CTC Review: 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara I4 JLX-L

[CD_Editor]

Day 1:

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Public relations people can be quite the bunch. They are typically very nice, can help get you any information you require on a product or get you in contact with someone who can -- but I wasn't expecting this.  Suzuki somehow has enough pull in their PR department to ensure I am able to test the new 2009 Grand Vitara's four wheel drive capabilities by dumping 15cm of snow on the city! More ...

[carcrazy]

How heavy is the I4 AWD?

[wing]

3,693lbs about 300 lbs lighter than the V6

[Thinking Out Loud]

"Not a great deal has changed from 2008 to 2009, but there is one very significant difference, with a move away from the standard 2.7-litre V6 engine across the board to 2.4-litre I4 or 3.2L V6 engine choices. With this comes a new pricing structure as well, leaving me with a tester only $400 more than the 2008 model I tested but adding leather seating and door panels to spice it up."

That, and the loss of 2 cylinders.    

There should be a $1,500 to $2,000 price reduction on this based on the engine downgrade alone.  That makes the leather a $2,000 cost...

[rorie]

Great article Thank

you so much!

[wing]

It's all in how you use it rorie .  Sure was fun this morning!

[carcrazy]

quote   "but I am glad that I do have a capable four-wheel drive machine this week with the weather turning for the worst"

are you implying that 4 wheel drive will help in bad weather? because if you are, you are wrong....

The 4WD will definitely help you get out of deep snow (low traction situations), which does qualify as "bad weather".

EDIT: Corrected typo.

[carcrazy]

3,693lbs about 300 lbs lighter than the V6

Thanks Wing. I was lazy this morning but then I went on Suzuki's web site to look at the specs, features, prices.
The GV is heavy indeed for a small package, and the power-to-weight ratio is the worst in the segment I believe (except maybe for Vue ?). This is true for both the I4 and V6. This will translate most likely in slow acceleration and not very good fuel economy (real world).
I noticed the prices are no longer a definite advantage for GV and combined with the other disadvantages.... well.... I think it's time for a total redesign not just a patch job. Oh... and get rid of the swing rear door in the process.

[rorie]

carcrazy says:" The 4WD will definitely helps you to get out of deep snow (low traction situations), which does qualify as "bad weather".

read the october 24th article from thestar.com on getting ready for winter

tires provide grip...not all wheel drive, 4 wheel drive etc....these systems will help you when equipped with the proper tires...

i have for the past 15 years used 4 winter tires on all of my cars and continually out accelerate, out traction, and outcontrol any AWD or 4WD vehicle equipped with standard tires...yep...myths, myths and more myths

[wing]

What you forgot on your vigilante effort was that you won't out do all those if the 4WD vehicle also has winter tires.....

4WD with winter tires trumps all.  Sounds like you just hate 4WD vehicles for some reason.... or you just had a bad morning and wanted to vent and preach to the choir here about winter tires. 

Check out our poll (http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,40548.0.html)-- savvy motorists visit here and for the most part use winter tires, it is the masses that needs education ... unfortunately.

[carcrazy]

carcrazy says:" The 4WD will definitely helps you to get out of deep snow (low traction situations), which does qualify as "bad weather".

read the october 24th article from thestar.com on getting ready for winter

tires provide grip...not all wheel drive, 4 wheel drive etc....these systems will help you when equipped with the proper tires...

i have for the past 15 years used 4 winter tires on all of my cars and continually out accelerate, out traction, and outcontrol any AWD or 4WD vehicle equipped with standard tires...yep...myths, myths and more myths

Does my statement exclude winter tires? Any regular on this forum knows the importance of winter tires (kind of like goes without saying thing).

[koni]

The 2.4 I4 comes with a 5 speed manual transmission, a feature that is disappearing on many new automobiles, small SUV especially. I wonder if that manual tranny would be any fun on this Suzuki...

[360ci]

I'm sure the manual will provide better performance and less gear hunting over the auto. Just gotta train the wife on how to use that left leg!

I own a FWD '99 Ford Taurus and a '00 R/T Durango with full time AWD with all season tires on both. Winter performance is on par with both until it snows and the plows don't show up for 2-3 days, then the car sits with the block heater plugged in while I use the Durango to get to work and back. There is no substitute for 4wd nor winter tires, it just depends on the local conditions.

[X-Traction]

Calling the '09 Grand Vitara "all new" is unfortunate bs.  Like the last version of the first generation MPV with the squared snout, which Mazda called "all new" despite very little of it being new.  Or Subaru touting the first Outback as the world's first sport utility wagon. What about the AMC Eagle?

Anyway, on to other things.  Other new aspects of the '09 GV are: rear disc brakes, optional 18" rims, turn indicators on the mirrors, a redesigned rear suspension, a front end less likely to harm pedestrians, and extensive additional sound insulation.  Which makes a half decent list.  The other side of the coin is that for the target market, the thing was pretty much a bullseye anyway.  The new grill and front bumper look a bit different, and apparently stick out about an inch more.

"How heavy is the I4 AWD?"
"3,693lbs about 300 lbs lighter than the V6 "

It seemed very odd to me that the 2009 V6 Grand Vitara would weigh 300lb more than the 4-cyl.  People here know a lot more about cars than I ever will, but no one spoke up about this seemingly questionable number.  So I checked the  Suzuki Canada website, which rates the 4-cyl version at 3599lb, and the V6 at 3653.

Since the earlier 2.7 V6 model was about 3700 lb, it was hard to see why the new V6 version would be 4000lb.  The correct figures don't put the power/weight ratio into ego stroking territory, but don't justify being depicted as inadequate.

It'll be interesting to see what the combined mileage is.  Suzuki claims the '09's are better, but it's hard to tell because the way the epa ratings are done, have changed.  Seems to me the previous version averaged 11l/100km.

My experience with the '06 GV is that with 25% of the weight on each tire, the snow capabilities are amazing.  We do our test driving on snowed-in logging roads and in the winter on the Coquihalla, which has the biggest climbs of any major highway in North America and is completely notorious for bad winter conditions.  You get to see how all the other makes are doing.  During the last really bad trip, at Christmas last year, only an Audi Quattro and a Murano passed us, and I don't think I was being a maniac.  That's with half worn original tires also.  The Rav4's and Foresters were creeping along with the 2wd's. 

[carcrazy]

From suzuki.ca:

JA (I4, Man, 4WD): 3,599 lbs
JX (I4, Auto, 4WD): 3,649 lbs
JLX (I4, Auto, 4WD): 3,684 lbs
JLX-L (I4, Auto, 4WD): 3,693 lbs
JLX V6 (Auto, 4WD): 3,950 lbs
JLX-L V6 (Auto, 4WD): 3,959 lbs

[wing]

X-traction, your V6 number is obviously wrong, not sure where you got it, but carcrazy has the right numbers and if you compare JLX to JLX it's close to 300lbs (266lbs to be exact).

[carcrazy]

Hey Wing, does the "new" Grand Vitara still has the "ladder frame"? My guess is yes, since it's not quite a new design and going by its weight, but just checking.

[wing]

Yup

[banfield]

Speaking of correct use of words (in "Day 2"):

It's "classier", not "more classy."  It's amazing how often "more" is misused in this way these days.

[wing]

Oh, good catch!  Fixed.