REVIEW | Versatile Suzuki Grand Vitara let down by price and thirst

Suzuki has become one of South Africa's best selling brands by punting budget vehicles to cost-sensitive buyers, so the Grand Vitara 1.5 Hybrid GLX AllGrip is an outlier with its R542,900 price tag, making it the most expensive Suzuki by quite a margin.

Compared to the brand’s usual carefully curated approach to speccing cars, this flagship Grand Vitara comes loaded to the brim with luxuries such as a panoramic sunroof, synthetic leather upholstery, head-up display and 3D parking camera. Add the hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive and you have a model that costs R195,000 more than the entry-level R347,900 Grand Vitara 1.5 GL.

There’s no doubting the appeal of the high-spec GLX when you sit down in the plush leatherette seats and take in the upscale ambience of the cabin. There is soft-touch leatherette on the dashboard and doors and the centre armrest and door handles are padded for comfort. Metallic garnishes and ambient interior lighting complete a smart and sophisticated look.

The panoramic sunroof has a sliding mesh that electrically glides open and closed at the press of a button and external distinguishing traits of this range-topping Grand Vitara include silver roof rails and machine-polished alloy wheels.

Safety features are generous on all model derivatives including six airbags, ABS brakes, electronic stability control, hill-hold assist and rear parking sensors.

The GLX models (available also in two-wheel drive, non-hybrid guise) have a 9” infotainment touchscreen which is larger than the 7” found in the GL baseliner and has wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. The clear and legible home screen has shortcuts to the main features to minimise driving distraction and there are convenient quick-access physical buttons for the climate control system and audio.

A colour TFT display in the instrument panel gives vehicle settings and information.

There is a wireless smartphone charger and USB ports front and rear, while automatic climate control, automatic headlights, cruise control and a leather multifunction steering wheel complete the generous array of luxuries in GLX spec.

The Grand Vitara has grown to a length of 4,345mm compared to the 3,995mm of the popular Vitara Brezza it replaces. Leg room has grown and the boot is larger. In the Vitara Brezza we needed to partially dismantle a bicycle to make it fit inside with the back seats folded down, whereas the Grand Vitara accepts a fully assembled bike.

All models are powered by a 1.5l four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine making 77kW and 138Nm of torque. This is sent to the front wheels via either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

The flagship Grand Vitara pairs the 1.5 engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system, distributed to an AllGrip variable all-wheel drive system via a six-speed automatic gearbox. 

It is not designed to be as proficient off road as its stablemate, the cheaper five-door Jimny, which has a rugged ladder frame chassis and superior suspension travel. However, the Grand Vitara is capable of more than pavement-clambering at shopping malls thanks to the AllGrip system which adjusts the amount of torque sent to each axle depending on road conditions and allows drivers to manually select one of four preset modes: Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock, the latter keeping power evenly distributed between all four wheels to ensure maximum grip off-road.

Its ability on adventure trails is boosted by hill descent control and a useful 210mm of ground clearance, the same as the Jimny.

On tar and gravel the Grand Vitara’s ride feels acceptably comfortable and the high-profile tyres are suited to rough surfaces. The car feels solid and rattle-free while the handling is neat and car-like despite the elevated ground clearance.

The Grand Vitara offers the typically prosaic performance of Suzuki’s 1.5 engine, making for a useful if unexciting commuter and cruiser. The car feels a little lazy in normal mode but livens up noticeably in sport, though the engine gets vocal at higher revs. The mild-hybrid car is not able to drive in electric mode and the petrol engine always stays on except when the fuel-saving idle stop system engages.

For a hybrid car that promises frugality, fuel consumption is a let-down. Suzuki claims a figure of 5.6l/100km but the test car averaged 7.6l in an urban/freeway mix. It’s thirstier than the 6.4l we achieved in a non-hybrid two-wheel drive model and the added weight of the all-wheel drive system no doubt plays a role.

Given its fuel thirst, the range-topping hybrid GLX AllGrip at R542,900 seems a hard sell over the non-hybrid two-wheel drive GLX which costs R115,000 less and, according to our tests, is more fuel efficient.

The range-topping Grand Vitara has the advantage of all-wheel drive in a segment mostly dominated by two-wheel drives, but buyers seeking a Suzuki 4x4 might find a better bargain in the R479,900 Jimny GLX five-door.

Tech specs

Engine 

Type: Four-cylinder petrol, mild hybrid

Capacity: 1.5l

Power: 77kW

Torque: 138Nm

Transmission

Type: Six-speed automatic

Drivetrain

Type: All-wheel drive

Performance (claimed)

Top speed: 170km/h

0-100km/h: 12.4 seconds

Fuel consumption: 5.6l/100km (claimed), 7.6l/100km (as tested)

Emissions: 131g/km

Standard features

ABS brakes, stability control, six airbags, climate control, electric windows, cruise control, infotainment system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, front and rear USB ports, artificial leather upholstery, LED daytime running lights, surround view parking camera, automatic climate control, cruise control, leather multifunction steering wheel, keyless entry, panoramic sunroof, auto on/off lights, head up display, trip computer

Cost of ownership

Warranty: Five years/200,000km

Service plan: Four services/60,000km

Price: R542,900

Lease: R12,103 per month (at 11.75% interest over 60 months no deposit)

Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 Hybrid GLX Allgrip

We like: Practicality, off-road ability

We dislike: Price, fuel consumption

Verdict: An expensive outlier for the cost-conscious Suzuki brand

Motor News star rating

Design **** 

Performance ***

Economy ***

Ride ****

Handling **** 

Safety **** 

Value For Money ** 

Overall ***

The competition

• Kia Sonet 1.5 EX auto 2WD, 85kW/144Nm — R401,995
• Chery Tiggo4 Pro 1.5T Elite SE 2WD, 108kW/210Nm — R408,900
• Suzuki Jimny 1.5 GLX AllGrip 5-door auto, 75kW/130Nm — R479,900
• Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 Aspire 2WD, 110kW/197Nm — R494,995
• Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI Highline R-Line 2WD, 85kW/200Nm — R521,700
• Mazda CX-3 2.0 Hikari 2WD, 115kW/206Nm — R541,900
• Haval Jolion 1.5 HEV Luxury 2WD, 140kW/375Nm — R549,950