The Suzuki Vitara is old news. Introduced in 1988, it’s in fact a contemporary of the Jeep Cherokee, the grandaddy of all SUVs. The Vitara has become known as « Grand » over the years, both figuratively and literally. As it has grown in size and gained muscle mass since the days of the first Vitaras, so too has its equipment considerably improved. However, one thing never changed: the Japanese machine has always remained a hard-core SUV, ready to tackle the deepest, darkest woods. This is one book you can judge by its cover.
Contrary to the Nissan Rogue, the Honda CR-V and the like, the Grand Vitara is a TRUE off-road machine. Its generous ground clearance and short front and rear overhangs are proof of this.
Of course, most Grand Vitara buyers will rarely venture off the beaten track.
They’ll have chosen it instead for its reasonable size, its decent towing capacity and its average overall fuel efficiency, as well as its sturdy build and spacious, versatile cabin.
In Canada, the Grand Vitara family is of a simpler nature. The four-wheel drive system with low mode and the automatic transmission are both standard equipment, effectively eliminating the rear-wheel-drive and manual models seen in the US lineup. On the other hand, who’d be interested in a pseudo off-roader like that?
4-banger or V6, that is the question
In this light, when you go for the Japanese SUV, your choice basically boils down to the type of engine. Shall we make it a 4-cylinder mill or a V6? Endowment-wise, JLX and JLX-L (the mid-range, most opulent version) variants exist for these two engines. The entry-level JX, a somewhat “lighter” version, can only be powered by the 4-cylinder number. Which is only logical, as it banks above all on affordable pricing ($27,995).
So the choice of engine should be made according to the use the Grand Vitara will be put to. If towing prowess is a priority, again, in Canada all the Grand Vitaras are similar, featuring the same towing capacity of 1,360 kg or 3,000 lb. Yikes! That’s enough to haul a trailer laden with a small boat, an ATV or a motorcycle.
The answer to the question above is found in the engines’ output. The V6 has a dual advantage over the 4-banger, churning out 230 hp instead of 166 and 213 ft-lb of torque at 3,500 rpm instead of 162 ft-lb at 4,000 rpm. Translation: the V6 has more towing grunt to offer.
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| The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a true SUV, and proud of it. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
Contrary to the Nissan Rogue, the Honda CR-V and the like, the Grand Vitara is a TRUE off-road machine. Its generous ground clearance and short front and rear overhangs are proof of this.
Of course, most Grand Vitara buyers will rarely venture off the beaten track.
They’ll have chosen it instead for its reasonable size, its decent towing capacity and its average overall fuel efficiency, as well as its sturdy build and spacious, versatile cabin.
In Canada, the Grand Vitara family is of a simpler nature. The four-wheel drive system with low mode and the automatic transmission are both standard equipment, effectively eliminating the rear-wheel-drive and manual models seen in the US lineup. On the other hand, who’d be interested in a pseudo off-roader like that?
4-banger or V6, that is the question
In this light, when you go for the Japanese SUV, your choice basically boils down to the type of engine. Shall we make it a 4-cylinder mill or a V6? Endowment-wise, JLX and JLX-L (the mid-range, most opulent version) variants exist for these two engines. The entry-level JX, a somewhat “lighter” version, can only be powered by the 4-cylinder number. Which is only logical, as it banks above all on affordable pricing ($27,995).
So the choice of engine should be made according to the use the Grand Vitara will be put to. If towing prowess is a priority, again, in Canada all the Grand Vitaras are similar, featuring the same towing capacity of 1,360 kg or 3,000 lb. Yikes! That’s enough to haul a trailer laden with a small boat, an ATV or a motorcycle.
The answer to the question above is found in the engines’ output. The V6 has a dual advantage over the 4-banger, churning out 230 hp instead of 166 and 213 ft-lb of torque at 3,500 rpm instead of 162 ft-lb at 4,000 rpm. Translation: the V6 has more towing grunt to offer.
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| A 230-hp V6 engine was nestled under the hood of my tester. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |