Living the Grand life with Suzuki's Vitara

[steaner]

Fuel efficiency is relative, I've found. Just because a vehicle is small doesn't mean it's either cheap to buy or cheap to own.

You might think the latest small Suzukis are entry-level cars. Don't believe it. Small they may be, cheap they're not. And I'm not talking just about price.

Suzuki's quality and interior appointments are superb and that's why I say the Suzuki Grand Vitara 3.2-litre V6 isn't an "affordable" off-road machine either.

The Vitara, released in South Africa as part of a 2008 Suzuki product onslaught, is a much-improved vehicle compared to the model sold here in the 1990's
This version has a truly modern design that easily hides its off-road genes
.

For one thing, it's much prettier. The old model retained some utility "jeep" styling but this version has a truly modern design that easily hides its off-road genes.

You'd be excused for assuming it's just a "soft-roader" and I'm pretty sure many owners will end up treating it as such but I dare you to take this vehicle to where there are no roads; you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Well, with the Suzuki, none of the above applies. OK, so I didn't exactly go to Timbuktu by way of the Atlas Mountains during my test drive, but I took it to some interesting places without finding anywhere it couldn't go.

The permanent all-wheel drive transfers the engine's urge through a torque-sensitive, limited-slip centre differential in your choice of three driving modes - 4H, 4H-Lock, and 4L-Lock - electronically selected by a rotary switch on the fascia
Suzuki quotes 165kW at 6200rpm and 284Nm at 3500rpm
.

Drivers can switch between 4H and 4H-L and back on the fly at up to 100km/h but need to stop to engage low range.

The engine is a 3195cc V6 with two overhead camshafts per bank operating 24 variably timed valves. Suzuki quotes 165kW at 6200rpm and 284Nm at 3500rpm.

So far, so good, but the Grand Vitara V6 flagship is only available with an automatic transmission and somehow, despite the powerful engine, it tends to hunt annoyingly between gears in auto mode. I preferred to use the manual sequential mode to hold the 'box in gear.

In auto mode it would often change down too many gears when overtaking or accelerating uphill, sending the revs flying up and making the vehicle surge forward, sometimes alarmingly so. One has to learn to use the accelerator lightly.

SERIOUSLY THIRSTY

All of this doesn't help this thirsty V6's fuel consumption. I couldn't do better than 16.1 litres/100km in mixed driving – considerably worse than a Hummer 3.7-litre straight six I had for review at the same time, which returned 14.1 litres/100km.

Interesting, hmmm?

The Grand Vitara is backed by a three-year or 100 000km warranty, a six-year or 90 000km service plan and three years of AA-backed roadside assistance, including medical rescue services.

It sells for R339 400 - competitive for the market segment. You could pay a lot more for a vehicle with nothing more than a supposedly better reputation.

And if you pay for name or reputation, I'd say you might be a tad silly. - The Argus