2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara

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By Alborz Fallah | August 26th, 2008

CarAdvice was invited to the Suzuki launch of the all-new Grand Vitara in the Northern Territory over the weekend. But before our travel log and first steer go live in the next 24-hours, here are some facts about the new compact SUV.

Although called a new Grand Vitara, from the outside it’s hard to tell, but that’s only because the Japanese company has kept the current styling due to its popularity in Europe.

Nonetheless improvements are plenty with new engines offering more power, better economy and more standard safety features.

The engine which is sure to prove popular is the all-new 2.4-litre variable valve timing (VVT) four cylinder engine which is now fitted to both 3-door and 5-door models and an all-new 3.2-litre VVT V6 for the 5-door.

The 2.4-litre (122 kW and 225Nm of torque) replaces the superseded 1.6-litre (3-door) and 2.0-litre (5-door) engines. Fuel efficiency has improved to just 8.8 litres per 100 km for the five-speed manual (3-door). A four-speed automatic is also available in the 3-door

New standard features across the range include ESP, six SRS airbags and rear ventilated disc brakes (moving on from drums), the five-door also receives cruise control as standard.

A new model is the 5-door 2.4-litre Prestige version, previously only available as a V6. The prestige includes leather trim, sunroof, mirror-mounted side indicators, ESP, six SRS airbags, premium 7-speaker (plus subwoofer) sound system and 17-inch alloy wheels which can be optioned up to 18s.

Going from the old 2.0-litre engine has given the 5-door four-cylinder a little more power, bringing 0-100km/h acceleration down to 11.7 seconds (from 12.5).

The diesel also remains in the lineup, with minor work to improve fuel economy by 8 per cent as well as reducing noise and vibration. The diesel gets by using just 7.0-litres per 100 km.

Moving up, the new 3.2-litre 165 kW Prestige V6 tops the range, replacing the outgoing 2.7-litre V6. Although delivering more power and torque (284 Nm), VVT technology ensures better fuel efficiency, down to a respectable 10.5 L/100 km. A 9 per cent increase over the outgoing 2.7-litre V6.

The prestige V6 gets (on top of the four cylinder prestige), High Intensity Discharge (HID) projector headlamps with dusk sensor and washers, hill descent control and hill hold control.

Another big improvement has been the interior noise levels, dropping around 2 decibels over the outgoing model. Suzuki brought out its NVH engineers from Japan to explain the improvements (more on this in the first steer).

Pricing details for the new 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara:

GV3 3-Door 5 speed manual $24,990
GV3 3-Door 4 speed automatic $26,990
5-Door 5 speed manual $29,990
5-Door 4 speed automatic $31,990
5-Door 5 speed manual (17-inch alloys) $30,990
5-Door 4 speed automatic (17-inch alloys) $32,990
5-Door DDiS turbo-diesel 5 speed manual $34,990
5-Door Prestige 4 speed automatic $36,990
5-Door Prestige 4 speed automatic (18-inch alloys) $37,490
5-Door Prestige V6 5 speed automatic $39,990
5-Door Prestige V6 5 speed automatic (18-inch alloys) $40,490

Check back soon for a first steer and travel log of CarAdvice’s journey through the Northern Territory with Suzuki’s new Grand Vitara.

http://www.caradvice.com.au Lightbulb

The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a very underrated car but the pick of the bunch for off-road work is still the diesel model. The new petrol engines are welcomed & these should sell well.

Cheers !
Will

How was the flight out from Ayers? I almost got to fly you guys out there went to alice that day instead. Kings Creek Station is an interesting spot..
http://www.caradvice.com.au/ alborz

The helicopter flight from Ayers was brilliant! Although that was because i was on a real chopper and not the Robinsons We also spotted some camels which was great… then we ate them later.
KC

I hired one of these through work for 2 weeks of solid long distance driving (only car available) and got the Diesel. On long distance driving in 5th with cruise on I couldn’t manage better than 14L/100. From the Diesel.

Phil

Are you sure? That car only displays kilometres per litre. and 14 kilometres per litre is 7.1 litres per 100km, which is pretty damn good!

Mike

Ridiculous that the diesel still isn’t available with an auto box. Also unbelievable is the 4-speed auto on many models. Crazy. KC, that’s bad economy from a 1.9l manual diesel! Our 2.7 auto diesel averages 10l/100km.
Bavarian Missile

I hear you ate more than just Camels Alborz…………how was that wombat hahaha ? Was just checking the pics out on Facebook,interesting looking helicopter! Had to laugh what was written on the fuel tanker that was refueling that $4000 an hour plane you got from Brissy to Charleton and Ayers Rock,FANTASIC photos!!!!!!!!!!Oh my god were they DINGOS on a lead I saw………….phew you finally have done it,hahaha
http://. Naughtyius Maxiumus

Yeah gotta agree with comment that similar to last Vitara. NOT MUCH NEW THERE!

MISSILE…..hey Iam not saying you havent got a life! GEE just saying not into mega social tet a tet and that FACEBOOK! Sorry babes! Moi is old hat on that one hun!
Bavarian Missile

Your forgiven NM……….but if you just took a look at Caradvices Facebook site ,there are 60 photos up there so far on this blog and the one off the 2 Dingos is funny,I thought one was enough on this site!
http://. Naughtyius Maxiumus

OK…..send me the lowdown on email what I have to do to tune into this FACEBOOK! I just got tad weird when Rudd went on it or comments people get on there to make friends and whatnot…combined with 13yrs girls Andrew eludes to.

Shiver me timbers….2 Dingo’s. Hey I was near Armidale on dirt road and we sighted a dingo hung up in tree. Thought of that fleabag varmit yeast sculler from Emerald way. Yes agree…..one Dingo is dog gone tooooo much! Ever notice how Thomas, TP, and Dingo…..even Frugal One hang in a pack! Frontline would (dont everyone bore it up me…I did say at times)!
http://. Naughtyius Maxiumus

not help those Toyota fleabags! LOL
Bavarian Missile

Done NM………….and for anyone else just type in Caradvice in search and it will bring it up along with loads more info…………
Bavarian Missile

Or below the live comments on this page there is an e-bay logo and below that Facebook,click on that!Simple!!!!!!
ZANDIT

Hey BM is that really a pic of you on the facebook site? if it is, glad to finally put a face to the name, no one will call you a bloke anymore!! Does your Husband know you posted that pic? We dont have many wives that look like that down in tassie anymore!!(my wife better not see this either!!) Any way back on subject… Vitara probably best looking compact in this segment.
Bavarian Missile

hahaha yep dats me,I did some boudoir photos a few months ago,if you go on to my page you can see some of them but not the real naughty ones there for Wheelnut husband to be………..Your a Tasweign,cool!
Wheelnut

I’d have to agree Zandit – The Vitara is a neat looking soft roader Although I don;t mind the Outlander either.. both of which are better than the RAV4 which is nothing more than a Kluger Wannabe which is nothing more than a Prado wannabe

I think that if Holden ever introduce an 4×4/AWD car similar to the Territory then they could possibly use the Suzuki AWD system.. as they did with the Holden Cruze [Suzuki Ignis - which is now the Suzuki SX4] and the Cruze wasn’t a bad little car either.. However; I think that they would probably use the system that’s under the Saab 9-X AWD which was copied/borrowed from Subaru
ZANDIT

Jeez wheelnut I thought I had some car Knowledge I bow down to you!!(Is that enough or do you need more, I can go all night!!)
Yep BM, born and raised 33yrs now!! NW coast near Burnie, Only just left the car industry, got a better offer to work on spare parts for the mining industry. How long ago
did you leave Tassie, You’re in WA now aren’t you?
ZANDIT

Yep, Wheelnut, the outlander is a good car, tried to get the parents into one but Dad’s a stubborn one(will read all the information to death and then do nothing!!)Got ot agree on the Toyo comments too!! Considered buying an Outlander recently but got a Lancer VRX man instead
Will

Those camel burgers go alright haha I take it you went in a jetty or the longy glad you enjoyed it its sweet flying around here.
Mac

The saab xwd system was developed with Haldex in Sweden not borrowed/copied from subaru. It is a different system. SX4 was developed with Fiat and has nothing to do with the old Holden cruise that sat on a Ignis chassis. Why would they use the 4wd system when Opel already have 4wd chassis in use/development. GM also sold out most of their Suzuki shares and have little to do with the company now.

The Vitara is an ordinary car/4wd on the road and almost all soft roaders including the RAV4 are superior to it.
Bavarian Missile

Hey ZANDIT ,if your a member of the CA Forum drop me a PM or if your a Facebook member join my group of friends.Cheers

Lisa
Mac

Mac et al,

Did you stop to think why GV is a bit more ordinary on the road than the rest?
It’s called a monocoque chassis…
Why does the Suzuki employ such a set up? To make it a better soft/off roader…OMG…stuff the RAV4 Can’t do!
But, but…it as 200 Killer Wasps? Woopdie Doo…that New Suzuki Mill will be ample to move it arround. Its the one thing it was missing in my opinion…It’s got great handling for a ladder chassis-like setup. Quite responsive considering…
If you take a look at a majority of soft roaders out there, you will see they typically use a Car Chassis…sure they’re a couple of cm’s higher off the ground and use bigger wheels…they may even have a quazzi-AWD setup but they’re for the Masses of Latte-sipping yuppies that think offroading is going down a gravel road.
The GVitara has a superior 4WD System with the H/L Range etc. Anyway…you get the point…end rant.
Buckles

Whoops, used Macs name, not my own ^^^
Wheelnut

I said the AWD system under the Saab 9-X is SIMILAR to Subarus.. I know its designed and built by Haldex but I doubt many people on here would know who they are which is why I used Subaru as an example given that all real car enthusiasts would know about Subaru and how good their Symetrical AWD system is..

Because in the initial stages of research and development of the 9-X they used a Subaru Liberty as a Test Vehicle a benchmark particularly in terms of perfomance and handling.. GM thought about whacking a Saab body on a Liberty platfrom given that GM owns shares in both Saab and Subaru but Fuji Heavy industries [owner of Subaru] said no – which is why thet went to Haldex
Captain Mainwaring

Irrelevant vehicle in this day and age, especially with a thirsty V6. Outback ranchers need proper trucks, city dwellers need thrifty little hatchbacks. Recreational bush-bashing is history.
Suzuki needs to concentrate on developing the Swift.
wombat

K.C you averaged 14/100km ??? i have done 19,000kms in one and have averaged 7.1/100kms 1/3rd town driving 2/3rds country. you must have averaged 150kph or were driving in reverse?
BoggedAgain

Our Corolla gets 15 klms.p.ltr which is roughly 6.4l/100

I am trying to find a decent 4WD that comes close to this,excluding Patriot, X-Trail looking good as its tow capabilities is all over Suzuki, after all this time waiting for an updated diesel, Suzuki still can only manage 1.9, unbelievable, while all others have a minium 2.0 ltr

I cannot understand how Suzuki can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to engineers who can’t get past a 1.9 ltr engine, what a waste of resources.
You must understand my misgivings when I bought the Suzuki 1100 GKE M/Cycle-shaft-drive, the idiots put the rear axle behind the exhaust system, so when you want to change a tyre, either the whole exhaust system or the pannier racks came off to access the axle, and these ppl are the best in engineering, pull the other one.
growcanola

bogged again

dont fall into the stupid american mentality of bigger engines mean more power

I have a 1.3l 4 cyl swift that out perform most vehicles with an engine 3 times the capacity, it goes down to power to weight and good engineering

look at F1 cars
BoggedAgain

I remember our own swift, great little cars, we went to Cairns and back from Stroud, 22 klms per litre, 100 bucks up, 100 bucks back,5 klms from home we hit a kangaroo, unbelievable considering how many klicks we just drove in past fortnight, wipe-out, spun-out into tree, it really needed a bull-bar
I believe the newer GV is what we are looking for,new discs at rear from old drums,1850 kg towing,and a low range, something that the other SUV’s try to make out they are 4 WD’s without LR, wannabees, except forester has also 1.196 LR gear = GV, but is heavier on fuel at 9.3 but subaru cannot make up its mind which fuel the forrester uses, anything from 91 RON to 95, 98 RON, the higher the octane reading the better fuel consumption, go figure.
Jim OLeary

Bought one in March been on camping trip to Lake Eyre via Cameron corner,Strez,Birdsville track. Went Great BUT—

On return started to think about a small pop Top Van. with 2000kg. towing capacity on Prestige GV no problem????? NOT SO.

Owners manual carries a warning download on ball should be 10% of towed vehice for stability & safety. It then says Max download 85kG(EU) whatever EU means.
My maths may be a bit rusty but that limits the towing capacity to 850Kg. by my reconing. Whatever happened to the 2000kg. No answer to my queries on Suzuki web site indicates they dont care once vehicle sold.

I am getting very frustrated & starting to think about a complaint to ACCC re False & Misleading claims on their point of Sale Guff.

A pity to get in this situation over an otherwise great vehicle.

Phil

I for one, don’t understand the Australian necessity to have a 10% load on the towball. try to find some specs on some European caravans and see what their ball weights are. They will be less than 90kg irrespective of the caravan weight. Either the laws of physics are different when towing in Europe, or our 10% rule of thumb is a bit iffy. I can’t imagine they would put up with a lower safety standard in Europe when towing caravans and the like.

I have an ’09 Vitara DDiS and have heard a rumour the 85kg is possibly going to be revised, hopefully retrospectively.

Carfanatic

EU would refer to the Euroepean Model, they probably mean unbraked towing capacity , but that doesn’t make sense because it’s only 750Kg. I assume you have the V6?

Jim OLeary

Correct it is the new 3.2. But RACQ & others have it as 85 Max ball weight so it appears that the EU registered weight has been adopted here. Dealer also has it as 85Kg. but only when challenged to clear up any doubts & then has lots of suggestions like “well you could put it over a weighbridge & make sure the back axle load is OK.” All hot air as when it comes to the crunch an insurer will dodge a claim in case of accident if loading is not correct.
Suzuki should issue a notice to clear this up – Either it is a structural limit & therefore can’t be altered or adjusted or they could issue a table as Nissan with a reduction of allowable load in car for an increase in Ball weight or a graduated limit as the pre 2005 model which as I recall went to 140Kg with a load WDH. Or a combination of both. This would make their 2000Kg claim just credible as it would be 7% on the ball which is the lowest figure I have seen suggested as being a safe situation.
While this would not satisfy Suzukis own safety recommendation of 10% it would at least give them some credibility & might remove the possibility of some newbie loading their new 1800Kg van with all sorts of things to the rear to reduce the ball weight to 85Kg & then having a fishtail prang & maybe killing somebody not to mention writing off van & car.

With over 100000 in my log towing up to 3000Kg of van behind a Patrol I recon I have seen a lot of stupid & avoidable incidents but the potential in this one boggles the mind. I’m not holding my breath as it seems from reading a lot of web posts over the last few days that this is not the first mention & that Suzuki have had ample time to address a solution or just FESS UP they overstated the towing capacity.