Suzuki Grand Vitara reviews

Key strengths: Well designed and well put together
Areas for improvement: Dealer support

I bought this car after looking to trade in my '01 CR-V. I was disappointed in Honda's 2007 CR-V with its reduced ground clearance and boring styling.

Overall, the Grand Vitara seems to be well designed and well put together, and unlike most previous Suzuki models, it has an appealing design. Unfortunately, I do seem to notice more minor squeaks and fit/finish issues than I did with my previous Honda CR-V.

Solid would be the one word I would use to describe this car. It feels planted to the road and goes where I point it. Handling and body roll were better than I expected. The exception is on uneven ground where the short wheelbase, stiff suspension and ladder-frame unibody combine to give a somewhat bouncy ride.

Despite what some reviewers have said, the 2.7L V6 is fairly smooth and refined and delivers what you would expect of a small V6 engine, though as other reviewers have mentioned it does seem to run out of steam when trying to pass at highway speeds.

Fuel consumption is OK. I drive it fairly gently and average about 22MPG (10.7L/100Km) mixed city/motorway driving. For the vehicle's weight and the fact it has a full-time 4WD system coupled to a 6-cyl engine, this seems about right. For freeway-only driving, I get about 25MPG (9.4L/100KM) by sticking to the speed limit. Going above 65MPH causes a rapid decline in fuel economy.

The biggest let-down with this car so far has been the dealer backup. Suzuki UK needs to shore up their dealer representation in Glasgow.

Rattle from the front passenger side airbag cover.

Small tear in the front passenger seat.

Two small scratches along the clock/MPG/temp display.



The running costs for Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.7L DOHC V6 Automatic are normal

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