Category: Small 4x4s 
Price Range: £13,600 to £18,975
Genuine off-road capability, well-equipped.
Limited on-road ability, coarse 2.4, plasticky interior, fragile ride.
Refreshed, value-packed Suzuki still feels its age against more modern alternatives.
As well as poor handling on road, the small Suzuki 4x4 also lacks some of the sophistication of its more car-like competitors when dealing with bumps.
Instead of a supple and absorbent ride the Grand Vitara is prone to crashiness and feels brittle over corrugated surfaces.
There's a decent level of equipment on offer, though. The three-door offers climate control, side and curtain airbags and a six-CD player as well as the permanent high- and low-ratio transmission. The pricier 2.4-litre adds fog lamps, rear privacy glass and 17" wheels. Finally, five-door models add 18" wheels, electric sunroof and heated leather seats.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Suzuki Grand Vitara
wrote on 16 10 2008