Pros: Styling Much Neater, Surprising Performance, Finally some Form with the Function
Cons: Engine a bit noisy at high rpm, Mileage could be better, Seating could be a bit more comfy
The 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara is completely new for the new model year. With all-new styling and a more rigid chassis, and yee haw, gets more power. Under the hood is a 185-horsepower V6 mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission. Two new four-wheel-drive systems are available, including a full-time four-mode system with a two-speed transfer case which allows for flat-towing behind a motorhome without putting miles on the odometer. Grand Vitara is available in Base, Luxury, Premium and XSport trims and my tester was the 4WD luxury edition.
The Grand Vitara is Suzuki’s upscale compact SUV that replaced the Sidekick in 1999, which I actually thought was kind of a kick, sorry couldn’t resist it. It was the first Suzuki sold in North America powered by a 6-cylinder engine. Suzuki says that the Grand Vitara has the perfect combination of space, power, and 4-wheel drive, with seating for five and better then average fuel economy.
Although it is in the compact category, the all-new Grand Vitara is larger in practically every dimension, providing more room for both passengers and cargo Although there is seating for 5, there is still a fair amount of storage space behind the rear seats and as far as space goes, there is just under 123 cubic feet of space so with the seats folded down, you can get quite a bit inside this little SUV.
The tester came with a lot of standard equipment including ABS with electronic brake distribution, ESP with traction control, front and rear curtain airbags, and front passenger side airbags as safety features. Some luxury standards include the Smartpass Keyless Entry/Start system that’s very nifty especially in summertime when you want to cool the car down to say 130 degrees or so before getting in. A six disc CD changer and a leather wrapped steering wheel along with power door locks and heated mirrors are just some of the niceties in the Grand Vitara.
Okay so how much does all this set you back you ask, the tester came in at $24,400 and for what you get, that ain’t to awfully bad as the man said, especially when you add the 7 year 100,000 mile Transferable warranty, 24/7/365 roadside assistance and, a full tank of gas. Seriously though, it is quite a bit for the money although at 19/24 mileage is a bit disappointing.
But let’s talk about ergonomics and driving the Grand Vitara. First and foremost the 2.7 liter V6 DOHC engine generates 185hp @ 6000rpm and 184lbs of torque @ 4500rpm which is quite sufficient to move this 3500lb SUV crisply down the road. I was pleasantly surprised that the solid feel of the Grand Vitara giving it a much “larger” feel yet there was nothing arduous about driving it. It scoots through traffic with a fair amount of agility and of course there is no difficulty in parking this size vehicle, a very nice benefit in today’s smaller parking spaces.
The ergonomics are well planned and laid out with the dash being uncluttered and concise, granted without much pizzazz but neat looking in an austere sort of way. With so many cars adding bells and whistles with myriad controls on the dashboard, this is a nice change.
Bottom line, I really was impressed with the Grand Vitara and strongly suggest that if you’re in the market for this genre, you’d be wise to go check it out. It’s much better looking than its predecessor and a lot more fun to drive. I liked it a lot and think you will too.
