Suzuki's value for money Vitara

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In spite of the proliferation of new models to choose from and Suzuki's long absence from the South African market, the brand has done exceptionally well since its re-entry into the local market a few months ago.

In fact, its cute SX4 is one of the finalists for the coveted South African Car of the Year title and its two SUV contenders, the tough little Jimny and the fancier Grand Vitara are selling exceptionally well, and with good reason: they are particularly competitively priced and they are cute and capable off-roaders with impressive specifications.

Before the worldwide economic slump and the weak rand pushed up the costs of imported vehicles, the Suzuki SUV's were probably the best value for money in this class.

But even with their new price tags they remain major contenders in a market where well-established brands such as VW Tiguan, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester, Land Rover Freelander, Jeep Cherokee and Chevrolet Captiva arm-wrestle for market dominance.

When the Grand Vitara was launched locally, I spent quite a bit of time in the flagship Grand Vitara 3.2-litre automatic and was impressed by its tar road comfort and off-road capabilities.

Recently I got to spend a weekend at the wheel of the entry level 2.4-litre manual and was blown over. It's R61,000 cheaper than the flagship and I actually preferred it to the leader of the pack.

Some vehicles are full of hidden surprises, and this version of the Grand Vitara is definitely one of them.

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Four of us took ourselves off to farm road territory in the mountains between Greyton and Villiersdorp in the Suzuki stacked with cases of liquid refreshments and all our other needs for three nights in the bundu.

Space for luggage, bums, shoulders and legs was no problem at all and we were all surprised by the smooth drive on the motorway and the well-insulated cabin.

The Grand Vitara will take seven occupants, but we stayed with the four-seat, more luggage space configuration.

Its high-revving motor does become a little noisy when pushed really hard, but then this is a leisure plaything after all, not a fancy German snobmobile.

And not many owners will push it to the limits at which we tested it in any case (Suzuki says it will get to a top speed of 180km/h). Besides, that's why one takes a stack of old rock ‘n roll CDs along on a long drive…. with the volume pumped up engine noises have no chance of intruding.

It sits firmly and confidently on the tar, with very little SUV hip-hopping or body lean. Steering is fairly neutral, the suspension is not too harsh and the brakes are good.

The cabin interior is user-friendly and easy on the eye. The console is neatly divided into three sections - one for the sound system, one for the climate control (which coped outstandingly well during a spell of searing Cape heat) and the lower, which houses the low-range setting and a power socket.

All the knobs and dials are within easy reach of the driver, unlike some of the bigger beasts in this category where one has to look for things and stretch to make adjustments.

All of which makes it a friendly chariot for mum's taxi and commuter duties. It's an easy vehicle to drive and it's also much lighter on juice than its six-cylinder sister models.

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Where the Grand Vitara really shows its true colours is in the dirt and rough stuff. The 4-cylinder, 16-valve 2.4-litre engine happily churns out 122kW and 225Nm and power is via a five-speed manual, permanently driving all four wheels.

In standard mode it is already amazingly capable, but if the going gets really tough it also has a press-button low range option which gives it a competitive edge over most of its class mates.

A generous 32 degree approach angle makes the Grand Vitara easy to navigate without fear of bottom scraping.

In terms of exterior looks it is attractive and sans some of the over-the-top fancy kit that some SUV's are decorated with, although it does come with rails on the roof, sunken fog lights, bee-sting aerial and sporty mags rims.

Nice, but a little risky in our crime-ridden country is a full-size spare wheel mounted on the outside of the tail-gate.

Safety features include six airbags, ABS with brake assist and stability control.

The Grand Vitara feels solid and well-built, although it is probably a little less refined than the X-Trail, Tiguan and the Honda CR-V.

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But if you are the sporty outdoor type or a family man who enjoys weekends away, or if you spend a lot of time on gravel roads, then the Grand Vitara is a well-priced, sensible buy - a toughie with enough character to make it stand out from the crowd of other SUV's on the market.

Picking a real winner in this class is virtually impossible, but if you are in the market for a vehicle of this nature don't make up your mind until you've taken the Grand Vitara for a test drive - you will be pleasantly surprised.

The models and prices are:
Grand Vitara 2.4 manual (R312,900); Grand Vitara 2.4 Automatic (R326,900) and the Grand Vitara 3.2-litre automatic (R373,900).