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Suzuki Grand Vitara 2005: Our First Drive
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Written by Editor
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 Yes, we have discussed about it in the forum board and we have seen its
pictures online. We even talked about it at the coffee shop.
I don’t think there’s anywhere else that there are people excited over it or curious about whether it’s any good. Well, we have touched and driven it.
The real thing looks as good as it does on the brochure. There may be a bit of the Mitsubishi Dakar Rally car about the nose, something vaguely Toyota RAV4 about the proportions but whatever the inspirations, the car looks smart. Imagine it with a slight lift and more rugged tyres!
Inside, the impression of quality is very apparent. The three rings that house the ‘Optitron-style’ dials, for example, won’t look out of place in a more expensive car. You sit lower in the new car than the previous Grand Vitara, so it’s a tad easier to get into as well.
Cabin space has definitely improved. Occupants at the back no longer
have to rub their knees against the front seatbacks and the increase in
width makes the bench more comfortable to seat three too. Like the old
Grand Vitara, however, the rear seat can do with more contouring and
lend more support for the under thigh. A big improvement over the old
car is how the bench not only offers 1:3 split-fold but also tumble
forwards so heavy loads rest on the floor and not the seat.
On the road, the car seems a lot more nimble than before, thanks to the new suspension layout and steering set-up. The engine, however, can only be deemed as adequate. You feel the mass of the vehicle especially during step-off and during overtaking, although the car’s cruising abilities is a lot better than before. Cabin insulation is good too.
Watch this space for reports when we put the new full-time four-wheeldrive system through its paces. That’s all we have for now. More to come after the reviews hit newsstands.
Visit the new Grand Vitara website for test drive.
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