Suzuki Suv 2011
Suzuki's compact five-seat SUV, the Grand Vita, carries forward unchanged for the 2012 model year, as it did for 2011. Borrowing some of its mechanical workings from the last generation of the Chevrolet Equinox, the Grand Vitara is carlike in its basic proportions, but available with four-wheel drive and offering meaningful off-road capability with its low-range gearbox and frame-based construction. That makes it somewhat unique, competing with a small range of crossovers like the Equinox, Ford Escape, Subaru Outback, and Honda CR-V. Though its design is clean and simple, it's perhaps so simple as to be forgettable. Nevertheless, it strikes a handsome balance between the softness of a car-like crossover and tougher off-road-bred SUVs. Inside, the Grand Vitara is, like the Kizashi sedan, much nicer than most of the competition, featuring quality plastics and soft-touch paint.Two engines were previously available, but for 2012, the Grand Vitara shrinks to just a single offering: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Rated at 166 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, the engine scores between 19/23 mpg and 19/26 mpg city/highway depending on trim level and drivetrain. The Grand Vitara is available in either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A five-speed manual transmission is available in the base-spec model, with the rest of the line sticking with a four-speed automatic. In the Limited model, an upgraded 4-mode 4WD system is available, further improving off-road ability with high and low transfer gear ratios.