DRIVEN: 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Suzuki Canada

Suzuki’s been in the business of making off-road ready compact SUV’s for a long time. While the Samurai, Sidekick and Vitara were demons off the beaten trail, they were always too focused on the rough stuff to really compete with the more comfort-oriented, lighter-duty car-based SUV’s that have since dominated the market.

Enter the 2006 Grand Vitara, Suzuki’s completely redesigned entry into the small five-seat SUV market, and one that’s a serious shot across the competition’s nose. Just looking at the trim and aggressive sheet metal, you get a sense that Suzuki’s not messing around. It’s razor sharp, with squinty headlights and big fenders – it’s a design that’s thoroughly modern, and probably the best in its class.



Underneath the skin, Suzuki has stubbornly chosen to keep with its body-on-frame design, which is traditionally a better chassis to use off-road. Only this time, they’ve cleverly attached a completely unitized body on top, much like Land Rover has done with its new – and much more expensive – LR3 and Range Rover Sport. The idea is to better isolate the cabin from the shocks incurred from the ladder frame, and provide a very stiff shell from which to work with.

It’s inside that shell that’s perhaps the biggest surprise of all; the interior design is by far the best we’ve seen from Suzuki, and it leapfrogs ahead of a good number of pricier competitors as well. The seats are comfortable and supportive, the gauges are clearly marked and easy to read, the center stack is very well integrated, and the pieces all fit together with very small gaps. All in all, it’s a great place to escape from the nastiness of nature.



Once out on the road, the Grand Vitara drives extremely well; in a previous article, I’d dubbed it the “Miata of SUV’s” because of its steering response, agile handling, and good braking. Unfortunately, “Miata” doesn’t equal ‘muscle car’, because the Suzuki’s most obvious failing is under the hood. The 2.7-liter V6 has gained power over the last generation, but unfortunately, it’s not enough.

That super-rigid construction and lush interior materials make for lots of weight, and the 185 horsepower the engine provides just isn’t strong enough, especially with the five-speed automatic. It’s adequate for around-town duties, but long hills or highways – even more so with a full load of people or cargo on board – will have you pushing your foot deep into the floorboards.

It means you have to drive the Grand Vitara with momentum in mind, which thanks to the great suspension setup, is highly entertaining for a small SUV.



However, the Grand Vitara’s biggest weapon is its value for money. For instance, even the base models starting at $24,495 get Electronic Stability Control as standard equipment. A fully loaded JLX with leather, moonroof, and key card entry and ignition only runs $29,995 – a relative bargain in this class.

Combine it all, and the Grand Vitara adds up to be a very nice package for the money. That it finished third out of nine in the AJAC SUV of the Year category only behind a Mercedes-Benz and a Range Rover Sport is even more impressive. Had Suzuki put more ponies under the hood, and I would lay even odds the Grand Vitara would have won.