Suzuki Grand Vitara
Casey Williams, www.car-data.com
Suzuki has a long heritage of building capable well-built small SUVs. The latest Grand Vitaralooks expensive, turns on a dime, and has plenty of power to keep up in the fast lane.
Sleek and modern styling on the Luxury package is highlighted by body color bumpers, a honeycombgrille, wrap-around headlamps, 17′ alloy wheels, body color door pulls, and enormous clear lenstaillamps with chrome accents. The overall look reminds me of a Range Rover. Not bad company.
While the body looks the part of an upscale off-roader, the Grand Vitara’s interior is posh.Drivers will appreciate the huge white-lit speedometer and leather-wrapped three-spoke steeringwheel. Heated leather seats are some of the best looking and most comfortable I’ve ever used. XMSatellite radio and a six-disc in-dash CD changer are available.
Safety was a prime consideration in the Grand Vitara’s design. Six airbags – dual front, frontside, and full-length side curtain ‘ are standard. Those great-looking leather seats feature aVolvo-style head protection system to prevent whiplash. Electronic Stability Programming (ESP) isstandard.
Only one engine is available ‘ a 2.7-litre V6 that produces 185 horsepower. Base models comewith a five-speed manual transmission, but our test vehicle was equipped with the optionalfive-speed automatic. During a trip to visit my relatives, I drove the vehicle through mountainsand had no problem keeping up with traffic. Fuel economy is rated 17/22-MPG city/highway.
Want to hear the best part about Suzuki’s refined Grand Vitara? Including a 7-year/100,000-milepowertrain warranty and 24/7/365 Roadside Assistance, you can take one home loaded for $24,399.That includes a free tank of gas and many miles to enjoy.
Suzuki XL7
Casey Williams, www.car-data.com
If the Suzuki XL7 looks a little like the Chevy Equinox and Pontiac Torrent, it is no illusion.All three vehicles are manufactured in a joint-venture plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. But while theEquinox and Torrent can only carry five passengers in two rows of seats, the XL7 places up to sevenin three rows.
Suzuki dressed up the wagon with a three-bar chrome grille, multi-angle headlamps, charcoalground affects, tall roof, and long arching windowline. It looks like a very expensive and refinedSUV. Truth is, it isn’t actually that expensive, but it is fairly refined.
In Limited trim, the XL7 is also quite luxurious. Heated power leather seats up front, automaticclimate control, rear air vents, 7-speaker premium CD/MP3 audio system, and rear DVD player meetall of one’s comfort requirements. Many of the controls (radio, climate, turn signals, steeringwheel) are borrowed from the GM parts bin, but they work fine and look good. Woodgrain paneling onthe dash looks upscale. Side curtain airbags protect all three rows of passengers.
As a crossover, the XL7 rides on a four-wheel independent suspension system, self-leveling inrear, to glide over rough roads and handle like a mid-size sedan. Not toting all of the extraweight associated with an extra frame saves 10-15% in fuel. Speed-sensitive rack-and-pinionsteering is responsive and provides good road feel on the highway.
Which is good, because you’ll want to spend a lot of time there ‘ especially when you stick yourfoot into the throttle. Moved by a 252-horsepower 3.6-litre V6 engine and 5-speed manumatictransmission, the XL7 has no problem accelerating and keeping up with fast traffic. Four-wheelanti-lock brakes, and Electronic Stability Programming keep the steeds in the corral. Our testvehicle came in front-wheel-drive, but all-wheel-drive is available. Fuel economy is rated18/24-MPG without AWD.
There is no question that the XL7 is large, luxurious, and exhibits a new world of control andpower on the highway. In many ways, it is better than the GM vehicles on which it is based. With aprice tag of $27,948, the XL7 competes against the Toyota Highlander, Ford Freestyle, and DodgeJourney.
2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport
By Chris Jackson, www.car-data.com
Suzuki is a brand best known for its tough compact SUVs and motorcycles, and the brand has neverbeen one of the first names to jump to mind when considering compact cars. Oh, sure, the SuzukiSwift was an economy champ back in the day, and even a bit entertaining when turbocharged, but mostpeople remember that car as the Geo Metro. Suzuki’s non-truck offerings since then have beensomewhat forgettable, though the SX4 crossover, introduced in 2006, aims to change that.
The SX4 crossover distinguished itself by being one of the most affordable cars on the market tooffer all-wheel drive (AWD). It’s a high-roofed, short-nosed five-door subcompact that replacesthe quirky Aerio in Suzuki’s lineup. For 2008, the SX4 Sport sedan joins the lineup, offering atrunk-backed version. Unfortunately, the SX4 Sport also loses the AWD option. Trouble is, if youtake away the SX4′s hatchback and AWD and it’s just not particularly interesting any more.
At a glance, the SX4 doesn’t leave much of a first impression. It’s more conventional-lookingthan past Suzukis have been, with a blacked- out honeycomb grille, arched-eyebrow headlamps andshortish overhangs front and rear. At the rear, partially clear taillamps and a deep bumper givethe SX4 a contemporary, slightly custom look. 17-inch wheels are standard equipment on the SX4Sport. The tall greenhouse and familiar Suzuki dip at the base of the A-pillar offer a bit ofdistinction and keep the SX4 from looking too awkward, but the result is that this little cardoesn’t stand out, either.
Seating is tall, and you look out through a massive windshield over red-backlit gauges. The SX4Sport will carry four passengers in comfort.
The tall roof provides ample headroom, and the seating position is comfortable. Unlike many ofits rich-feeling competitors, Suzuki’s compact feels like its price bracket, with cheap-ish plasticon the dash and economy-grade materials. That said, its well-built and there is some bang for thebuck to be found here. Trivia: Suzuki claims that the SX4 has the roomiest trunk in its class.My test car also featured steering wheel audio controls, a tire pressure monitoring system,automatic climate control, an exterior temperature gauge and a fuel economy gauge, all of whichhave traditionally been unheard of in entry-level cars. Ditto the available keyless entry andstart system. The SX4 is XM satellite radio-ready, can be had with Bluetooth connectivity, and itshead unit can read MP3s as well as standard CDs. A six-disc changer with a subwoofer is available.Side and side-curtain airbags are standard equipment.
The 2.0 liter four-cylinder needs a bit of revving to get it moving.
The SX4′s DOHC powerplant makes 143 horsepower, which is just a bit below average these days fora subcompact. The car’s relatively light weight makes up for some of this deficit, but the SX4isn’t going to be joining the ranks of “hot” compact sports cars any time soon. Getting the mostout of the little engine requires an aggressive foot and the standard five-speed manualtransmission. A four-speed automatic is also available.
Once rolling, the SX4 Sport does a fine job of nipping through traffic. The suspension isstandard economy car fare, circa 2001:
MacPherson struts up front and a torsion-beam rear. The handling is nimble enough, thanks to asport-lkte suspension that’s been lowered 10 millimeters from SX4 Crossover spec and features KYBsport shocks and stabilizer bars, and the standard anti-lock brakes are good enough. It’s by nomeans a distinguished handler, but Suzuki doesn’t seem to have aimed for the bottom of the barreleither. It’s a bit prone to wandering on the freeway, especially in strong crosswinds.
When it’s not trying to change direction, the ride is smooth and comfortable. The optionalstability control available on SX4 Touring models might have calmed the my tester’s handlingsomewhat.
It’s a few steps better than “good enough,” and should please economy- minded buyers on a budget. Then again, it’s not much fun to step out of a car and say to myself, “Well, I’ve driven worse.”The SX4 is competent, but doesn’t offer much reason to distinguish itself from the rest of thesubcompact herd except for a reasonable price and a lot of headroom. It’s aimed at drivers who areavoiding the imaginary stigma of a Korean nameplate but still want something less spendy than aCivic or Corolla, and the SX4 will deliver nicely for those folks. Without the availability ofall-wheel drive it loses some distinction, but makes up for that with a lower bottom line andexcellent warranty coverage–seven years or 100,000 miles with zero deductible on the powertrain.With a bottom line of $15,270 on my SX4 sedan test car, which included a healthy list of standardequipment, the SX4 is an appealing alternative indeed.
Specifications:
Length: 177.6 in.
Width: 68.1 in.
Height: 60.8 in.
Wheelbase: 98.4 in.
Curb weight: 2668 lb.
Cargo space: 15.0 cu.ft.
Base price: $14,770
Price as tested: $15,270
Engine: 2.0 liter DOHC four-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 143 @ 5800
Torque: 136 @ 3500
Fuel capacity: 13.2 gal.
Est. mileage: 23/31
