Second-hand: Suzuki Grand Vitara

Grand Vitara: the little cute-ute that could

TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

Suzuki’s all-new Grand Vitara, released in 2005, shines off the beaten path but may not be the best for commuting.

Mark Toljagic

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

While many of us yukked it up – "hey, where's the windup key?" – Suzuki's diminutive four-wheel-drive LJ80 (later, "Samurai") made quick friends with the mud-and-rock crowd when it arrived in Canada in 1980.

When it landed in the U.S. in 1985, the four-wheeler community embraced it for its extreme off-road performance and reliability.

No other Japanese automaker has sold more units in its first year in America than Suzuki.

The Samurai grew up to become the Sidekick and GM-marketed Tracker, later morphing into the more refined Vitara, while never forgetting its roots as a rough-and-tumble, body-on-frame trucklet.

The Grand Vitara isn't just another cute-ute.

CONFIGURATION

The all-new Grand Vitara, released in late 2005 as on '06 model, jettisoned its Japanese SUV styling cues and adopted a refreshingly crisp design that included Suzuki's trademark clamshell hood.

North American Grand Vitaras were built in Japan – unlike the previous Vitaras, which were assembled in Ingersoll, Ont. – and incorporated portions of GM's Theta platform.

Suzuki had a reputation to uphold with its adoring mudders, so engineers buttressed its construction with a boxed ladder-type frame underpinning the unibody structure to doubly ensure its rock-hopping integrity.

The rear suspension was fully independent, another concession to modern times, but unlike the car-based cute-utes such as Honda's CR-V and Toyota's RAV4, the base Suzuki spun its rear tires, not its front wheels.

Two 4x4 systems were available: a full-time all-wheel-drive configuration that transferred torque automatically and transparently, and a more serious four-mode, full-time four-wheel-drive system with a locking centre differential. It had three selectable driving modes: "4-high" for on-road driving, "4-high locked" for slippery conditions and "4-low locked" for low-speed trail climbing.

There was also a neutral mode, allowing the Grand Vitara to be towed behind a motor home with all four tires on the ground (and without running up the odometer).

The five-door-only Grand Vitara had gained 28 cm in overall length and 15 cm in wheelbase and rear-seat legroom compared to the outdoing model, making it roughly the size of a Ford Escape.

Once the butt of jokes, the interior furnishings had leapfrogged to the head of the class with first-rate materials, design and assembly. The vast improvement in space even allowed the rear seatbacks to recline – a decadent luxury.

The swing-out cargo door opened to the left, away from the curb. With the spare tire affixed to it, it precluded a hatchback. Still, some owners saw a benefit in this.

"The back door opening like a regular door is great for getting groceries out with the garage door shut," one owner posted.

An all-aluminum 185-hp DOHC 2.7 L V6 replaced the outgoing 165-hp 2.5 L six as the sole powerplant, installed longitudinally instead of sideways. A five-speed manual transmission was standard on the base model, while a five-speed automatic was a popular option.

For 2007, all-wheel-drive base models gained low-range gearing for the transmission, further differentiating the Grand Vitara from the cute-utes.

ON THE ROAD

Highway velocity came up in 9.0 seconds, due to the fact the smallish V6 was saddled with a lot of weight. Cruising on the highway, the auto transmission often felt obliged to kick down a gear or two on barely perceptible inclines.

Owners observed that the V6 was not especially refined (curious for a vaunted sport-bike builder), with an exhaust note that alternated between being simply noisy to being downright thrashy at highway speeds, combined with plenty of wind and tire noise.

Where the Grand Vitara shines is off the beaten trail. In the woods, its sensitive steering can be a boon, telegraphing road textures and available grip.

In a major magazine test of nine small utes, the Suzuki ranked fifth.

Owners disliked the Grand's appetite for fuel. Despite its compact size and modest engine, the Suzie drinks with the best of them, scarcely making 14 L/100 km (20 m.p.g.) in mixed driving.

WHAT OWNERS REPORTED

The Grand Vitara is a reliable ride, but it does exhibit a couple of quirks.

"My 2006 Grand Vitara is a tire-eating machine," starts out a post by a frustrated owner. "I have to count on replacing the tires every 40,000 km."

Lots of drivers reported rapid and uneven tire wear, attributable to poor four-wheel alignments right out of the factory, apparently. Suzuki revised its alignment specs, which helped address the problem.

Another common gripe has to do with the engine's need for frequent valve lash adjustment, not an easy or inexpensive maintenance item.

"Suzuki decided to design this 2.7 L V6 back to the '50s," read one acerbic note.

Other complaints centred on faulty heating fans, belt tensioners and scratch-prone interior plastics.

All in all, the Grand Vitara is a very capable off-roader that finds itself outclassed during the most mundane of tasks – commuting. And that's a shame.

We would like to know about your ownership experience with these models: Saab 9-2X, Dodge Caravan and Mazda5. Email: toljagic@ca.inter.net.

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