Gear Diary writes for 2009 Vitara, “Grand Vitara is quite the little competitor equally at home whether on road or off. Styling has improved over the years and for 2009 Suzuki has made some significant enhancements to the powertrain.”
The 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara ranks 13 out of 25 Affordable Compact SUVs according to the rankings of Auto Press which is based on their analysis of 65 published reviews and test drives of the Suzuki Grand Vitara, and our analysis of reliability and safety data. The thing that catches the attention of the reviewers is the off road performance, roomy interiors, powerful engine options, and other features that make the Suzuki SUV a prime choice for family or sporty driving.
However, Vitara simply can’t compete with top crossovers in its class due to a somewhat bumpy ride in around-town driving. The 2009 Suzuki Vitara has been designed to excel the off road driving capabilities. Suzuki gives the Grand Vitara an edge with its affordable price and category-leading warranty. “All 2009 Grand Vitaras — which are built in Japan on a rugged unit-body chassis reinforced by a ladder-style frame — are fitted with stability control and side-curtain airbags (with rollover sensors) as standard equipment, along with rear disc brakes,” says Road and Track. “This makes Suzuki’s already pleasant little crossover SUV that much better, that much more of a competitor for the Honda CR-V, the best-seller in the class and a front-driver at heart.”
For the current year, the Grand Vitara gets a new four-cylinder engine option and a more powerful V6. It also gets revised exterior and more interior services. Even with the improvements, the Grand Vitara still falls to the bottom of its class for fuel efficiency and perhaps that is one of the reasons why Vitara is listed among the slowest-selling SUVs in America. For more efficient and smoother-riding options, consider the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.
The Grand Vitara seats five and is available in several trims — base, X Sport, and Luxury — with either two-wheel or four-wheel drive. Consumer Guide writes, “Suzuki improves the already-likable Grand Vitara with significant powertrain additions and improvements for 2009. Add to that a comprehensive list of standard safety features, competent road manners, adequate passenger space, and laudable off-road ability when properly equipped, and Grand Vitara is one of the strongest values in the compact SUV class and an easy Best Buy.”
The Weekly Driver says, “The Vitara has good overall vision, a spacious cabin, and straightforward controls. Its side-hinged, rear cargo door provides quick and efficient access and the Suzuki has the feel of a multi-use ranch vehicle. Beyond its appealing price, it may not do anything as the best in its class. But it does most things well.”
“For a small ute, this one is not all that bad, although we wonder just how many folks have Suzuki on their radar screen,” writes AutoWeek. Critics feel that Suzuki Grand Vitara’s performance is simply adequate, although a more powerful V6 engine for 2009 should curb complaints about sluggish acceleration.
For 2009, the Grand Vitara gets a new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine as well as a new 3.2-liter V6 to replace last year’s 2.7-liter version. According to the EPA, the 2WD Grand Vitara nets 19/26 mpg city/highway with the four-cylinder engine and manual transmission or 19/25 with the automatic. V6 models net 18/24.
Car and Driver writes, “Around-town acceleration is adequate with either engine. Four-cylinder feels peppy from a stop, but highway passing can take patience. V6 builds speed gradually off the line but has decent reserve power for passing.” While Road and Track feels, “Smooth for its size, this 16-valve 166-bhp engine has more than adequate power, giving the Grand Vitara a surprisingly lively feel, mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.”
