Suzuki GRAND VITARA Estate range
Suzuki Have Taken A Pragmatic Appraisal Of Their Vitara Estate Range And Have Made It Better Value Than Ever. By Andy Enright
How does the Suzuki Grand Vitara fit into todays burgeoning 4x4 market? For those who still associate it with those gaudily accessorised salon chariots of the eighties, the answer is surprisingly well. This is due to Suzuki diversifying, modernising and sharpening the range beyond all recognition.
The Grand Vitara estate range currently comprises three and five door models and the long wheelbase XL7 versions and has been treated to a thorough working over in order to keep the value proposition looking fresh. The focus of these improvements has been a comprehensive reworking of the Vitara interiors and not before time as the cabins were starting to look a little tired. The controls, instrumentation and specifications have been uprated and trim quality is far better. Detachable doughnut style head restraints feature in the latest cars and the in-car entertainment systems have all been revised to offer better quality.
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Ahead of the driver a large, contoured panel contains the speedometer, tachometer, fuel and engine temperature gauges, an array of warning lights indicating low fuel and door open reminders and, on automatic models, a gear position indicator. The panel is faced with a semi-opaque screen and the instruments are surrounded by metal trim and are backlit by fibre optics. It all looks a good deal more thoughtfully designed than the rather haphazard layout of the old car. The steering wheel features fingertip switches for audio controls and theres a convenient panel inlaid into the door armrest that contains the door and mirror controls.
A brushed aluminium centre console is offered in most models although the XL-7 gets some rather less happy walnut wood.
Suzuki badly needed to up the perceived level of quality in the Vitara and features such as a damped action to the lockable glovebox lid and overhead compartments help this impression along nicely. Theres also a good deal more practicality incorporated, Suzuki learning a lesson from the latest set of MPVs. There are big pockets in the doors and on the rear of the seats and theres even a sliding tray beneath the front passenger
seat thats perfect for newspapers or magazines.
A cubbyhole beneath the rear luggage area is a good place to stow valuables out of the gaze of light-fingered types. Theres also an armrest that flips right over to provide two additional cupholders within easy reach of rear seat passengers and opens up to reveal another hidden compartment.
"Theres also a good deal more practicality incorporated, Suzuki learning a lesson from the latest set of MPVs "
The Grand Vitara estate series splits into three main lines, three door, five door and XL-7. The three-door starts at £11,995 with a 1.6-litre 16v engine whilst SE trim is also available at £12,795 pay £13,995 and you could get the 2.0-litre turbo diesel.
As with the five-door Grand Vitara, the three-door Soft-Top and Estate models are based on a separate, ladder-frame chassis which, in Suzukis eyes, makes them real 4x4s. Rivals like the RAV 4, the company points out, are based on passenger car underpinnings, which makes them less than ideal when it comes to heavy 4x4 work. The bigger five-door cars open at £14,995 with a 2.0-litre petrol engine or £16,995 if diesel power is more your thing.
At the top of the range is the XL-7, which is pitched from £17,995 in five-seat guise or £18,995 with a full complement of seven pews. For the XL-7s 2.7-litre petrol V6, the key selling point will continue to be torque; pulling power to get you up the steepest of slopes. Pulling power to make constant gear changing around town unnecessary (it pulls in fifth from almost walking speed).
Unlike the original Vitara, this top version is also an easy vehicle to live with, with class-competitive steering, suspension and overall refinement. Steering first; the rack and pinion set-up is light-years ahead of the old recirculating ball system this company used to inflict on its customers. The latest Grand Vitaras now go immediately where you point them. The ride too, is far better than anything Suzuki had produced before this model (though its still not perfect over rough surfaces).
In developing their 4x4 flagship, the engineers also learnt how to control body roll and not before time. Refinement is also in a different league from Vitaras of the past, with much effort having been made to eliminate the main areas of noise, vibration and harshness. What it boils down to is that this is one of the very few affordable off roading vehicles that you could easily live with as an only car, especially now that rear seat legroom has been improved, even in the standard five-door body shape. The Suzuki Vitara has, of late, been a car criminally overlooked by those in a rush to plonk their hard-earned cash down on the desk at their local
Toyota or
Land Rover dealership.
Dont get us wrong, the RAV4 and the Freelander have their merits but a Vitara deserves a place on the shortlist. You certainly get a real 4x4 and a lot of metal for your money and now that the interiors are a good deal better looking you dont feel as though youve cut corners to do so.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Suzuki Grand Vitara estate range
PRICES: £11,995-£18,995 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 190-260g/km
PERFORMANCE: [V6] 0-60mph 11.5s / Max Speed 103mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [V6] (urban) 21.6mpg / (Extra urban) 31.0mpg / (Combined) 26.6mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5dr] Length/Width/Height, 4195/1780/1740mm
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