The version of the Suzuki Grand Vitara that debuted recently in Europe is not exactly the one that will be sold in Canada, but it's close enough to make the folks at Suzuki Canada excited about its very existence.
According to Mike Kurnik of Suzuki Canada, the car shown in the accompanying images is "very similar" to what we'll get in Canada and "very nice."
We will not get the three-door hatchback model in Canada, Kurnik says, and the engines will be different from the ones that will go on the road in Europe.
But the new model coming to Canada will be bigger and slicker and undoubtedly more powerful as well as more fuel efficient with greater quality and all of the other things the auto industry serves up in new models these days.
It's not clear when the new model will go on the road in North America, but we can expect to see pictures of it with supporting technical information within a month.
A MINI-MINIVAN WE COULD USE IN CANADA
Michael Grimaldi recently made it known that General Motors of Canada would be bringing more products to this country from GM companies around the world that would not also be showing up in the U.S., and since he's the president of the Oshawa arm of the world's largest car company you tend to believe him.
The local firm has had tremendous success with models from its Daewoo branch in Korea, since they are small and inexpensive enough to strike right at the heart of Canada's largest auto segments.
In that vein, may I suggest that Oshawa take a look at the Chevrolet Tacuma Vision mini-minivan which recently debuted in the U.K.
This striking vehicle would make an excellent transportation choice for a young family since it holds the parental units up front in reasonable space and comfort while the offspring can sit in the back and stare at their own individual screens hooked up to a common DVD monitor while listening to the sound on wireless headphones. Parents will tell you that individual DVDs make even more sense, but that individual monitors is a start.
Calling the Tacuma Vision a parent's "saviour" might be stretching it a bit, but it will certainly cut down on the boredom and arguing in the back seat, and the importance of that can't be over-stated. To help with that, there are three separate seats in the back, so the middle one could be folded down (or removed) to set up a no-kid's land.
Equipment levels are high in the UK unit, with such convenience features as power steering, power windows, remote central locking, tables that fold down from the back of the front seats, a picnic tray on the rear of the central rear seat back when folded, and the mandatory cup holders.
Driver comfort comes with a tilting steering column, height adjustable seat with a centre folding armrest and steering wheel mounted controls for the Blaupunkt sound system.
Both driver and passenger have a storage tray under their seats, and there are two lockers in the floor of the cargo compartment.
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| (Photo: Suzuki) |
We will not get the three-door hatchback model in Canada, Kurnik says, and the engines will be different from the ones that will go on the road in Europe.
But the new model coming to Canada will be bigger and slicker and undoubtedly more powerful as well as more fuel efficient with greater quality and all of the other things the auto industry serves up in new models these days.
It's not clear when the new model will go on the road in North America, but we can expect to see pictures of it with supporting technical information within a month.
A MINI-MINIVAN WE COULD USE IN CANADA
Michael Grimaldi recently made it known that General Motors of Canada would be bringing more products to this country from GM companies around the world that would not also be showing up in the U.S., and since he's the president of the Oshawa arm of the world's largest car company you tend to believe him.
The local firm has had tremendous success with models from its Daewoo branch in Korea, since they are small and inexpensive enough to strike right at the heart of Canada's largest auto segments.
 |
| Chevrolet Tacuma Vision (Photo: General Motors) |
This striking vehicle would make an excellent transportation choice for a young family since it holds the parental units up front in reasonable space and comfort while the offspring can sit in the back and stare at their own individual screens hooked up to a common DVD monitor while listening to the sound on wireless headphones. Parents will tell you that individual DVDs make even more sense, but that individual monitors is a start.
Calling the Tacuma Vision a parent's "saviour" might be stretching it a bit, but it will certainly cut down on the boredom and arguing in the back seat, and the importance of that can't be over-stated. To help with that, there are three separate seats in the back, so the middle one could be folded down (or removed) to set up a no-kid's land.
Equipment levels are high in the UK unit, with such convenience features as power steering, power windows, remote central locking, tables that fold down from the back of the front seats, a picnic tray on the rear of the central rear seat back when folded, and the mandatory cup holders.
Driver comfort comes with a tilting steering column, height adjustable seat with a centre folding armrest and steering wheel mounted controls for the Blaupunkt sound system.
Both driver and passenger have a storage tray under their seats, and there are two lockers in the floor of the cargo compartment.