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2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara

2008 Grand Vitara Photos
2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport – Click above for high-res image gallery When driving a vehicle for review, we always keep a list of pros and cons. At just a glance we can see which list is longer and instantly know if it's a vehicle that we'd personally drive. At the end of the evaluation we throw in a few verbs, several random adjectives and some technical jargon to make us all sound knowledgeable and it's a review! Just kidding. A little, at least. The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport that just left the Autoblog Garage didn't fit the mold. Our cons list outnumbered the pros, but we just can't give this one an automatic thumbs down. The ride was unsettled by even slightly uneven pavement, which then caused the dash panel to creak and rattle. And the squeaky horn sounded more appropriate for one of Suzuki's econoboxes than a 4,600-pound SUV. And there's that funky side-opening rear cargo door. But from the pro list, we got a powerful V6, a fairly roomy interior and an impressive drivetrain warranty. Our 2WD tester arrived wearing Quicksilver Metallic paint and cloth seats. The 2.7-liter V6 is standard, as are side curtain airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, fog lamps and 16-inch wheels. The Xsport trim level includes a few "comfort and convenience" options like a power sunroof, keyless entry and start, power windows and doors, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel, a 6-disc AM/FM with six speakers and a subwoofer, and power mirrors. Total sticker price before shipping and handling was $22,349. %Gallery-17989% All photos Copyright ©2007 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc. The silver-toned exterior design made it on our pro list. The Vitara's straight lines, chunky bumpers, squared-off headlamps and rear-bumper-mounted spare tire took us back to a time when SUVs were masculine-looking machines made to take on the most intimidating terrain. While other SUVs like Mazda's CX7/9 go for sports car looks, Vitara keeps it real. And unlike Buick's glued-on chrome portholes-to-nowhere, Suzuki chose to make its vents black, plastic and, if not functional, at least actual holes. The Suzuki's rear hatch, though, made it onto our con list. It's a hulk of a door (made heavier by that spare tire), that swings open left to right. Parallel park on a city street with cargo to load, and you will quickly despise the novelty. Park too closely to the car behind, and you'll be walking around the front of your car with every armful. Luckily, though, filling the back of the Vitara with stuff isn't difficult. The floor-height doesn't require lifting bags above your waist, and unloading doesn't require a lot of bending over. A cargo cover attached to the back seat keeps big valuables out of view, while a shallow, covered divot in the cargo area is convenient for stashing items. Finding a light behind the rear seats isn't a surprise, but we'd prefer it came on automatically. It's no fun fumbling in the dark for …
Full Review
2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport – Click above for high-res image gallery When driving a vehicle for review, we always keep a list of pros and cons. At just a glance we can see which list is longer and instantly know if it's a vehicle that we'd personally drive. At the end of the evaluation we throw in a few verbs, several random adjectives and some technical jargon to make us all sound knowledgeable and it's a review! Just kidding. A little, at least. The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport that just left the Autoblog Garage didn't fit the mold. Our cons list outnumbered the pros, but we just can't give this one an automatic thumbs down. The ride was unsettled by even slightly uneven pavement, which then caused the dash panel to creak and rattle. And the squeaky horn sounded more appropriate for one of Suzuki's econoboxes than a 4,600-pound SUV. And there's that funky side-opening rear cargo door. But from the pro list, we got a powerful V6, a fairly roomy interior and an impressive drivetrain warranty. Our 2WD tester arrived wearing Quicksilver Metallic paint and cloth seats. The 2.7-liter V6 is standard, as are side curtain airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, fog lamps and 16-inch wheels. The Xsport trim level includes a few "comfort and convenience" options like a power sunroof, keyless entry and start, power windows and doors, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel, a 6-disc AM/FM with six speakers and a subwoofer, and power mirrors. Total sticker price before shipping and handling was $22,349. %Gallery-17989% All photos Copyright ©2007 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc. The silver-toned exterior design made it on our pro list. The Vitara's straight lines, chunky bumpers, squared-off headlamps and rear-bumper-mounted spare tire took us back to a time when SUVs were masculine-looking machines made to take on the most intimidating terrain. While other SUVs like Mazda's CX7/9 go for sports car looks, Vitara keeps it real. And unlike Buick's glued-on chrome portholes-to-nowhere, Suzuki chose to make its vents black, plastic and, if not functional, at least actual holes. The Suzuki's rear hatch, though, made it onto our con list. It's a hulk of a door (made heavier by that spare tire), that swings open left to right. Parallel park on a city street with cargo to load, and you will quickly despise the novelty. Park too closely to the car behind, and you'll be walking around the front of your car with every armful. Luckily, though, filling the back of the Vitara with stuff isn't difficult. The floor-height doesn't require lifting bags above your waist, and unloading doesn't require a lot of bending over. A cargo cover attached to the back seat keeps big valuables out of view, while a shallow, covered divot in the cargo area is convenient for stashing items. Finding a light behind the rear seats isn't a surprise, but we'd prefer it came on automatically. It's no fun fumbling in the dark for …
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Retail Price

$20,949 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.7L V-6
MPG 17 City / 22 Hwy
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 5-spd auto w/OD
Power 185 @ 6000 rpm
Drivetrain rear-wheel
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