Suzuki Grand Vitara Review & Road Test
November 19, 2009 by Paul Maric
Is this Vitara as grand as it claims to be?
Model Tested:
- 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara V6 Prestige; 3.2-litre, six-cylinder, petrol; five-speed automatic; wagon – $40,490*
Off-road credentials; sonorous V6; feature list
Rear leg room; dated styling
CarAdvice Rating: 
Grand Vitara…it’s a big claim, especially for an SUV which lives in a segment littered with models from various manufacturers on the Australian market.
The Grand Vitara started life in 1999 as a larger version of its Vitara sibling, promising more power and the ability to tackle off-road terrain at the drop of a hat.
The second generation, which launched in 2005, received a facelift in 2008.
The exterior boasts a rugged front end and compact styling, making it appealing to the weekend adventurers who head off-road in the search of fun.
A rear mounted spare tyre helps increase luggage capacity, while functional vents attached to the side panels act as vents for hot air escaping the engine bay.
Spacious wheel arches and a generous 200mm ground clearance act as aids for off-roading.
Inside the cabin, the Grand Vitara certainly lives up to its name with comfortable leather seats and lashings of dark wood grain.
A proximity-sensing key makes getting in and getting started a breeze. You don’t need to do anything except have the key in your pocket or a bag. Simply grab the door handle and the door will automatically unlock. Rotate the starting switch on the steering column with the key located anywhere inside the car and the engine will fire up. Shutting down and locking up is just as easy.
Interior room for the driver and front seat passenger is generous with ample head and leg room. Rear seat leg and head room on the other hand is somewhat disappointing. While it’s suitable for children, adults will find it a bit of a struggle to fit comfortably.
Taller adults will be left with limited head room due to the low roof line.
Cargo capacity is good, catering for up to 398 litres with the rear seats up and 1386 litres with the rear seats down. Loading and unloading cargo is made easy due to a low entry point and flat floor.
Featuring seven speakers with subwoofer, the sound system offers plenty of punch and quality of sound which could be found in vehicles double the price.
Under the bonnet of our test vehicle was Suzuki’s 3.2-litre, 165kW V6. The official fuel consumption figure of 10.5L/100km was easily achieved during test. The free-revving V6 works in unison with the slick shifting five-speed automatic to provide a driving experience unlike that of many other SUVs.
The gearbox is always in the right gear and doesn’t hunt like some gearboxes in competing vehicles such as the Mitsubishi Outlander.
Steering feedback is spot on. Although it’s a little bit heavy, it provides plenty of feedback and is light during low-speed parking manoeuvres. The brakes are a little touchy, but again provide unvarying feedback.
While you wouldn’t pick it, the Grand Vitara’s V6 is very sonorous higher in the rev range and sounds fantastic, especially for a vehicle marketed toward the type of crowd who wouldn’t regularly care about engine note.
The ride quality over all tyres of roads is generally soft, providing a smooth ride.
Safety levels are great with Electronic Stability Control (ESP), ABS brakes with EBD and BA, front, side and curtain airbags and engine immobiliser.
Unlike most other vehicles in its class, the Grand Vitara features some impressive off-road kit. A low-range gearbox and centre differential lock make off-roading a realistic task.
The high-revving V6 isn’t the perfect companion for off-road driving due to its maximum torque production range. Attempting to traverse steep hills often amounts in masses of wheel spin, the diesel powered Grand Vitara would be a much better option for four-wheel-driving zealots.
Four wheel drive modes are switchable via a knob on the dashboard and can only be operated when the vehicle is stationary.
Starting at $25,990 for the three-door petrol variant, the five-door V6 Grand Vitara Prestige retails for $40,490.
Suzuki’s competitive pricing outdoes the Outlander, Rav4, X-Trail and Forester which are its main rivals.
Although the design is getting on now, it’s hard to beat the Grand Vitara for value for money. The level of features, in addition to excellent four wheel drive equipment make it a high priority test drive for families after a compact SUV.
While the V6 won’t be to everyone’s tastes, Suzuki now offers a turbo diesel mode, retailing for $35,990.
Whichever way you look at it, this superb vehicle can’t be passed for value and function. Make sure it’s on the shortlist if you’re in the market; you’re bound to be impressed. The Grand Vitara well and truly lives up to its name.
Ratings:
CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive: 
How does it Look:
How does it Go:
Road Test the Rivals:
Specifications:
- Engine: 3195cc DOHC six-cylinder (24 valve)
- Power: 165kW @ 6200rpm
- Torque: 284Nm @ 3200rpm
- Induction: Multi-point
- Transmission: Five-speed automatic
- Driven Wheels: All
- Brakes: Discs with ABS, EBA & EBD
- Top Speed: N/A
- 0-100km/h: N/A
- CO2 Emissions: 249g/km
- Fuel Consumption: 10.5L/100km (ADR)
- Fuel Consumption: 10.4L100km (As Tested)
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 66L
- Fuel Type: 91RON Unleaded Petrol
- ANCAP Rating: Four-stars
- Airbags: Front, Side & Curtain
- Safety: ESC with Traction Control
- Spare Wheel: Full size
- Tow Capacity: 2000kg (Braked)
- Warranty: Three-year/100,000km
- Weight: 1753kg (Tare)
- Wheels: Alloy 17-inch
Print it: 
Have owned three Suzukis…a Swift GTI, Sierra, and a Vitara wagon. All were great in their own way, and bulletproof as all Suzukis are.
hence why VW want them on the menu, I’ve always liked the Vitara, unassuming, gets on with the job and doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not, like the RAV4 or CR/V
Hope Suzuki does not sell out to the VAG, they have done fine without them and really should not be need for them to sell off shares in the company.
Plus VW stopped them from using the GTi name on the Swift….hope they still hold a grudge on that!
Swift Sport is lame in name, cred and performance compared to its predecessor the Swift Gti!
Paul, You said that this is a direct competition for Outlander, Rav4, Forrester and X-trail. How about the Honda CR-V? I’m trying to convince my other half to switch over from CR-V to a proper 4WD (with low range gearing).
With the new Sorento with the 2.2L diesel is (on some models) around the same price… I think I’d take the Sorento.
Unfortunately the Sorrento is only a soft roader these days, I disagree with the Vitara actually being put up against anything other than the X-Trail as they are actually 4WD’s. If you want to pretend buy the soft roaders, but the X-Trail and the Vitara will leave the other for dust when the road stops and the fun begins…
Oh and you wouldn’t be silly enough to buy something like this unless you were looking at going off road would you??? ;p
I wasn’t really thinking in terms of off-road ability, more the amount of car for the money.
Yeah no, wasn’t having a shot at what you said, but more the fact that if you have a TRUE off road style vehicle then there will be short comming in its on road behaviour and some bits and pieces to keep the pricing at near levels as those with the lesser mechanical package (not talking quality there just componentry). I myself will put up with les vehicle for the dollar if the vehicle suits my needs better…
That is the true beauty of the Vitara, it has earnt it’s stripes in the bush.
why do ppl continually class X-Trail as a 4WD, its NOT, it has no low gearing, unlike Suzuki.
X-Trails delivers torque to rear wheels if it detects slippage or 50-50 torque to all wheels in 4WD mode, but it is 4WD SUV, read soft-roader,only those vehicles with low range gears are truly 4WD.
Only low rangeing gear vehicles should be compared to each other and not with soft roaders, there is no comparison.
if not for my missus i would have taken this instead of the jeep cherokee, jeep’s not bad though had it for a year now, all good except it’s a heavy drinker (average of upper 12s/km)and my wife really liked it and is the one using it most of the time, i still want this vitara though
I’m glad to hear Paul’s comment about the engine not in the Vitara. This is often missed out by some motoring journalists. And somehow, even before I read that part, I knew that a 3.2-litre, 165kW V6 would sound good. Something to do with the great sounding 3.2-litre Golf R32 probably.
I really always though of Suzuki as low quality but since reading about this car and the Swift im very impressed. Might be considering the Swift for my little performance baragain.
I bought the 2.4L GV several months back and have been a satisfied customer. This vehicle has 2.4L VVTI engine with ESC,2 front, side and curtain airbags, EBD, ABS & full time 4×4. Interior is spartan but decent quality. My reservations – unsettled ride over uneven roads and the antiquated 4 speed tranny. All said, IMHO it does outdo Honda CRV ($40,000), Toyota CRV ($36,000)& Nissan XTrail ($36,000) as it is fully loaded for $32,000 auto drive-away plus it came with a 5year warranty.
I mean Toyota RAV…
The Grand Vitara continues its life as a good, honest small FWD unit. You get what you pay for and if you plan to go on the beach or off the road and you don’t have heaps of stuff its very practical. Its not a wanabee FWD so that is the big difference between it and the others. The excellent thing is Suz give you 3 engine choices that cover all the bases. Concur with Safteyfirst comments.
Its a RWD unit i belive, Engine is mounted North-South
No my friend, he meant Four Wheel Drive (FWD) not Front Wheel Drive. Yes, the engine is transversely mounted. Unusual for a Jap but common with Audi, BMW and Merc.
It would be even better if they updated the old Renault diesel motor and had an auto option in the diesel spec
This car is way better than the Mitsi Outlander
This thing is great off-road, but is a plonker on-road and the V6 drinks like there’s no tomorrow. No thanks.
Had my reservations at first but took the plunge and bought the V6.
Gotta say I love it! Smooth, quiet and nimble. That engine is a sweet, sweet pearl. Only thing I don’t like is the barn style rear door (shoulda been a lift up hatch). But that’s my only niggle. That and the fact that you can’t lock the tranny in second (woulda been very useful). Overall – I’m impressed. These things are like limo’s compared to the tinny little rattlers I remember from the 80’s. I’m looking forward to the next model upgrade.
Always thought Suzuki’s build quality was poor until I went to the showroom. I’d say it’s at par with the rest of the Japanese crop. I’m looking forward to seeing the Kirashi.
I have been driving a 3.2 prestige for the last few months, and love it!!!
as a long time subaru fan, I am very surprised how competitive against the forester the vitara is, My wife actually thinks this drives better than the new XT auto premium forester, as far as the engine/gearbox goes I would have to agree, much smoother combo than the old 4speed in the forester..Yes the xt would be quicker, but the vitara is a much more refined package..
p.s, have been averaging between 10.2 and 10.5 l/100km quiet easily, so yes it is easy to match or better the sticker consumption in this car..not bad for a V6 4wd with plenty of power..
Those interior pics at the top of this page…..
Does anyone know anything about that dash mounted sat-nav? Like, is it factory or after-market? And what happens to the sound system?
I havn’t had to pimp my Suzi much because she looked bling-licious right off the showroom floor, but I do like the clean lines of that dash unit. (I gotta gets me one!) Agree with OSU811 – fuel usage not as bad as people say (it’s only a small V6 after all). The earlier 2.7 ltr donks were notoriously thirsty but the 3.2 ltr is a whole new ballgame(ya gotta feel sorry for anyone who bought one of those 2.7’s just before the 3.2’s hit the showroom!). If fuel consumption bothers anyone then they oughta go for the diesel, but I’ve driven both and it’s like jumping out of a Porsche and into a Kombi – rough as. Now, if they could only increase the capacity of the diesel by a coupla’ hundred cc’s and offer it in the Prestige level and slap an autobox behind it, well, I just might consider it next time… Hell, why didn’t I just buy a Tiguan or a Freelander – oh, that’s right, they cost a freakin’ fortune!
Nice review. I am considering to get GV Prestige soon. Does it make any sense to get a full 4×4 with automatic transmission?