Back in 1986 I spend a summer off from college selling cars. The dealership primarily sold Chevrolets, but they also dabbled in Peugeots. And as a lark they'd put some Suzuki Samurais on the lot. The Samurai, essentially a two-thirds-scale Jeep CJ-7, was not yet officially available in my part of the country; these had been bought from elsewhere in the country and trucked in. As a novelty item we were able to sell the things at a premium; though the MSRP was around eight, we regularly got over ten.

The Samurai was very slow, very noisy, and very bouncy. Although it weighed only a bit over a ton, the 64-horse 1.3-liter still took about seventeen seconds to hit sixty. Lean in turns was precarious enough to later elicit a "not acceptable" from Consumer Reports (which elicited a lawsuit from Suzuki).

Yet I loved the pint-sized SUV. It was just chock full of character. Having spent well over a decade taking whatever the Third World could dish out before reaching the U.S., it was clearly a true, thoroughly rugged SUV, just a very small one. I loved pointing out how the engine's electronics and air intake were all mounted way up high. As a result the Samurai was rated to ford much deeper streams than any of the much larger Chevy SUVs.

The Consumer Reports rating killed off the Samurai long ago. And Suzuki SUVs since then haven't piqued my interest enough to yield a test drive. (At one point these included the Vitara, but only the "Grand" has been offered in the U.S. in recent years.) At least not until the all-new 2006 Grand Vitara arrived.

At first I thought the new Grand Vitara was related to the Chevrolet Equinox as the old one had been related to the Chevrolet Tracker that the Equinox replaced. The styling is certainly similar. But, no, the Grand Vitara is once again a true, truck-type SUV, complete with an available low range in all-wheel-drive form. Note the "all-wheel-drive:" unlike all past four-wheel-drive Suzuki SUVs the new Grand Vitara has a full-time system. Add in an independent rear suspension and low price, and I wondered if the new Grand Vitara might have everything necessary to compete with car-based compact SUVs, plus greater off-road capabilities.

I took one for a test drive to find out. This test drive was in a rear-drive Grand Vitara in mid-level "Premium" trim. I'd expect the all-wheel-drive SUV to perform similarly.

Styling

The new Grand Vitara is far sleeker than the previous one, with crisp lines that recall the latest from Land Rover. Nothing eye-catching, just thoroughly tasteful. Nicely integrated fender flares are the only sign of the rugged structure that lies beneath the pretty sheetmetal.

The sleek lines conceal just how much the Grand Vitara has grown. Wheelbase is up by half a foot and overall length by nearly a full foot. As a result, it's now about the same size as a Ford Escape or Jeep Liberty, and significantly larger than a Hyundai Tucson. The Honda and GM compact SUVs are larger still, but not by nearly as large a margin as before.

Inside the new Grand Vitara looks far more upscale than the old one, although cloth trim could stand to look less pedestrian. The instrument panel is styled much like those in the Acura TL and Subaru Legacy, with satin-finished trim running down each side of the center stack and then around the shifter. The switchgear also resembles that in the most recent $30,000 Japanese cars. The main thing that gives away this SUV's $20,000 price is the lightweight feel to the doors common to Asian cars in this price range.

Accommodations

The view from the comfortably contoured driver's seat is much like that in other compact SUVs. Meaning only the shortest drivers will feel any need to use the manual height adjuster. You're clearly sitting much higher off the road than in a car. But getting in and out isn't difficult, even without running boards.

The rear seat is mounted even higher than the front seats. As a result, as in a Ford Escape thigh support is better than you'll find in 90 percent of the sedans on the road today. The increase in wheelbase went entirely into the rear passenger compartment; compared to the previous Grand Vitara rear legroom has grown by over half a foot, to 37.2 inches. A Honda CR-V or Chevrolet Equinox offers even more rear legroom, but 37 inches is plenty for all but the largest adults. Especially given the high cushion. Shoulder room is also in midsize sedan territory, so a third adult will fit but won't likely be comfortable.

The rear seat reclines and includes a center armrest. As in most SUVs, the cushion is a bit on the flat side, but overall comfort seemed good. Assuming the headrests are raised. As in many SUVs these days, the headrests dig into the shoulder blades when fully lowered. This enables the seat to be folded without removing them.

Cargo volume is 24 cubic feet with the rear seat up, and 69 with it folded. Both numbers are around the compact SUV average, and enough for all but the largest items. Last year's Grand Vitara topped out at a much less useful 50 cubic feet. As in the 2005, the spare tire is mounted on the side-opening tailgate, so it does not rob interior space.

On the Road

Part of my interest in the Grand Vitara was that, on paper, it has the makings of a fun-to-drive vehicle. The engine is a four-valve-per-cylinder V6 good for 185 horsepower--last year's four is gone. The chassis should be more balanced than most compact SUVs because of the longitudinal, rear-drive powertrain. The previous truck's body-on-frame construction has been chucked in favor of a more rigid unibody. And the multi-link independent rear suspension should aid composure over rough patches of pavement as well as off-road.

Well, acceleration is fairly strong off the line, but just adequate after that. The four might be gone, but the new Grand Vitara at 3400+ pounds is about 200 pounds heavier than the old one. Initial accleration owes as much to the five-speed automatic, with a short first gear, as to the engine. The engine will rev to the redline when prodded by a heavy foot, but it doesn't feel like it wants to. Still, it might be more fun with the standard manual tranmission.

I drove the rear-drive version, and did not venture off the pavement. That said, the Grand Vitara should perform much better off-road than car-based compact SUVs. The basics are all present: favorable approach and departure angles, good ground clearance, available low range. Before coming to the U.S. Suzuki built real SUVs for the world's toughest roads for decades. This tradition might explain why they're only now getting around to offering an SUV also suitable for Americans. The Grand Vitara is the first Suzuki SUV with a full-time all-wheel-drive system.

Two systems are offered, one with and one without a low range for hardcore off-roading. Oddly, the more off-road worthy system is only available in the upper trimlines, including the leather-trimmed Luxury. I say oddly, because buyers of the lower trims are probably more likely to actually go off-roading.

With all-wheel-drive, fuel economy ratings of 19/23 are typical of a compact car-based SUVs. A Jeep Liberty should go about two fewer miles on each gallon, a Kia Sorento four. Rear-drive Grand Vitaras do just a bit better, 19/24.

Despite the sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, handling is no better than the avearage car-based small ute. There's quite a bit of lean in hard turns and the steering is fairly numb. Aggressive driving is neither invited nor rewarded. Fitting, perhaps, for a tall vehicle.

The tires deserve as much blame as the suspension. Probably more. They're the same Yokohama Geolanders that have been squealing early and often beneath the Subaru Forester for the past few years. The top-of-the-line "Luxury's" larger, 17-inch wheels might be fitted with better tires.

On the other hand, the Grand Vitara is a true SUV, so performing atleast as well as most car-based competitors is something of an achievement. A Kia Sorento suffers from thoroughly numb steering and handles much more clumsily. The Jeep Liberty and Nissan Xterra are more poised than the Kia, but still feel much more like the trucks they are than the Suzuki. In comparison to its most direct competitors, the Grand Vitara handles like a car.

This is even more true of ride quality. Here the independent rear end really pays off. You'll find none of the rear-end dancing over patchy pavement that annoyed me in the Kia Sorento. And while the Liberty also has a smooth ride, you can feel the heavier suspension bits at work. Noise levels are also fairly low in the Grand Vitara.

It's hard to believe the new Grand Vitara was developed by the same company that gave the world the Sumarai. The two vehicles could not feel more different. This is not entirely a good thing. The Grand Vitara could use a dash or two of the Samurai's character. As is, it's afflicted by the blandness common among Japanese vehicles. What we have here in the Camry of conventional compact SUVs.

Safety

Last year's Grand Vitara lacked much in the way of safety equipment. Not any more. Even the base 2006 trim has six airbags and stability control standard. These features are increasingly common among compact SUVs, but are still admirable in such a low-priced vehicle.

Suzuki Grand Vitara Price Comparisons and Pricing

Pricing remains a strong point of the Grand Vitara. The closest competitors are the Jeep Liberty and Kia Sorento, as these are the only other compact SUVs that offer a transfer case and low range. I priced them all with their most sophisticated drivetrains.

With minimal levels of equipment, the Suzuki lists for about $1,600 less than the Jeep. But the Suzuki has a much higher level of standard equipment; all trims have automatic climate control, and the upper trims even have a keyless access and ignitiion system standard. The latter is usually only offered on luxury cars. The only major omission: no power driver's seat is available. Given the high driving position, one's not necessary. Adjusting for such features, the Suzuki's advantage grows to about $3,800 despite a much smaller rebate ($500 vs. $2,000).

The Kia only offers a full-time all-wheel-drive system in a fully loaded vehicle. So sticker to sticker the Suzuki is almost $6,000 less. Even the leather-trimmed Luxury is nearly $4,000 less. After adjusting for feature differences, the Suzuki's advantage is about $4,100.

A Nissan Xterra is even pricier. You get a lot more horsepower, but also a lot more bulk for it to motivate, and no full-time 4WD system. The Suzuki has a nicer, roomier interior.

The Grand Vitara, easily the most affordable true SUV, also fares well against less capable car-based SUVs. The best value among these has been the Kia Sportage. The Suzuki costs a few hundred dollars more than the Sportage when both are equipped with all-wheel-drive. Price won't be the deciding factor between these two.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Grand Vitara:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Vitara.php

Last Words

The new Grand Vitara's low handling limits rule it out for me, as much as I need a vehicle with its ability in deep snow. I also miss the spunk of the old Samurai. The new Grand Vitara has about as much flavor as a Camry. But in nearly every other area it impresses. Interior styling, feature levels, and rear seat comfort are especially strong. Toss in a very low price, and anyone seeking true SUV capabilities in a compact package should definitely consider this one.

A note on Suzuki Grand Vitara Reliability

People often email me asking about the reliability of the cars and trucks they are considering. Existing sources of reliability information just aren't helpful enough.

In response, my website, truedelta.com, will more clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Grand Vitara rather than something else by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats. Those who help provide the data--which will require just a few minutes a year--will earn free access to the site's reliability information. To encourage participation, this access will otherwise cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

A word of warning: past Suzukis have fared poorly in reliability studies. If you buy the 2006 I am especially hopeful you'll join my panel. Once 25 owners enroll I'll be able to report whether the new Grand Vitara is any better within four to six months. With CR, this information likely won't be available until the April 2007 new car issue.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Jeep Liberty review
Kia Sorento review
Kia Sportage review
Nissan Xterra review