Background: In many respects, Suzuki was ahead of its time. The Japanese automaker helped pioneer the small sport utility segment long before rivals Toyota and Honda introduced their popular-selling RAV4s and CR-Vs respectively. These small incarnations have become as popular with consumers as their full-sized SUV counterparts. During the 1980's, Suzuki debuted its spunky Samurai compact sport utility. While sales took off when first introduced, a questionable government investigation of Samurai resulted in plummeting sales and terrible public relations. Sales of Suzuki's slightly larger Sidekick, introduced a few years later, didn't fare much better. But now, the automaker that's been assembling small sport utilities longer than just about anyone has debuted its all-new Grand Vitara for the 1999 model year. This attractive, solidly-built offering sets itself apart by being the only small sport utility offering a V-6 engine. Other rivals get power from four-cylinder motors. Vitara, a name created by Suzuki, is designed to conjure up images of "vigor" and "vitality" while strengthening brand awareness. And the four-door Grand Vitara acts like a off-road vehicle, not a car. Both Toyota's RAV4 and Honda's CR-V are built off car platforms while Suzuki utilizes body-on-frame construction; the same design found on larger sport utilities for true off-road qualities. Suzuki's subcompact and compact automobiles are relative newcomers in the United States. The first dealership opened here in 1985.
Trim Levels: The four-door Grand Vitara comes in two-wheel (JS and JS+), and shift-on-the-fly, four-wheel drive (JLX and JLX+) editions. Two-wheel-drive varieties are rear-drive powered. The only features setting the two "plus" models apart from their "unplus" (or would that be minus) counterparts are anti-lock brakes and alloy wheels.
Standard equipment: Leave your calculator at home. Grand Vitara comes well equipped so adding up pricy options is not necessary. Included in the price of admission are: rear window defogger; rear wiper; air conditioning; AM/FM stereo cassette; power windows, mirrors and locks; roof rack; cruise control; power steering; power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering and tilt steering wheels.
Optional equipment: Grand Vitaras equipped with automatic transmission add $1,000 to the bottom line. Compact disc players cost $399 extra.
Safety features: Dual air bags, daytime running lights, rear-door child safety locks, energy-absorbing bumpers, crumple zones and remote keyless entry are all standard. Anti-lock brakes are standard in "+" editions only.
Price: Suzuki provided the Daily Herald with a gold, four-wheel drive JLX with automatic transmission; the most expensive Grand Vitara. Manufacturer's suggested retail price was $20,999 and jumped to $21,429 after factoring in the $430 destination charge. A five-speed, JS edition, the most cost-effective of the lot, checks in at $17,999. A five-speed, two-wheel drive JS+ starts at $18,999. That same $18,999 will afford shoppers a four-wheel drive JLX with five-speed manual.
Engine: Grand Vitara is the sole vehicles in its small sport utility segment with a V-6 powertrain. Suzuki's all-new, 2.5-liter 24-valve, six-cylinder engine delivers 155 horsepower. It's lightweight design helps keep overall weight down and fuel economy up, but it lacks the overall punch found in many other V-6 engines that include horsepower ranges in the 170s.
Interior: Ventilation controls situate above the stereo system feature rather small station preset buttons. The frequency display doubles as a digital clock. Slide levers monitor fan speed and temperature selection while push buttons direct forced air in different directions. Hazard light and rear-window defogger controls are positioned left of ventilation controls. Three circular, analog dials providing tachometer, speedometer and fuel-gauge information occupy the instrument panel. Headlights monitor from the turn signal stalk while wipers activate from a right-hand side stalk. On the dashboard, left of the steering column, one finds cruise control and power mirror controls. Power window and lock functions are on the driver's door. On the floor, left of the driver's bucket, is the remote fuel-door lever. Two square in-line cup holders and the hand-operated parking brake situate between the front bucket seats.
Seating comfort: All Grand Vitaras include cloth seating with two bucket seats in front. Leather seats are not offered. Enormous headroom is found no matter where one sits. Three passengers can squeeze in back, but two will ride most comfortably. Unlike some larger sport utilities, maneuvering into Grand Vitara requires a sit-down, rather than step-up motion. The higher ground clearance of some bigger SUVs make the simple task of moving in and out of the vehicle more of a chore than it need be. Grand Vitara, RAV4 and CR-V all enjoy easy entry and exit. With the 50/50 split-folding rear seats up, Grand Vitara includes 21.0 cubic feet of cargo room. And back seats fold completely flat for easy transport of personal goodies. After removing headrests, bottom seat cushions fold up and seat backs push down flat for 44.6 cubic feet of room. If no one regularly travels in back, it's a good idea to keep the seats folded down since headrests show up prominently in rearview mirror perception. Otherwise, its high seating position and large glass area provide decent road perception in all directions.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 97.6 inches Overall width: 70.1 inches Overall length: 164.6 inches Overall height 68.5 inches Front headroom: 39.9 inches Curb weight: 3,197 pounds
Exterior: The full-sized spare tire, mounted to the rear tailgate, is low enough as to not interfere significantly with rearview mirror perception. Large, 16-inch all-season tires improve road-gripping ability. Toyota's RAV4 also includes the 16-inch variety while Honda's CR-V include smaller, 15-inch tires. Strap-like, black handles adorn all doors. Color choices include: silver, black, white, red, blue, green and gold. The retractable radio antenna protrudes diagonally from the frame area just above the driver's window. A square, locking fuel door is positioned the right rear fender. In back, the rear door, hinged on the right, swings out, not up, from the left side. The permanently molded back glass window does not flip up from the frame of the hatchback as in some sport utilities. All Grand Vitaras include four-doors and a hard top. Sunroofs are not offered. But Suzuki's newest model does include lower-body, plastic fender and door guards protecting the vehicle against side impacts from runaway carts and other shopping center hazards. Breakaway side view mirrors, which fold in when brushed against an immovable object, are another nice touch. Target audience: The typical Grand Vitara purchaser falls between the ages of 35 and 54 years of age with a household income in the $35,000 to $75,000 range. It's targeted to a married audience.
Fuel economy: With the automatic transmission and six-cylinder engine, our test-drive JLX included fuel estimates of 18 miles per gallon city and 20 m.p.g. highway. The fuel tank holds an impressive 17.4 gallons of unleaded regular fuel.
Final thoughts: In addition to Grand Vitara, Suzuki will introduce a four-cylinder, four-door Vitara later this month and a two-door, soft-top Vitara in January. Interestingly, Vitara shares the same automotive platform as Chevrolet's new 1999 Tracker sport utility, but Tracker will not be available with a six-cylinder engine. Suzuki wants the six all for itself. Both Vitara and Tracker come in two-door and four-door editions; Grand Vitara is exclusively a four-door model. Starting price of a two-door, two-wheel drive Vitara is in the $13,500 range. The four-wheel drive edition is highly recommended for run-of-the-mill Chicago-area driving. Grand Vitara easily shifts manually between two-wheel drive high, ideal for dry road conditions, directly into four-wheel drive high, which turns both axles; improving road traction in rain and snow. Two-wheel drive editions, powered by a rear drivetrain, utilizes a pushing motion and is less sure-footed in heavy snow conditions. If driving through the mud and grub of backwoods is part of your daily routine, Grand Vitara's rugged truck frame provides more off-road durability than Honda's CR-V or Toyota's RAV4 car-like handling designs. Here in suburbia though, this is more a exception rather than a rule. If six-cylinder power in a small sport utility is high on your priority list, Grand Vitara is currently the one and only. Lengthwise, Grand Vitara is longer than the four-door RAV4, but slightly shorter than Honda's CR-V Grand Vitara is assembled in Japan while the four-cylinder Vitara calls Ontario, Canada its home base. Although priced less than Grand Vitara, Vitara will not include as many standard features. In addition to the Vitara clan, Suzuki markets a subcompact Swift and five-passenger Esteem wagons and sedans in the United States. Grand Vitara and Vitara replace the Sidekick sport utility vehicle in Suzuki's marketing mix. |