Item: Used Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 2005-2014
Rating: 2
Author: Steve Huntingford

When the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> Grand Vitara first came out, we tested it against the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/x-trail/4x4/used-review/n827">Nissan X-Trail</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/kia">Kia Sportage</a>. Both of these rivals beat the Vitara in the test, and today the X-Trail in particular looks like a better buy. It’s no more expensive than the Grand Vitara, has a nicer interior and is far more comfortable on the move.

It’s also worth trying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/cr-v/estate/used-review/n790">Honda CR-V</a> which is also more comfortable than the Grand Vitara and endowed with a smarter interior. The CR-V also has an excellent reputation for reliability, especially in petrol form.

A <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/freelander/4x4/used-review/n747">Land Rover Freelander</a> is also worth a look. It feels more upmarket than the other cars here, and with its squishy ride it’s also very comfortable. Just don’t expect it to handle as sweetly as the Suzuki, and keep in mind its less-than-perfect reputation for reliability – and the fact that prices are slightly higher, meaning you won't get as nice an example for your cash.

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We’ve not heard of many common faults, but the What Car? Reliability Index points to engine and fuel system issues as being the most prevalent.

We have heard of some diesel examples suffering from seized water pumps. These run off the timing belt, so when they seize they can cause the timing belt to slip, with catastrophic results for the engine. It’s therefore advisable to change the timing belt at the manufacturer-specified interval, and to change the water pump at the same time as a preventative measure.

Be aware, too, that diesel versions are prone to clogged particulate filters, because they were often bought by low-mileage drivers when they were new. This sort of driving doesn’t allow a diesel particulate filter to self-clean, which it can only do at motorway speeds. A good, fast drive every couple of weeks should keep the filter clear, but beware cars that haven’t been driven this way - their particulate filters might be too clogged already, and need expensive replacement in short order.

Yes, it should be. The What Car? Reliability Index, which grades reliability based on the incidence of warranty repairs, scores this generation of Grand Vitara well, with a low score which indicates relatively few, cheaper-to-repair issues.

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Suzuki is well known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but the car brand has been enjoying decent success in recent years, thanks to a line-up of neat, well-equipped and keenly priced models.

Its expertise focuses on smaller cars, although its high-riding SUV range is also hugely credible, especially the Ignis and Vitara, which are both rated highly by What Car?’s testers and which have enjoyed success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

Well priced, decent to drive and full of useful tech, Suzuki’s cars also generally stand out for delivering good fuel economy. The Ignis, Celerio and Baleno have all stood head and shoulders above the competition during our True MPG testing.

SUZUKI

GRAND VITARA

The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a compact 4x4 that’s capable off the road, but crude to drive on it.

Used Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 2005-2014

Well, it isn't the cheapest. That’s because, despite the fact the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/vitara/4x4/review/n76">Vitara</a> is a relatively small SUV, its four-wheel drive system is in use all the time, unlike rivals like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/x-trail/4x4/used-review/n827">Nissan X-Trail</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/kia">Kia Sportage</a>, which feature a four-wheel drive system that cuts in whenever it’s required.

As a result, the 1.6 petrol got just 32.5mpg on average in official tests, while the 2.0-litre petrol fared even worse with just 31mpg. The 2.4-litre managed a little better, with 32mpg, meanwhile.

The diesel version was better still, but not by much; 38.9mpg was its average. That means in the real world, you shouldn’t expect to get much over 30mpg in daily use, even from the diesel.

As a result of those high fuel consumption figures, car tax is also on the high side. At least service costs are pretty reasonable, with a Suzuki fixed-price service costing less than those of most rivals.

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The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a compact 4x4 that’s capable off the road, but crude to drive on it.

Prices for the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> Grand Vitara start at around £2,000, though for this you’ll only be getting a high-mileage example or one that’s previously been written off and repaired. Much better to spend a little more, especially when £2,600 gets you a respectable-looking example of either the three-door or five-door with average miles and a full history.

You’ll have to pay a little more if you want a decent diesel example, mind you – £3,000 should do it, getting you into an early example with a fully-stamped service book.

£5,000, meanwhile, gets you a super-clean, low-mileage early three-door, or bump that up to £6,000 for a similar sort of car in five-door diesel form. From there, prices range right up to £14,000 for the very latest, lowest-mileage examples.

On the face of it the diesel version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> Grand Vitara seems like the one to have. It’s the most economical in a thirsty line-up, and its extra mid-range punch gives it more usable performance than the smaller petrol engines.

It’s undoubtedly the one to choose if you plan to use your Vitara for frequent motorway journeys. That way, the particulate filter will clean itself frequently and you should avoid expensive problems.

But if you don’t do lots of miles, we reckon the 2.4-litre petrol is the best option. In the real world, it isn’t much thirstier than the diesel, and it offers a whole lot more power. What’s more, it’s smoother and more pleasant to drive, and because it’s mechanically much simpler, it may well end up being more reliable, too.

Our favourite Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2.4 SZ5 5dr

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Running costs that won’t break the bank </li> <li>Generous kit</li> <li>Pokey engine and tidy handling</li> <li>Spacious interior</li> <li>Boot big enough to cope with family life</li></ul>

The car-buying public has fallen in love with small SUVs, or crossovers as they’re often called, with thousands turning away from conventional hatchbacks in favour of something that rides that little bit higher.

The original baby SUV is the Nissan Juke, which remains a popular choice, but there are plenty of better rivals to consider instead. We’d recommend you look at either the Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq, because they offer&nbsp;a great blend of practicality and value that keeps them&nbsp;clear of the opposition. Equally, if you’ve got more money to spend, the Audi Q2 and Volkswagen T-Roc&nbsp;are both fine choices.&nbsp;

Small SUV

Most of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> Grand Vitara’s mechanicals are simple and trouble-free, with few problems of note to complain about. Watch out for examples that have been used hard off road, though; look for lots of mud in the wheel arches, scored brake discs from stones getting trapped in the brakes, or scuffing and scraping to the sills and lower parts of the front and rear bumpers.

Also check the interior for signs of wear. The Vitara’s plastics are not particularly high-quality, so they scratch easily. A car with a heavily scratched interior has probably led a hard life.

To date, there have been seven recalls affecting this generation Grand Vitara. The most serious of these affected some diesel-powered cars built between June 2005 and May 2008, and involved replacing the insulation on the intercooler outlet pipe, which could detach, affecting the fuel/air ratio and causing soot to build up in the diesel particulate filter. This could eventually lead to a fire in extreme cases.

Before buying, it's worth checking that any recalls your car may need have been carried out using the DVSA website.

When the original Suzuki Vitara was launched in 1988, it couldn’t have hit the spot more sweetly. It was a car that brought 4x4 motoring to the masses – and it was seriously trendy too.

But trends move on, and for a while the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/vitara/4x4/review/n76">Vitara</a> – and its 1998 replacement, the Grand Vitara – looked about as fashionable as a pair of clogs. So in 2005, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> released a new Grand Vitara with a heavy emphasis on style to try and win back the trendies.

Inside, there was a fresh interior with smart styling and robust construction; while some of the plastics felt rather cheap and brittle, they were at least screwed together sturdily, and there was plenty of space for passengers.

Under the skin, this Vitara had a car-like chassis, as opposed to the previous versions’ truck-like construction. As a result, it drove better than its predecessors ever did. But despite these soft-roader credentials, the Vitara was still capable in the mucky stuff, thanks to full-time four-wheel drive and, in five-door versions, a low-range transfer box, two bits of equipment most rivals skimped on.

The trouble was, while rivals like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/x-trail/4x4/used-review/n827">Nissan X-Trail</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/cr-v/estate/used-review/n790">Honda CR-V</a> couldn’t keep up off the road, they were much better on it. The Vitara was not a great car on tarmac. True, it handled well, with stiff suspension that prevented the body from leaning over too far in corners, as well as well-weighted steering and loads of grip.

But that stiff suspension gave the Vitara an unforgiving ride that transmitted even minor bumps and imperfections through to its occupants. And both of the early petrol engines – a 105bhp 1.6-litre for the three door, and a 138bhp 2.0-litre for the five-door – felt pretty sluggish, lacking the mid-range punch needed to make overtaking a breeze.

What was more, every engine – there was also a Renault-sourced 1.9-litre diesel, available only on the five-door – was noisy, and combined with the grumbling roar produced by the tyres, that made the Vitara a wearing thing to try to cover long distances in.

A facelift in 2008 improved things somewhat, replacing the 2.0-litre petrol engine for a 2.4-litre unit that was both more powerful and more efficient. Suzuki also took the chance to smarten up the Grand Vitara’s interior and add more sound deadening to reduce the amount of road and engine noise; the ride quality, however, remained largely unchanged.

As a used purchase a Vitara looks tempting today, and certainly, it’s one of the more entertaining small SUVs out there. But there are some big downsides in terms of comfort, cruising ability and performance – and it’s no cheaper than some more competent rivals.

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Used Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 2005-2014 review

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Find out how much the Suzuki Grand Vitara 2005 - 2014 costs to run, covering expected MPG, servicing costs and insurance costs.

Prices for the Suzuki Grand Vitara start at around £2,000, though for this you’ll only be getting a high-mileage example or one that’s previously been written off and repaired. Much better to spend a little more, especially when £2,600 gets you a respectable-looking example of either the three-door or five-door with average miles and a full history.,You’ll have to pay a little more if you want a decent diesel example, mind you – £3,000 should do it, getting you into an early example with a fully-stamped service book.,£5,000, meanwhile, gets you a super-clean, low-mileage early three-door, or bump that up to £6,000 for a similar sort of car in five-door diesel form. From there, prices range right up to £14,000 for the very latest, lowest-mileage examples.,Well, it isn't the cheapest. That’s because, despite the fact the Vitara is a relatively small SUV, its four-wheel drive system is in use all the time, unlike rivals like the Nissan X-Trail or Kia Sportage, which feature a four-wheel drive system that cuts in whenever it’s required.,As a result, the 1.6 petrol got just 32.5mpg on average in official tests, while the 2.0-litre petrol fared even worse with just 31mpg. The 2.4-litre managed a little better, with 32mpg, meanwhile.The diesel version was better still, but not by much; 38.9mpg was its average. That means in the real world, you shouldn’t expect to get much over 30mpg in daily use, even from the diesel.,As a result of those high fuel consumption figures, car tax is also on the high side. At least service costs are pretty reasonable, with a Suzuki fixed-price service costing less than those of most rivals. 

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Used Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 2005-2014 review

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