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A bigger engine is a good thing, no? More cubic centimetres, more cylinders and above all, more power are all generally considered highly desirable traits. That's why you pay a premium for a larger-engined variant of any car. The thing is, a bigger engine means more weight, more weight means more inertia, and more inertia means a propensity to change direction with all the alacrity of a hippo sliding down the side of a muddy hill.
While this last bit is hardly true of the new V6-engined Suzuki Vitara, it does carry a 100 kilo-plus weight penalty over the standard car. You can feel this in the corners, but you'd have to be travelling at silly speeds to notice, and the other benefits pretty much outweigh the handling penalty, anyway.
The new Grand Vitara is one prominent half of Suzuki's new model offensive, the other being the impressive Swift compact hatchback, and it's a showcase of what the company is now capable of in terms of build, styling and technology. One measure of achievement is the ability to produce a range-topping car that actually feels like a range-topping car. And even though there's little to tell the V6 car apart from the entry-level model, it seems almost as if that the V6 has a beefier, more hunkered-down stance.
While this last bit is hardly true of the new V6-engined Suzuki Vitara, it does carry a 100 kilo-plus weight penalty over the standard car. You can feel this in the corners, but you'd have to be travelling at silly speeds to notice, and the other benefits pretty much outweigh the handling penalty, anyway.
The new Grand Vitara is one prominent half of Suzuki's new model offensive, the other being the impressive Swift compact hatchback, and it's a showcase of what the company is now capable of in terms of build, styling and technology. One measure of achievement is the ability to produce a range-topping car that actually feels like a range-topping car. And even though there's little to tell the V6 car apart from the entry-level model, it seems almost as if that the V6 has a beefier, more hunkered-down stance.
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The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine in the entry-level Vitara makes a respectable 140bhp and a not inconsiderable 183Nm of torque, which is what you want in an SUV. The V6-flavoured version brings an extra 47bhp and about 67Nm of torque to the party. While these might not seem very impressive on paper, the Vitara's well-judged gear ratios, coupled with the V6's extra slug of torque, make off-the-line acceleration seem particularly vivid. And to the accompaniment of a mellow growl to boot.
Compared with the 2.0-litre engine, which can get considerably raucous when stretched, the V6 is smooth and creamy. It also helps that you need far fewer revs to get up to cruising speed. And while the extra weight in the nose hasn?t benefited the handling, it has somehow managed to quieten down the standard car's comparatively jittery ride. You can make much quicker progress, and with correspondingly greater refinement in the V6-engined car than you can in the entry-level variant, which should be worth the $7,000 premium to many.
Compared with the 2.0-litre engine, which can get considerably raucous when stretched, the V6 is smooth and creamy. It also helps that you need far fewer revs to get up to cruising speed. And while the extra weight in the nose hasn?t benefited the handling, it has somehow managed to quieten down the standard car's comparatively jittery ride. You can make much quicker progress, and with correspondingly greater refinement in the V6-engined car than you can in the entry-level variant, which should be worth the $7,000 premium to many.
The interior of the V6-engined car is pretty much identical to the standard model's. The extra bits of kit come in the form of a fashionable keyless-go system, 'V6' badges on the front wings and attractive 17-inch alloy wheels. The Vitara's trick four-wheel drive system remains unmolested. Depending on the sort of terrain that you?ll be negotiating, you can lock the transmission in high or low gear ratios via a rotary selector on the centre console.
If you're sold on the standard car's excellent build, off-road cred, and contemporary styling, but if you're looking to add a healthy dose of extra refinement into the mix, then have a go in the Grand Vitara V6.
If you're sold on the standard car's excellent build, off-road cred, and contemporary styling, but if you're looking to add a healthy dose of extra refinement into the mix, then have a go in the Grand Vitara V6.
Need to Know
Model Suzuki Grand Vitara V6Engine 2,736cc, 24V V6
Max Power 187bhp at 6,000rpm
Max Torque 250Nm at 4,400rpm
Gearbox 5-speed automatic
Top speed 180km/h
0-100km/h 10.2 seconds
Price $90,900 with COE
Warranty 3 years / 100,000km
Contact Champion Motors
Telephone 6774-9773
Similar cars we have driven:
Nissan X-Trail 2.5 (A) $86,000 with COE
The Nissan might be short two cylinders but it still manages to run the Vitara close on horsepower. And like the Vitara, the X-Trail also boasts a clever, electronic four-wheel drive system. |
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