Suzuki Grand Vitara 2011 Review

By Zaheer on Jun 08, 2011 with Comments 0

Since its introduction back in 1999 as a replacement for the Sidekick, the Grand Vitara has matured to become a competitor among other compact SUVs with off road abilities. The 2006 model was completely remodeled to give it a more athletic exterior. If you were looking for one of those compact SUVs that won’t strain your pocket that much then the 2011Suzuki Grand Vitara would be a good choice. The 2011 Vitara comes with few modifications from the 2010 model.

Affordability is one reason to purchase the 2011Grand Vitara but some things in terms of performance have to be considered. The 2011 Grand Vitara has poor fuel efficiency among the class of SUVs.

At a price of $19,100, the Vitara comes with typical features such as the navigation controls, steering wheel controls and air bags (side curtain and side impact air bags). These air bags have a rollover protection. In case of a side impact crash the side air bag will inflate to prevent your head from colliding with the window frame. The antilock brakes are coupled by a brake force distribution mechanism which is electronically controlled.

The2011Grand Vitara has three trims; base, premium and the limited. The base Vitara has a 166 hp powered by a manual transmission 2.4 liter engine with four cylinders. Its fuel efficiency is rated at 19 miles per gallon within the city and 25 miles per gallon on the highway.

Having its off-road capabilities ranked high, when it comes to road surfaces it does not impress. For snowy and wet conditions the all wheel drive does very well, but when tackling rough terrain the four all wheel drive feels as comfortable as riding a Subaru Forester on a pavement.

Compare to the previous models, the 2011 Grand Vitara has an appealing exterior design. It has short overhangs located on the front and rear which give it a powerfully built look.

For such a cheap car, the Vitara comes with ample interior space and comfort. It has a five seating arrangement. The seats can be folded to increase the cargo space. It has gauges that are easy to read and control on the neatly furnished dashboard.

In terms of luggage area, the 2011 Grand Vitara cargo volume is less compared to other SUVs such as the Subaru Forester. With all seats engaged it has a cargo volume of 28.4 cubic feet and after folding the second row seats it has a cargo volume of 70.8 cubic feet.

Standard basic safety features include a front and back curtain airbags, a Traction Control System controlled by an Electronic Program and a Brake-force Distribution that is powered electronically. The base and the premium models have a rear view camera.

The Suzuki Grand Vitara 2011 has an average price ranging from $19,052 to $24,476. Suzuki provides the Grand Vitara 2011a new vehicle warranty for three years and a powertrain warranty for seven years (this is among the longest powertrain warranties in its class of SUVs.

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