- suv 170,870
- Columbia, MO
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- autoshopper.com
2006 suzuki grand vitara review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Genuine off-roader delivers great value. introductionnowadays there are many choices among small suvs. Most owners have no desire to ever go off-road. No problem, the front-drive honda cr-vs and toyota rav4s of the world do just fine. They want to get down and dirty and go where low gear and a locked differential is a necessity, not a luxury. Their choices are limited to jeeps and a few others. the all-new 2006 suzuki grand vitara has just expanded this latter category. unlike the previous grand vitara, this is no small toy-like off-roader. All are well equipped. the 2. 7-liter v6 engine comes standard on all models. Also standard: automatic climate control with a micron air-filtration system, cruise control, digital clock with outside temperature and fuel consumption indicators, power door locks with a remote key, power mirrors and power windows. That's an impressive array of active safety features, which work together to reduce the chance of skidding and help drivers avoid accidents. The headlights blend nicely into the top edge of the front bumper, grille surround and front edge of the full width hood. From the side there is a gentle curve that runs back as a wedge shape along the lower edge of the windows to blend in nicely with the rear tail light cluster that then leads the eye down to the low, rear bumper. the tailgate opens from the side and has a full-width window. The spare tire is mounted on the tailgate under a body color-matched plastic cover, which obstructs rearward visibility for the driver somewhat. unlike some small suvs, the grand vitara is not based off a sedan platform. Instead, it has a unibody construction (as found on a sedan) with a built-in ladder frame (as found on a truck). interiorthe 2006 suzuki grand vitara is roomy and comfortable. Suzuki claims it has class-leading interior space and we believe it as there is a decent amount of space inside for passengers and cargo. The large buttons for controlling the all-wheel-drive system and climate controls also fall easily to hand and the labeling is comprehensible. The instruments are located in three large deep pods in front of the steering wheel. All models include redundant audio controls as well as cruise control buttons on the steering wheel; learning to use them can reduce distraction while driving. rear-seat passengers will find plenty of legroom and a decent amount of headroom, although slightly less than in some competitors. The rear seat splits 60/40 for carrying different load combinations. The rear cargo floor is lower than in many suvs so there is a reasonable amount of storage space even when the rear seat is in use, but the distance from the rear seat back to the tailgate is relatively shallow. driving impressionon the highway, the grand vitara handles as grandly as a car-based suv. That's to say it has a smooth ride. The grand vitara absorbs potholes well. Thanks to a low center of gravity, the handling seems better than most suvs. The steering is fine, not like that of a sports car but not sloppy or over-assisted. We tried 2wd and 4wd models on the highway and found no discernable difference in ride or handling. performance from the v6 engine is good, if not scintillating. It's responsive and easy around town. It's enough to tow up to 3000 pounds, which is a more than reasonable for a compact suv. The operating modes are: 4h, 4h locked, 4l locked, and neutral for flat-towing behind an rv. It rode smoothly while traversing a graded dirt road, taking ruts in stride. Nothing surprising there, as a car could have tackled the dirt road. but then we headed off the graded track to an uphill section strewn with boulders that was nothing much more than a dry streambed. No way could any vehicle without a low gear tackle this. After gingerly backing down, we shifted the automatic transmission into neutral and turned and pushed the knob to engage low gear. Gently easing the gas pedal we inched up the steep mountain trail, crawling from rock to rock as we tried hard to avoid hitting the undercarriage. We weren't entirely successful, as we did misjudge one maneuver and left a small ding in the passenger side doorsill. One driver said this exercise, directed by suzuki, was too much. Maybe it was too much for that driver, but it certainly wasn't too much for the grand vitara. We thought it proved that this suv has true off-road capabilities with good ground clearance, approach, departure and break-over angles as well as short front and rear overhangs. It's particularly suitable for someone who wants some off-road capability or needs a vehicle to hook up behind a 36-foot motor home. Yet it's rugged enough to include a low gear and locking differential for tackling rugged trails and unimproved roads. new car test drive correspondent john rettie filed this report from somewhere north of vancouver, british columbia. model lineupsuzuki grand vitara 2wd manual 18,999); 2wd automatic 19,999); xsport 2wd automatic 21,099); luxury 2wd automatic 22,999); 4wd manual 20,199); 4wd automatic 21,199); xsport 4wd automatic 22,499); luxury 4wd automatic 24,399). assembled injapan. options as testednone. model testedsuzuki grand vitara luxury 4wd automatic 24,399). The suzuki grand vitara is a grownup, five-seat, v6-powered suv with enough sophistication that it's just as much at home on the highway as it is way off the highway. Technically, the grand vitara comes in just one trim leve. Power Locks✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Power Mirrors✔ AM/FM✔ Climate Control✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ CD Changer✔ Cruise Control✔ Alloy Wheels
Columbia, MOColumbia, MO at autoshopper.com