Picture Gallery: 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara JLX | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss
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Suzuki has been around for a long time, but their automotive dealer presence tends to be small, despite their competitive offerings and the fact that they are a Japanese company, which many people tend to gravitate towards for one reason or another.
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Suzuki is even bold enough to offer the Grand Vitara with a five-speed manual transmission in both the JA and JX trims; unfortunately the JLX and JLX with leather are available only with a five-speed automatic transmission.
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The JA model is your standard Grand Vitara. From there, there is the JX model which adds: four-mode four-wheel drive with 4H, 4H lock, 4L lock & neutral, six speakers instead of four for the stereo system, front fog lamps, heated mirrors and roof rails.
My tester is the next model up — the JLX — which adds: a power sunroof, a six-disc CD changer, heated front seats and an upgrade from 16-inch to 17-inch aluminum wheels all for $29,745, you may also add leather (JLX w/leather) for another $1,000.
2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara JLX
MSRP as tested (including destination): $31,140
For more information on Suzuki and the Grand Vitara visit Suzuki Canada
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Passenger room, however, is adequate with good headroom and leg room all around. Cargo capacity is limited by the way the seats fold, as they flip forward rather than fold flat. But with the rear seats up, cargo capacity is quite adequate for a vehicle in this class and should easily fit one of those mammoth baby strollers.
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The instrument cluster is easy to read with large lettering. I find the entire dash layout very pleasing. Interestingly, my other half didn’t like the interior the first time she stepped into it; she said it was “too flat.”
The door panels do feel a little on the flimsy side and when the windows are closed they get “sucked” in tighter, which is… interesting, to say the least. Auto-down on the driver’s window only and no auto-up windows at all is something of a pain, but with automatic climate control, you never really need to roll the windows down anyways.
I am finding that all the controls on the steering wheel and dash are very easy to reach and extremely intuitive. I haven’t had to do much “hunting” for buttons, which says something. The fuel filler door release is a little on the small side though; today I went to top up with fuel and couldn’t find it. Turns out it was under the driver’s side carpet and it so small that it was tough to see and it easily gets covered by the carpet if it moves.
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On the road, though, these attributes do not really translate into an exciting drive, nor a super-comfortable one. The suspension may be great off-road, but on road it is harsh and jarring over bumps; the Grand Vitara is very tightly sprung.
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On the highway I find the bumpy ride and wind and tire noise a little tiresome. It isn’t extremely loud, but loud enough that I need to raise the volume on the stereo a few notches to listen to my favourite song.
Visibility is excellent from the driver’s seat and I find maneuverability to be a strong point compared to other vehicles with four-wheel drive, which tend to suffer in tight parking lots.
Notably, the driving position in the Grand Vitara is upright and fairly high, but it is also very comfortable and aids in the visibility which I mentioned previously. My co-workers didn’t complain with five of us in the vehicle either, so I presume the back seats are fairly spacious for three.
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But here is a number you may be interested in: 11.1L/100km was my fuel consumption average with the Grand Vitara over the week. Seems reasonable for this size of vehicle and my driving routine, although I was very light on the throttle as the Grand Vitara doesn’t really urge you to go fast at all.
I did find the gas gauge disconcerting though. The needle does drop extremely quickly — last night it was showing nearly half a tank of fuel remaining, this morning, after two little trips, I was down to a quarter. I checked the fuel tank size and the Grand Vitara sports a 66L reservoir: not overly large or small, but probably the perfect size for the size of this vehicle. I suppose the tank could have a larger top portion as I ran the Grand Vitara from half down to empty rather than from full as I normally do.
*Rating out of 5:
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*Rating based on vehicle’s classification
2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara JLX
MSRP as tested (including destination): $31,140
For more information on Suzuki and the Grand Vitara visit Suzuki Canada
July 04, 2008, 01:06:28 am ^ Interesting reading. Sounds like it would make a great weekend vehicle for those that enjoy "real" camping off the beaten track. Is there much aftermarket support for turning GVs into true trail-hunting machines?
July 04, 2008, 01:14:35 am
All they lack are more clearance and skid plates.
There are a couple of lift kits available. One just uses spacers, while the other replaces the struts etc. A few places are selling skid plates. But most of this stuff is not available in North America. Suzuki should make an off-road version with these factory modifications.
(They should also make a 2wd 4-cyl version with soft suspension and lots of sound insulation, to appease those who pit the GV directly against the other cuv's)
If you check out suzukiforums, you'll find that some people are modifying them for fairly serious offroading. Putting oversize tires on them, snorkels and things like that. People in Malasia have been doing some amazing stuff with them.
The independent suspension limits wheel travel and makes traction control essential. But the traction control system relies on ABS, and it's tuned to limit stress on the drivetrain and avoid overheating the brakes.
So far as I know, no one's put lockers on them yet, but I bet when they do, they're going to break things. In the meantime, if you unload diagonally opposite wheels while needing lots of throttle, the traction control will allow the unloaded wheels to spin, and you'll be stopped just like having a crude old 4wd system. Because the testers do their "elephants feet" test on level ground, they don't detect this problem with any modern 4wd's with this setup.
Edited to remove non-functional links. There are interesting videos on YouTube of GV's doing off-road stuff, including a couple pitting a GV against a Forester in snow.
July 04, 2008, 10:34:49 am
Actually it is my observation after researching the segment for quite some time before I purchased my 07 Outlander. If you'd like to call my opinion "uninformed" so be it.
My "butt-meter" told me that the interior space is smaller than the RAV4, CRV and Outlander. I did not check the numbers though as they wouldn't matter much against what I feel sitting in the car.
My "eye-meter" told me that the cargo space is smaller too. Pretty accurate too and I could follow up with numbers if needed.
The exterior dimensions don't matter too much to me.
Going by these "readings", the GV came closer to Tucson/Sportage than the trio mentioned above.
I wanted a little more pep from a V6 SUV than what the GV offered and I did not have drag-racing in mind, but just to be able to move resonablly (by my standards) faster when needed. This is one of the reasons I ruled out any I4 SUV.
I have to agree with you though that, although no first-hand experience and no data to back it up, the GV has the best "off-road" capabilities out of all small SUVs.
EDIT: I did check some numbers, especially for the rear seats where I looked closely due to the car seat and frequently having passengers there, and they indeed back up my butt-meter readings.
EDIT2: This is not to say that the GV is a bad or not competitive vehicle by any means. I was just saying that it's on the smaller side of the class and the engine was not as powerful as I would like. Plus, I don't like the swing door in any SUV other than perhaps purpose build off-roaders, which the GV and RAV4 are NOT. My 2 cents only ...
July 04, 2008, 11:10:03 am
why bother to even offer the same postion for every non-toyota product? its pretty sad.
Better yet don't respond, just be quiet - everyone knows your opinion already, and those that don't know it, why subject them to it?
A family member has a previous generation xl-7 with the 2.7 5speed manual powertrain and it is very nice indeed..... made me wish I had a standard again in the driveway.
July 04, 2008, 09:43:16 pm
Yep, interest rates are definitely higher on appliances.
July 05, 2008, 01:03:21 am Better yet don't respond, just be quiet - everyone knows your opinion already, and those that don't know it, why subject them to it?
I'm just telling ppl here what the Suzuki folks say when their pitching a franchise because I sat thru one of their presentations. I thought it was the best part of the whole thing.
"Japanese quality at Korean prices".
You're getting a tad snotty lately and I can understand why after reading what you drive.
Check out my new company Tundra TDR, and the one before that
July 05, 2008, 01:06:35 am Yep, interest rates are definitely higher on appliances.
You know it. Interest rates on this appliance higher as well.
08 Street Glide Brand spanking new
July 05, 2008, 01:24:47 pm
You know it. Interest rates on this appliance higher as well.
08 Street Glide Brand spanking new
That Porsche 944 looks interesting, always had a soft spot for those. Some of the best racing I have ever seen (on TV) was the old Porsche Turbo Cup with 944's at Mosport.
July 05, 2008, 02:23:55 pm It's a 1990 S2. US car. Always wanted one and finally a unit came up on the Upper Canada Porsche Club BBS at a reasonable price, but more importantly with a brand new 968 short block with a rebuilt S2 head. Factory rebuilt transaxle with LSD. Clutch and torque tube iffy.
Son says somebody swiped my camera so I have no good pics of the S2, but here are a few.
July 05, 2008, 11:00:29 pm
I'm just telling ppl here what the Suzuki folks say when their pitching a franchise because I sat thru one of their presentations. I thought it was the best part of the whole thing.
"Japanese quality at Korean prices".
You're getting a tad snotty lately and I can understand why after reading what you drive.
Check out my new company Tundra TDR, and the one before that
a tad snotty lately eh? your a joke.
July 05, 2008, 11:35:59 pm
July 06, 2008, 01:56:49 am I like the Porsche and the bike ... the Toyotas, pass.
Thought there was a Porsche of vintage '88 924 S2?
July 06, 2008, 01:23:44 pm Thought there was a Porsche of vintage '88 924 S2?
There was only 924S model in 87 and 88. 88s have a slightly higher compression ratio so rated at 160 hp v. 150 hp. Other wise identical and essentially a combo of parts from the "early" 944 and the "later" 944.
July 06, 2008, 08:52:31 pm CanadianDriver's news section mentioned the 2009 Grand Vitara would have the 4cyl available, but can't find the article. Wing, CD should really allow searches of the News section.
I kind of like the Grand Vitara myself, despite often forgetting about it. The enhancements MWQA lists are substantial, but a 2.0L 4 and 2.4L 4??? A punchier 6 is needed, but too bad if it's relegated to luxury model only... but seems Suzuki is selling features at lower prices than competitors and getting away from base spec volume so even a loaded GV should be a good value.
July 06, 2008, 09:35:44 pm Hey you can, the super secret way.
put in canadiandriver.com/thenews/search you get a 404 with a search box
That said I couldn't find it...
July 07, 2008, 09:24:07 am
put in canadiandriver.com/thenews/search you get a 404 with a search box
That said I couldn't find it...
Hmmm, was pretty sure I read it there but must be mistaken. Okay, good to know for the future
July 08, 2008, 01:48:19 am There have been a variety of opinions about the roominess of the GV's back seat. Both the numbers and the comments of adults who've ridden in the back of ours indicate that there is at least average legroom, probably more than average. This has come at the price of some cargo volume. I have ridden in the back of ours, and there is plenty of legroom. Whereas, a Forester is quite cramped by comparison.
However, the hip width is another matter. The number in the specs is an oddly low 44". This is because the rear wheel enclosures intrude on the back seat, resulting in the seat itself being narrowed. I guess the measurement is taken at the narrowest point. The wheel bulges, however, are about even with the seat cushion. With three adults in the back seat, you're only aware of the wheel bulges if you think about it. In very cold weather, you'll notice there's something cool next to your hip. But with two adults in the back seat, it's a non-issue. Perhaps Suzuki should have put a flap of cloth over the wheel bulges just to avoid this negative specification.
We've also discussed how roomy the GV's cabin is. I think that a bright interior will always seem larger than a dark one, and a sunroof makes an interior seem larger. Because of that, I think one should go by the numbers rather than an impression, especially when all these small suv's are within an inch or so of each other on most of these dimensions. (The 3-seater Rav4's wheelbase is only an inch longer than the GV's.)
It's worth mentioning that the GV's front footwells are both wide, deep and flat. Other vehicles with the same legroom specification can have very awkward and narrow footwells. It's also got fantastic access to the guts of the dashboard/instrument panel.
The GV has a saddle-shaped gas tank that takes some gadgeteering to maintain the fuel levels in the two sides. This can also affect the fuel gauge. And when it shows empty, it still has a quarter tank.
Another thing I don't like about the GV is the hood opening seam does nothing to stop road crud, such as winter slush spray, from fouling the engine compartment. I added foam weather stripping to stop this nuisance, but it makes you wonder if they test these things.
July 08, 2008, 08:21:55 pm I had the opportuntiy to drive a GV for a week and found it to be a great vehicle and excellent value, moreso than my former CRV. I hear they'll have a 2.4L 4 for 2009 (like CRV) and a bigger 3.2L V6, which will make 220+ hp and be more economical than the 2.7L. Good strategy, as they'll attract the gas conscious and those who want power.
I ended up buying the XL7, as the price couldn't be beat after rebates at $23K. Love the 250+hp 3.6L Cadillac CTS derived engine built in Japan by Suzuki. Strong smooth and economical. Believe it or not, my 7 passenger 3.6L XL7 gets about the same gas mileage as my 4 cylinder CRV got.
July 08, 2008, 10:13:55 pm I think the Grand Vitara is a bit long in the tooth now. It had some snappy options when it come on the market, but not enough to sway public opinion.
July 09, 2008, 02:11:26 am
The diesel Grand Vitara won a "Best Compact SUV" award in Australia last month over the XTrail, CRV and Rav4. The Tucson/Sportage and Escape/Tribute designs are older than the GV. Given Suzuki's product cycle, I expect the GV won't be substantially different until about 2011.
http://www.infibeam.com/blog/news/2008/06/05/suzuki_grand_vitara_wins_prize_as_australias_best_compact_suv.html
edited to add url.
July 09, 2008, 02:26:52 am Scanning the 4-Day Test Drive articles for similar cuv's, we find:
Grand Vitara........11.1 l/100km....$31K
XTrail.................10.3*.............$32K
Rav4..................13.5**............$36K
CRV...................10.6................$34K
Outlander............11.5...............$30K
*all city driving
**harsh winter driving
Ok, this is a very small sampling. Let's get that out of the way. But since the Grand Vitara got mileage similar to the other V6 cuv's, there is no support here for the theory that the GV's engine is crude. In fact, if you assume, say, a 1L/100km penalty for the GV being in 4wd all the time, the result is 10.1L/100km. (We'll forget about the GV's short 5th gear since these tests probably didn't involve a lot of highway driving.) Which is better than even the 4-cylinder XTrail and CRV.
So, if we can somehow get our minds around the idea that the GV does not get bad mileage, then we have no choice but to dismiss the idea that the GV's engine is crude. (Or the engine is crude and Suzuki has done some other drivetrain magic.) In fact, we might just have to acknowledge that the GV's engine may in fact be more efficient than some similar engines. But I know people are determined to dump on the GV's engine, so I don't have much hope of changing minds.
Then there's the price. The GV was fully loaded, no options untouched. I don't think the others were. The XTrail certainly wasn't. The Outlander was a more basic model.
A few comments on the Grand Vitara's 5-speed automatic transmission. One is that it tends to drop two gears on long moderate hills. Although this sounds terrible, the mileage is the same or less than if it went up the same hill one gear higher. Another negative for this off-road-biased vehicle is that the automatic has no provision for selecting 2nd gear, and it has no manual mode. To engine brake downhill in 2nd takes putting it in 1st and applying a touch of throttle input at just the right speed. On the positive side, the transmission has a very effective engine braking mode when coasting downhill or to a stop in normal driving. Lastly, the 5-spd automatic GV gets better highway mileage than the 5-spd manual, probably because the manual has even lower gearing, in keeping with the off-road bias.
July 09, 2008, 02:36:49 am ^^^^Crude doesn't mean inefficient. (FWIW, I don't recall James saying the engine was crude). But, in this review anyways, I think we could say the engine is crude because of all the drivetrain noise that James's mentions. In that regard, I've found Suzukis I've ridden in to have a bit more engine noise and vibrations throughout. Though to be fair, I haven't been in this particular vehicle. So while the engine is frugal for a 6 cylinder, the NVH is what some might consider to be crude.
July 10, 2008, 01:31:02 am
Other than a slight, and not unpleasant whining sound I hear sometimes, I wouldn't say I hear anything else from our GV's drivetrain. I wonder if the one tested had either the infamous rear end misalingment, or the infamous drivetrain vibrations - either of which presumably could cause driveline noises.
I thought Jame's review was refreshingly fair to the GV's unusual combination of characteristics.
July 10, 2008, 10:06:26 am Ad on the tele last night showed GV's for $19,995 (likely cash purchase). Good value and solid feeling vehicle IMO. Back seat was fine for me
July 15, 2008, 07:25:41 pm Re: "Fresh perspective(s)". Suzuki seems to have finally acquired one of their own concerning the Escudo's, (our Grand Vitara), engine options there in the home market. The long rumored 3.2L six producing 230hp and improved mileage figures vs the long in the tooth 185hp 2.7L, (which was a derivative of the 1999 2.5L Grand Vitara engine!), is debuting in Japan RIGHT NOW. It's being joined by a new 2.4L inline four producing 166hp. Speculation is both will be coming to North America for the '09 model year. Hill descent control will be standard on all six cylinder 4wd models. The new front facia looks nice in an Escudo preview picture I came across.