comfort
In a world where bigger is better and sexier gets more attention, there are still those things that bring comfort through their stability and middle-of-the-roadness. The Suzuki Grand Vitara is one of them.
All the jokes about the name have been heard, and the company has persisted, which is in itself comforting in that marketing didn’t get the advantage on word of mouth.
In 1989, Suzuki replaced its Jimny (Samurai in North America, and various other names worldwide) with the Escudo. It was known as Vitara in Europe, Sidekick in North America and was also marketed as the Geo Tracker (as well as Chev and GMC Tracker in Canada), since all North American versions were made at the Suzuki/GM joint-venture CAMI plant in Ingersol, Ont.
In 1999, Suzuki redesigned the vehicle and changed to the worldwide Vitara name for markets outside Japan. Four-door models, which previously just tacked on the moniker Sport, became Grand Vitaras. All those vehicles were, and continue to be, sourced from Japan.
The current four-door-only generation (just called Grand Vitara) was introduced in 2006, derived from the GM Theta platform that is also used for the Chevy Equinox, Pontiac Torrent and Suzuki XL7 (all those vehicles are built at CAMI). Grand Vitaras use a heavily modified Theta platform, with the only similarity's being suspension components.
And even that is remarkably different, with the Grand Vitara’s exhibiting sportier ride and handling characteristics. That makes it a bit firmer than the GM-isized version in the others, but it’s something you hear more than you feel.
The contemporary, elegant design of the Grand Vitara is probably a bit too docile for younger tastes (certainly, the XL7’s sloping nose and multi-angled headlights grab more attention), but the Grand Vitara’s upright, no-nonsense frontage draws it share of stares from more sophisticated passers-by.
In Jedi terms, it’s almost a Buick thing — the older I get, the more I seem to like the GM brand’s stoic attitude.
And in fact, the Grand Vitara mimics Buick’s fender “portholes” with plastic six-vent wedges atop the front fenders at the trailing edge of the hood panel. If we follow the Buick designation, the Grand Vitara should have a V12 under the bonnet.
It doesn’t, but the standard 2.7 V6 it does have does a pretty good job of motivating the wagon. Power delivery is steady and quick when called upon, and it does a pretty decent job at sipping fuel, too, partly because of a five-speed automatic transmission.
We managed to eke out 9.9 L/100 km over our 770-km week, which puts the Grand Vitara into sub-compact car company.
Inside, there’s a kind of Buick thing happening, too, with smooth and comfortable leather seating and a bit of wood paneling thrown in to spruce things up without cheapening it.
The centre stack features big, easy-to-use controls for radio and heating/ventilation, including a dial for the electronic transfer case (all Grand Vitaras are full-time four-wheel-drive vehicles, with the ability to lock them all together and slip into a Low range) and a big button to turn off the stability control.
Large speakers mounted low and forward on the door trim pump out rich, bassey sound from the AM/FM radio, complete with in-dash six-CD changer (which can handle MP3 and WMA playback) and XM receiver readiness. It’s a design Suzuki had experimented with on the SX4, to create a near-speaker-box out of each door, and it does create some of the best audio quality outside of high-end, expensive systems.
Getting in and out of the Grand Vitara is quite easy and all seats are reclinable for back comfort. Squeezing in a smaller occupant in the rear centre is not a bad option, thanks to a fairly flat floor and the absence of a rear armrest that usually acts tough on backs. Rear seat cupholders flip down from the back of the front centre console at floor level.
The rear seats aren’t easily removable, but they fold and flip up against the front seats in order to create more cargo space. The floor isn’t flat, but the whole operation is considerably easier than that of a Grand Vitara competitor we had the previous week.
Even with all seats in use, there is plenty of room to take along whatever the passengers may need, including a full week’s groceries. The area is easy to access with an easy-swinging rear door, despite the mounting of a full-sized 225/65HR17 spare and its hard cover.
Although the Grand Vitara may not be as flashy as some of the latest designs from Suzuki’s Japanese compatriots, it goes about its business of providing safe, secure family motoring without fault.
And personally, I like the classy, subdued exterior.
Fact File
2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara JLX Leather
As tested (before tax): $30,495
Configuration: front engine/four-wheel drive
Engine/Transmission: 2.7-litre V6/5-speed automatic
Horsepower: 185 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque: 184 lb.-ft. @ 4,500 rpm
Options: none
Freight: $1,295
Fuel required: 66 litres, regular
EnerGuide fuel ratings (L/100 km): 12.4 city; 9.3 hwy.
Observed fuel economy (L/100 km): 9.9 (over 770 km, combined)
Warranty: 3 years/60,000 km
Competition: Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mazda Tribute, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4
Strengths: Timeless styling; sporty manners; easy-to-use controls
Weaknesses: Non-flat cargo floor; keyless ignition takes some practice
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