New for ’06: Completely redesigned; new unibody platform, reinforced with a ladder frame for off-road driving; all-new interior.

Compact SUVs are often the choice of drivers who the want convenience of four doors but not the frumpy look of a sedan. Suzuki joined the crowded compact SUV segment in 1999 with its truck-based Grand Vitara, and distinguished itself from the throng by its off-road ability. Beyond that, the Grand Vitara was unrefined compared with its increasingly more polished competition, and gained little notice from front-runners Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V.

No longer. The completely redesigned Grand Vitara is leaps and bounds above its predecessor, with a classed-up interior and a new reinforced unibody frame that provides a more compliant ride while maintaining some off road capability.

The Grand Vitara is available in four well-equipped styles in either two- or four-wheel drive: base, Premium, XSport and Luxury. All come standard with a 185-horsepower 2.7-liter V-6 engine. Base and Premium models come with five-speed manual transmission; the two top-tier styles are equipped with a five-speed automatic that is optional on the other two. Despite its base price below $20,000, the Grand Vitara is outfitted with standard amenities likely to be found in vehicles costing thousands more: automatic climate control, power accessories, micron air filtration, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, keyless entry, stability control, and ABS. Amenities increase as you go up in trim level; most notable is the SmartPass keyless start mechanism included with the XSport and Luxury models. The Luxury model includes heated leather seating, alloy wheels and a moonroof. While the Luxury will cost a few thousand more than the base models, Suzuki still manages to keep the price below $25,000. Take that CR-V!

I was impressed with the quality of fit and finish. The interior is sleek with nary a trace of hard plastic. The front seats, in the XSport, however, offer little in the way of adjustment options and can get uncomfortable on long trips. Aluminum-like trim borders the dashboard gauges and center stack, and the Luxury model even sees some tasteful wood grain accents.

Exterior styling is nice, but unremarkable, although I didn’t care for the tattoo-looking design on the rear spare tire cover. Another complaint: Because of the position of the rear tires, every time I put the kids into their child-safety seats, I ended up with tire-tread marks on my pants.  

My XSport came equipped with the SmartPass keyless entry and engine-start feature (also standard on the Luxury edition). This is a convenience overall, but I found the system to be a little fussy when the key fob wasn’t quite close enough to the ignition. I enjoyed how the Grand Vitara behaved on the road. Handling is predictable, braking excellent and the ride smooth yet firm. The cabin is quieter at highway speeds due to the new unibody construction, but under heavy acceleration, the engine strains to get up to speed and there is some road noise.

Safetywise, Grand Vitara has come a long way. Side-curtain airbags for front and rear passengers are standard, as are electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, and front side airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Grand Vitara a second-best four stars in front impacts and rollovers, but has not rated it for side impacts.

There is a lot to like about the new Grand Vitara, not least of which is its incredible value. A fully loaded four-wheel drive SUV for under $25,000, plus a 7-year/10,000-mile powertrain warranty? Believe it. If you’re in the market for a RAV4 or a CR-V, Grand Vitara should be on your test-drive list.

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