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Wm. B. Sullivan Realty & Co.
Claudia Hommel
Cabaret Singer
Extraordinaire
Cordell Koland
Car Writer
Weekly Reviews
 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara by Cordell Koland The Suzuki Grand Vitara is the leading edge of a quest by the Japanese automotive and motorcycle manufacturer to gain respectability in the competitive U.S. market. To this point, my perception is that Suzuki has gained more recognition for its two-wheeled vehicles, but that may be coming to an end. In January 2007, American Suzuki Motor Corporation announced that it had set a new all-time annual sales record of 100,990 units in 2006 a whopping 23 percent increase over 2005. This marked the first time in American Suzuki's 21-year history that the company posted annual automobile sales above 100,000 units. Crossing the 100,000 mark seems significant and one should note that Suzuki has outpaced many well-established brands, such as Jaguar and Saab, although the latter do compete in the luxury market. But then, a sale is a sale. As stated, the Grand Vitara is leading the charge, which begs the question that most consumers may be asking, so what's a Grand Vitara? The answer is that it is a compact SUV with a very good value story. In this case, the compact Grand Vitara seats five and offers 68.9 cubic feet of storage space when the split seatbacks are folded forward. As is generally true for the compact SUV segment, rear seat accommodations are a bit tight, but we see them as largely aimed at transporting the kids to school and soccer practice. The Grand Vitara collected numerous honors in 2006, including Sport Truck Connection Television's ?Annual Light Truck and SUV award, the Best Kept Secret of 2006 editors' choice award by Autobytel and Autopacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award for best compact SUV. The Grand Vitara also was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year and Four Wheeler magazine's Four Wheeler of the Year. Like the Suzuki brand, the Grand Vitara may be flying below the radar in terms of styling. The lines are clean and uncomplicated, but there's little to distinguish it from the dozens of contemporary SUVs. The interior takes a simple straightforward approach with controls that are easily mastered. The Grand Vitara takes safety technology very seriously. It is fitted with an unusual number of state-of-the-art active safety features, including ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and electronic stability control, including traction control. The stability control uses a variety of electronic sensors to measure vehicle speed, steering wheel angle and yaw. This information is sent to a central controller that can intervene as needed to keep the vehicle headed in the intended direction. Under certain conditions, the system can apply individual brakes and reduce engine torque to help the driver maintain the proper cornering line. In terms of value, the top-of-the-line Grand Vitara Luxury, our test vehicle, offers leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, wood grain trim accents, standard power tilt-and-slide glass sunroof, 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, HomeLink wireless control system, climate control and heated outside mirrors. The base MSRP for the two-wheel-drive Grand Vitara Luxury is $23,399. There are lots of reasons for consumers to look closely at the compact SUV segment these days. Start with the fact that they get decent gas mileage, but just as important is the fact that they are just so much easier to navigate through the contemporary urban and suburban landscape. It?s true that this segment does not offer the same degree of over-the-top luxury and comfort that one will find in the Mercedes-Benz GL450 or the Cadillac Escalade. But in terms of nimbly zipping through gnarled traffic and finding a suitable parking space, the compact SUVs are impossible to beat. The rear-wheel-drive Grand Vitara makes its statement with adept handling and a decent ride quality. It has enough power to hit the open spot on a crowded expressway or make a quick exit from a traffic signal. Vehicle:
Suzuki Grand Vitara Luxury
Price as tested: $23,399 Engine: Type: 2.7-liter V-6 Horsepower: 185 @ 6,000 rpm Torque: 184 lbs.-ft. @ 4,500 rpm Fuel economy, automatic transmission City 19 mpg Highway 24 mpg Curb Weight: 3,505 lbs.  Cordell Koland is an automotive journalist based in California's central coast. He can be reached at cordellkoland@oakparkjournal.com |
