Suzuki Grand Vitara SZ5 Road Test Report
Performance 
The range topping SZ5 has a 16v 2.4-litre petrol engine at its core, and it is a development over the previous 2.0 litre engine seen in the Grand Vitara. Performance is best describe as capable, the engine certainly doesn’t struggle with the size of car however neither does performance dazzle; the car behaves impeccably at motorway speeds, showing no sign of strain at 70mph, and equally the engine is perfectly capable when used in slow, busy urban situations. While the car comes with a four-speed automatic transmission option, the car test driven came with the more popular five-speed manual gearbox, which proved to be pretty uninspiring. Changing gears, specifically between second and third gears was, at times, a chore with a clumsy and frustrating motion as you’re left floundering and out of gear. They say practice makes perfect, but it didn’t become smoother during the test drive, although the gearbox is not as troublesome as the car’s main competitor the Chevrolet Captiva which had an even more difficult gearbox to tame. Looking at comparative performance figures in the value-for-money 4x4 SUV stakes – there isn’t too much to choose between the Suzuki Grand Vitara against the likes of the Chevrolet Captiva, Hyundai Tucson, and Kia Sportage. The Suzuki will hit a maximum speed of 115mph and takes 11.7 seconds to go from 0-62mph, while fuel economy is 29.1mpg (combined) and CO2 emissions are 225g/km.
Ride & Handling
For a large car the handling is pretty good, the relationship between driver, steering wheel, and road is not some game of Chinese Whispers – point the car in the direction you want to head and it responds, precisely and without complaint, in fact you could go as far to say that the car is pretty fun to drive, and forgiving in the handling stakes. The firm suspension provides ample grip on the road, those 18” alloys don’t budge or suffer from lateral movement, and the stiff chassis ensures the car doesn’t suffer from too much roll around corners – which can be a common affliction in a SUV. Sadly, the trade off with having stiff suspension and chassis is that it can be unforgiving over rough roads with the car letting you know about the uneven road through your posterior.
Build Quality & Reliability
The top of the range SZ5 offers more refinement, sophistication and “bells n whistles” than you usually find on a Suzuki car – forget the utilitarian nature of the Jimny, or the no-frills nature of the Alto, the Grand Vitara comes with a lot of kit as standard. Aesthetically the car appeals, with a flat(ish) bonnet reminiscent of a Range Rover, nice little design cues such as the ‘gills’ on the upper side of the bonnet, the indicator lights in the wing mirrors, imposing mesh grille, 18” alloy wheels and privacy glass, all lift the overall look of the car to something which looks more expensive than it actually is. The designers have also been at work inside the cabin, with the SZ5 resplendent with leather seats, in-dash 6CD player, electronically operated sun roof, front seat heating, and chrome/wood-effect inlays – and while most of it works, the inlays look a little cheap and should probably have been left off the list of enhancements. The dash is an efficient, unspectacular affair, all clearly laid out and within easy reach, while the steering wheel comes with Stereo controls and cruise control functions – the fussy amongst you could well complain about the amount of plastic used around the central console housing the gear stick and hand brake.
Safety & Security 
Complete with a long list of safety and security equipment the Suzuki Grand Vitara is strong enough and big enough to be a safe choice when looking for your next vehicle. Front, side, and curtain airbags for driver and front passenger are complemented by airbags for the rear outer passengers. ISOFIX child seat mountings are provide as standard in the rear, and the usual adjustable height seatbelts in the front. The Grand Vitara is also designed that in the unlucky event of being involved in an accident, the frame of the car has been designed to direct the energy of the smash away from the cabin – Suzuki’s called it “built-in ladder frame”. Back in 2007 the car was tested by Euro NCAP with the car performing solidly, attaining a four-star performance for adult protection, three-star for child protection and three stars for pedestrian protection.
Space & Practicality
The Suzuki Grand Vitara is the largest model in the Japanese company’s armoury and in comparison to its other models the car comes with bags of room. Up front the car provides plenty of room for both driver and passenger, and there is enough flexibility and options to get the driving position just to your personal tastes. Rear seats are pretty roomy too, with enough leg room for all but the tallest of passengers, and it’s the same with head room, your family isn’t going to feel cooped up in the back of the Grand Vitara. Boot capacity is good at 398 litres, and it’s a nice square shape – no annoyingly shaped sections to contend with, and the large swing out rear door makes access into the back space very straight forward – just make sure you take into account the extra space you need to open the boot when you park up. The Grand Vitara has any number of uses, and its one of the cars key strengths, it can be set to work offroad with its permanently engaged four-wheel drive, used to ferry the kids about on the school run, or has enough room and motorway ability for it to be a great all round family choice, if you’re looking for that bank holiday getaway.
Ownership & Value
There is much to like about the Suzuki Grand Vitara – even the basic models come with an enviable level of equipment as standard, performance is capable, the aesthetics of the cars are modern and distinctive, and the SZ5 offers a little extra not found on the other variants. With 31.3 mpg given as the combined fuel economy figure the car is respectable in comparison with its peers – the Chevrolet Captiva figure is 31.7mpg. The SUV/4x4 segment can be tough to get your head around – there is a wide variety of models on offer – with a bewildering variety in prices, however if you’re on a budget but need space for five, and require that all important 4x4 drive then the Suzuki Grand Vitara should certainly be somewhere on your list – it doesn’t fall flat on its face in any aspect. One aspect to be aware of though is that it doesn’t hold its value as well as many of its rivals, resell value maybe pretty weak. Service intervals of 9000 miles should also be factored into any decision.
Performance
We tested the top of the range SZ5 which is powered by a new 2.4 litre engine. This power plant delivers a lacklustre performance with a ‘no frills’ feel and is a development of the previous 2.0 unit. The car does have genuine off road capability which for this price band is extremely impressive. One notable drawback is the gearbox which is still only based on 5 gears, this at a time when many other cars are moving to a standard 6 speed setup. The feel of the gearbox also felt a tad hit and miss which was noticeable between 2nd and 3rd gears, this led to frustration as I was left out of gear on several occasions. The 2.4 litre engine delivers a maximum speed of 115 mph and does 0-62 in 11.7 seconds assisted by the 166ps output. Fuel economy is disappointing with a combined fuel consumption of only 31.3mpg and this is slightly below the average for this class of vehicle. One advantage this model has over the 2.0 is that cabin noise has been reduced. This has been achieved with the addition of extra acoustic insulation and the tweaking of both the engine and transmission. Although this area has been improved the engine can still sound hard pushed when putting your foot down.
Ride & Handling
The overall handling for a vehicle of this size is good, there is little body movement due to the firm suspension and this leads to a comfortable ride through the corners. The steering is well weighted and the overall grip is very good. The ride however can be very unforgiving on even the smallest of bumps and potholes in the road. This model comes with 18” alloys as opposed to 16 or 17”and as such is fitted with lower profile tyres which is not the best combination should you be looking to take this for some serious off roading.
Build Quality & Reliability
The previous model came bottom of its class in the JD Power customer survey and this is an area Suzuki has tried hard to rectify. The interior is a big improvement with the cabin looking stylish and hard wearing materials being used. For the money the level of kit supplied on this model is very generous. The SZ5 comes with leather seats, front seat heating, 6 cd player, electronically operated sun roof, climate control, rear parking sensors and 18” alloy wheels. The dash looks modern with the use of chrome and wood effect inlays but on closer inspection can look a bit too plastic for this class of vehicle.
Safety & Security
A benefit over some of its main rivals is the inclusion of front, side and curtain airbags as standard. As with the rest of the range stability control is now fitted as standard. To improve pedestrian safety Suzuki has added extra shock absorbing technology to the front end of the vehicle. The car performed well when tested for euro NCAP occupant protection scoring 4/5, for both child and pedestrian protection the car scored 3/5.
Space & Practicality
The length of the car comes in at just over 4 metres which is slightly less than that of the competition. The space however has been put to good use with ample leg and head room for both front and rear seat passengers. Boot capacity is 398 litres which is only comparable with that of some of the larger family vehicles on the market. The overall boot space can be increased by folding down the back seats to provide over 750 litres of load space but obviously not an option if the family are along for the ride.
Ownership & Value
This model is very reasonably priced at £18495 and cheaper than most of its rivals, the CRV with similar spec comes in at nearly £25k and even the Chevrolet Captiva comes in at well over £20k. The car looks the part and provides genuine off road ability superior to that offered by some more expensive rivals. As noted the kit included is impressive and for the price you would be hard pushed to find comparable value elsewhere. Before rushing in thinking you are getting a bargain SUV though there are a couple of drawbacks. The first of which is the high Co2 emissions (208g/km) and poor economy (31.3 mpg). Next are the high running costs which are not helped by the service intervals of only 9000 miles. All of this contributes to a weak resale value which any potential buyer should bear in mind.
Performance
The 169 Horse Power 2.4 litre petrol engine allows for Swift progress in the Grand Vitara. It is an unusual choice for a vehicle of this style as by far the most popular choice due to low down torque and increased MPG would a diesel unit. The petrol engine performs admirably throughout the rev range, although it does require you to go further up the rev meter to get at the performance available. This subsequently effects miles per gallon and may deter consumers from the Grand Vitara when they are choosing their next SUV or 4x4. That said, the Grand Vitara is an entertaining vehicle to drive as the rev happy petrol engine offers greater agility and flexibility that a diesel alternative.
Ride & Handling
We drove the SZ5 Model which comes with larger 18” 7 spoke alloy wheels. These wheels set the vehicle off well visually but do make the ride a little firmer than on the SZ4. The leather clad steering wheel feels nice and chunky in the driver’s hands, also refreshingly for this sector, the steering feels tight and communication with the road is strong. There is relatively little roll in to the corners as the chassis feels nice and rigid.
Build Quality & Reliability
Suzuki have a reputation for high build quality and durable vehicles. The Grand Vitara doesn’t seem to depart from this and the on the SZ5 model there is the added touches of black wood finish around the dashboard fascia and leather seating.
Safety & Security
The Grand Vitara comes with a whole host of safety and Security features. ABS with EBD function is standard across all vehicles as is brake assist function. Airbags are standard at for the driver, front passenger , rear occupants are protected by side and curtain airbags. The SZ5 we drove has the added bonus of Keyless start and rear privacy glass.
Space & Practicality
For a larger vehicle the Suzuki Grand Vitara has decent enough room inside without being overly generous. The equivilant space could probably be found in a large hatchback or family saloon. The extra height of the vehicle allows for excellent visibility for the driver and passengers, whilst the keyless go function which is standard in the SZ5 model is a neat addition.
Ownership & Value
The Grand Vitara offers true 4x4 driving and comfort from £16,795 which is relatively cheap compared to the rest of the sector. It may not feel quite as well put together as vehicles higher up in the price range but the SZ5 does provide a lot of spec for the money. Leather interior is standard and the only thing which is lacking is a competent diesel engine, which in this vehicle sector is seen by most manufacturers as a must. The Grand Vitara has a premium look from the outside, certainly in SZ5 Specification with the 18” alloy wheels on display.