Road Test: Suzuki Grand Vitara 3.2 V6

Suzuki motorcycles have been on our roads for years, but seeing Suzuki cars on our roads is still a little less common. Having begun its retail operations just two short years ago, Suzuki have quickly gained a reputation for offering quality and value for money across their range. A testament to this statement are the company’s sales figures for January 2010, which showed total sales of 557 units, the best month for Suzuki since they launched locally and, at the time, represented a 3.46 percent market share.

But enough with the math and history lessons, you want to know about the range topping Grand Vitara and whether the terms ‘quality’ and ‘value’ apply to it too.

It’s a good looking SUV in our opinion. The Suzuki Grand Vitara V6 is modern in a minimalistic way, with defined lines and squared-off angles fused with bold wheel arches, making for an edgy and masculine demeanour. Suzuki say their engineers and designers approached the development of the Grand Vitara in the same way that athletes apply rigorous training regimens to prove their true worth and capabilities in all conditions. As a result, the company says the Grand Vitara is akin to that of a championship-calibre athlete in a tailored suit: muscular and well-toned underneath; stylish and refined on the outside.

The Grand Vitara rides on 18-inch wheels, fitted with 225/60 Bridgestone Dueler tyres, which not only look good, but also provided good grip on the road and the slippery off-road conditions we encountered. The top of the range Grand Vitara also sets itself apart with a slide-and-tilt glass sunroof, tinted privacy glass for the rear windows and xenon headlights, which light-up the road very well at night.

The large, single-piece tailgate opens laterally, rather than upwards, for easy access to the luggage compartment – a heavy-duty set of hinges handle the weight and ensure the door doesn’t drop. With the spare wheel stored on the outside of the tailgate, behind a colour-coded cover, the cargo area is 398-litres.

The rear seats are versatile, folding down in a 60/40 split with multiple angles of inclination available for the backrests, while also expanding cargo capacity to 1 386-litres when folded forward. The Grand Vitara also offers plenty of storage for personal items in various compartments dotted around the cabin.

Passengers, both front and back, have ample room when sitting in the leather covered seats, which are comfortable and supportive. A host of features ensure occupants remain comfortable, including fully automatic climate control; Radio/CD with 6-disc front loader offering impressive sound quality; heated seats; and a front centre armrest that lifts up to reveal a large storage box.

The driver also has a number of conveniences at his finger tips. Apart from the instrumentation that is clear and easy on the eyes, the Grand Vitara also features cruise-control, keyless access and engine start system, heated exterior mirrors for those frosty winter mornings, as well as satellite controls on the steering wheel for the sound system.

The Grand Vitara has an air of quality about it. The cabin impressed us with its fit and finish – even our passengers volunteered that the Grand Vitara felt solid. The plastics are of high quality, well finished and put together. The result is a car that feels more than just the sum of its parts.

The Grand Vitara rides well on the tarmac, even if the suspension is more firmly sprung than anticipated. As a result the Grand Vitara corners well, offering the driver a sense of stability and confidence. The all-round disc brakes with ABS are strong and progressive in their application, while the ride is quiet and the cabin well insulated from wind or road noise.

On the safety front, the Grand Vitara features ESP stability control, front, side and curtain airbags, front and rear head restraints, and five inertia reel seatbelts, with the front belts featuring pre-tensioners and load limiters. Isofix rear child seat anchors are standard.

The 3,2-litre V6 in the Grand Vitara is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 165 kW at 6 200 r/min, with 284 N.m of torque available at 3 500 r/min. With this healthy dose of power the Grand Vitara cruises comfortably on the open road, with more than enough power for maintaining its speed up hill or for overtaking. However, the gearbox was sometimes unwilling to change down when expected, such as for overtaking, and the lack of a 6th cog meant fuel consumption was higher than it could have been, at around 12.5 l/100km overall. The cruise control system didn’t seem to like up hills, as it would over compensate for the power required to maintain the set speed, then it would slow down too much to correct its mistake and then repeat the process, effectively yo-yoing around the set speed by a few kilometres per hour.

Off-road is where we had a lot of fun in the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Apart from its permanent all-wheel drive system, unlike some of its competitors the Grand Vitara has a low-range transfer case and electronic switching between 4×4 modes. A torque-sensing centre differential can vary power between the front and rear axles depending on road conditions and driving style. For more challenging terrain, the centre differential can be locked to further boost traction and stability, while low-range can be selected for more extreme 4×4 conditions. The Grand Vitara also boasts a useful 200 mm of ground clearance, with an approach angle of 29 degrees and a departure angle of 27 degrees, coupled with all-independent suspension.

After one of the first cold-fronts of the Cape winter, we headed into the Hottentots Holland mountains to let the Grand Vitara loose. However, ‘loose’ proved to be the wrong word. Despite the wet and muddy conditions, the Grand Vitara stayed glued to the lines we chose over ascents, descents, cross-axle situations and rock clambering. We would have liked the hill-descent control to have slowed things down a bit more on some of the rockier descents, but apart from that the Grand Vitara performed well, carrying passengers in comfort, thanks in part to the heated seats, and surprised us with its ground clearance on a couple of occasions.

For the money, the Grand Vitara offers a solid, well appointed and stylish alternative to the hordes of SUV’s on our roads. In addition, its 4×4 ability will carry you further than expected off the beaten track and with a smile on your face. Cheerful sophistication.

What We Like…

• Solid build quality.
• Powerful 3,2-litre V6 engine.
• Xenon lights work well at night.
• Good level of equipment as standard.

What We Would Like…

• A sequential manual mode on the gearbox for more control when overtaking.
• A USB or auxiliary input for portable music devices.
• A 6th gear for improved fuel economy.

[nggallery id=465]

Comments

comments