Suzuki Grand Vitara - The DriverVibe review

Nothing is what it seems these days in the world of 4WD vehicles. We have some pretending to be coupes and sports hatches while others appear to be full-fat mud pluggers but actually only have front driven wheels.

The Vitara is a model that has always remained true to its original concept dating back to 1988. It's a compact off-roader that sits neatly in the middle when it comes to a balance of on and off-road prowess. In its 3rd iteration it’s a model in Suzuki's line-up that should hold plenty of appeal.

If anything it’s a concept that Land Rover cashed in on with their Freelander over a decade ago but have since disappeared off in the direction of the premium, luxury horizon leaving the Vitara where it left off. Having been on sale since 2005 how good is Suzuki’s pint sized jack-of-all-trades?

On paper the Vitara has all of the vital ingredients it needs to succeed both on and off road. All-wheel-drive with low and high ratio lock modes, good ground clearance and short overhangs. For the road a small, frugal but perfectly formed 1.9 litre diesel engine donated by Renault and road tyres along with standard fit cruise control on this top spec SZ5 model. Not forgetting full heated leather seats.

The Test

To try and work out if the Vitara can ‘cut-the-mustard’ I decided to put it through its paces on a drive from Oxfordshire to Merseyside and back again covering a total of 400 miles in a day. Then the following day it would be time to tackle the ‘rough stuff’ to see how good the Vitara is off the beaten track. Read on to find out how it performed.

Looks

Visually the Vitara hasn’t really changed much since it was launched over 7 years ago and its still not a bad looker. It’s a simple design that’s well-proportioned and thanks to its big wheels, beefy arches and boxy shape it looks as butch as any of its rivals. The top spec model you see here also benefits from projector lights but has lost its boot mounted spare wheel to save weight making the rear look a little sorry for itself.

Refinement

Expecting any vehicle with big 18 inch wheels, high ground clearance and a squared of shape to offer luxury levels of quietness would be silly. However the Vitara most of the time is very good indeed. Wind noise is well contained and roar from the tyres only becomes tiresome on concrete motorway surfaces, both around town and on country roads passengers will remain unruffled. It also rides incredible well with enough suppleness to take the sting out of rutted roads but it has a firm edge that keeps any wallowyness at bay. The engine on the other hand can be clattery when cold and under moderate acceleration but when cruising it’s barely audible.

Running Costs

Carrying all that off road engineering around means that the Vitara tips the scales at 1654kg, which is actually not that far off a similar sized Focus. The powerplant under the bonnet misses out on the additional 8 valves of most rivals but still manages to return decent economy. The majority of our jaunt to Merseyside was traffic free but very windy. On average we returned a very good 31.9 mpg. Considering the tiny 4,500 mileage of this particular example we were more than happy even if it was some way off the claimed 42.8 mpg combined. We also thought that £195 per year (Band H) to tax this Vitara is also not to be sniffed at..

Handling

Handling and four wheel drive cars very rarely go hand-in-hand. This was another area that surprised us. Thanks to independent suspension with sensibly calibrated springs and dampers bodyroll is well controlled, grip levels plentiful and the steering beautifully weighty and much pointer than its piers. On the limit it's mechanical grip levels are reassuring and the standard fit ESP only intervenes when absolutely necessary. We didn't get on so well with the agricultural 5-speed gearbox that felt rubbery, vague and hated to be rushed. The lever also vibrates and wobbles around when stepping on and off the power with a noticeable amount of driveline shunt too.

The Cabin

Few will be disappointed with the Vitara's cabin. Space if plentiful with a good sized boot, its side mounted hinges are a great feature carried over from previous incarnations. Rear accommodation is also good for a car of this size with plenty of room for three and seats that tumble and flip forward like in an mpv. The design of the cabin upfront is very strong. Everything feels well screwed together with a good choice of soft touch materials on the dashboard top and more robust -but still very appealing - materials lower down. The design itself still looks remarkable fresh including the cowled dials and centre stack. Reach adjustment for the steering column and better lateral support for the front seats would go amiss however. Thankfully equipment levels on this top spec model were generally good if a little patchy in areas. For example Ipod/USB connectivity for the stereo and parking sensors would be a welcome addition.

Off-Road

Suzuki knows how to make small, rough and tough off-roaders as they have been doing it for years. This latest Vitara is no exception. I tested it in deep mud and rutted hilly terrain. In all cases it excelled thanks to its various lock modes. It very rarely lost traction and when it did a quick change to the diff setting and it was straight out of the mud. More impressive was that this particular Vitara was fitted with road tyres. Whichever way you look at it the Grand Vitara is head and shoulders above its peers in this area.

The Verdict

Whilst with me the Grand Vitara proved that there are still cars out there that ‘does exactly what it says on the tin’. In keeping with Suzuki’s ‘no nonsense’ image the Vitara is a very decent long distance companion and is equally capable off-road. It also seems to have aged very little despite its relatively lengthy product life. Sure it isn’t perfect, the gearbox is agricultural, equipment levels are patchy and economy could be better. What it does offer is plenty of space, a well-built interior, very good on-road handling all wrapped up in a bulletproof package that reeks of charm. For these reasons the Grand Vitara is definitely worth a look, especially considering you can park an SZ4 on your drive for a shade over £19,000.

Stats

Car: Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.9 DDiS SZ5
Price as tested: £23,275
Engine: 1.9 8v 127bhp
0-62mph: 13.2 secs
Maximum Speed: 106 mph
Economy: 34.9mpg (urban) -47.1mpg (extra-urban), 42.8mpg (combined)
Emissions: 174g/km (Band H) - VED (12 months): £195
Dimensions: Length: 4300mm - Width: 1880mm - Height: 1695mm - Wheelbase: 2640mm
*data from Suzuki UK

Words by Rob McSorley
Review and all photos ©DriverVibe. Check out DriverVibe here

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Suzuki Swift Sport - The DriverVibe review

Light hatchbacks with brawny engines have been with us for over 30 years and how we have come to love them. The latest to join the fray is Suzuki’s second generation Swift Sport which has some rather big boots to fill as the original Sport caused quite a stir when it arrived in early 2006.

The basic Swift hatch is widely praised for its roomy, well built cabin and neat exterior design and this new Sport adds strong performance and crisp handling to the package. We hit the road to find out how good it really is.

The new car has wider tracks all-round for improved agility and to look at it ticks all of the right boxes. The front is dominated by generously proportioned HID Projector headlights that stretch way back into the wings, an imposing mesh grill and cool finned fog light surrounds. the Sport adds lowered suspension, sill extensions, eye-catching 17” alloy wheels, a boot spoiler and best of all a racy lower diffuser which houses the twin exhausts.

Press the small button on the chunky door handle - no key needed here - open the door and jump into the driver’s seat to admire the view. The cabin is neatly laid out with clear instrumentation and although the material quality on offer isn’t the best, it feels really well constructed. Red stitching on the meaty leather covered steering wheel, gear knob and seats lift the mood- reminding you of the cars sporting aspirations. The front seats themselves are wonderful with their thick bolsters that offer plenty of support during enthusiastic cornering. The dials also continue the sporty theme with their metallic surrounds and red and white graphics.

Cabin space is decent in the front but less-so in the rear. Headroom in the back is fine but legroom is restricted if anyone approaching six foot is sat up front. Access to the rear however, is easier than a lot of 3 door cars as the front seats pivot and slide right-the-way forward. Annoyingly the seats do not return to their original position so need to be re-adjusted every time someone enters or exits the back of the car.

Boot space is adequate at 211 litres extending to 512 litres with the rear seats folded but is hampered by a huge load lip. It’s more than enough for a couple of weekend bags. Usefully there are also a quite a few well placed storage areas scattered about the cabin, one of which is located on top of the dashboard - perfect for storing CDs and keys.

Equipment levels are very good for this class of car, keyless entry, digital air-conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity and automatic HID projector headlamps all come as standard. As do essential safety kit including, seven airbags, ESP, and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution granting the Swift Sport the coveted 5-star Euro NCAP rating. It’s also nice to see cruise control on a car of this kind which is a boon for motorway driving.

Dip the clutch; push the Engine Start Stop button and the throaty 1.6 litre 136 bhp engine bursts into life. Rev the engine a little and the roarty exhaust note makes itself known. With 118 lb ft of torque on offer from 4,400 rpm and a 0-62 mph sprint taking 8.7 seconds you aren't going to be winning any records. What it lacks in outright pace it more-than makes up for in character and usability.

Thanks to a beautifully snappy six speed gearbox making Swift - as the name suggests - progress is easy. Where in rival cars with more power and turbos you can floor it in any gear for fast getaways, the Swift Sport needs to be revved. Power delivery is smooth and progressive but everything starts to change when the engine reaches around 4000 rpm. The soundtrack suddenly deepens and then a good kick of thrust follows and continues right up until the 7000 rpm redline. At this end of the spectrum the experience is very addictive as the Swift seems to love being pushed hard.

This continues when the going gets twisty too. The Swifts steering is perfectly weighted for all driving conditions. Around town it’s light and accurate, at higher speeds and when cornering it weights-up nicely. There’s also lots of feel so the driver always knows what the front wheels are doing. The Swift is also incredibly rewarding with tightly controlled body movements and high levels of grip which a chassis that always feels poised and agile. If you do approach a corner too fast, the car gently slips into understeer but with some careful dialling in of the throttle the nose tucks nicely back into line. The disc brakes all round also do a great job of scrubbing off speed with a satisfying feel to the pedal.

When you’re not in the mood for some spirited driving the Swifts engine remains hushed and refined. Comfort levels are also surprisingly good with a firm yet compliant ride that does an admirable job of soaking up the UK’s pockmarked roads. The impressive comfortable levels make the Swift an appealing long distance companion thanks also to low levels of wind and road noise and the standard fit cruise control.

At £13,499 the Suzuki Swift Sport is priced to undercut the MINI Cooper and Fiesta Zetec-S by up to £2000 which represents superb value for money. It is also better equipped than both. Running costs are also not be sniffed at with a combined fuel consumption of 44 mpg which we were able to achieve while the car was with us. Furthermore noticeable improvements have been made over the previous model to the emissions which are now down to 147g/km equating to Band F which will cost owners a reasonable £135 per year.

TECHNICAL DATA

Price as tested: £13,499
Engine: 1.6 16v 136 bhp 

0-62 mph: 8.7 secs

Maximum Speed: 121 mph
Economy: 33.6mpg (urban) -54.3mpg (extra-urban), 44.1mpg (combined)

Emissions: 147g/km (Band F)

VED (12 months): £135
Dimensions: Length: 3890 mm - Width: 1695 mm - Height: 1510 mm - Wheelbase: 2430 mm

*data from Suzuki UK

DRIVERVIBE VERDICT

Suzuki have cleverly managed to improve the car in all of the areas of weakness previously such as its poor ride quality and refinement whilst making improvements in running costs and emissions at the same time. It offers buyers an exhilarating blend of crisp handling and frisky performance. It is also impressively refined and its low asking price represents undeniable value for money. Some drivers will wish the Swift had more power but we feel the power on offer is certainly good fun and suits the character of the car well. The only minor weaknesses are in cabin space and interior quality where some rivals offer more but this doesn't detract too much from the otherwise superb all-round package.

Review by Rob McSorley of DriverVibe. 

Review and all photos ©DriverVibe. Check out DriverVibe here

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Kia Carens - The DriverVibe review

OK so we all know that people carriers are probably the least exciting cars on the road but Kia's new Caren's has a lot to shout about. Don't worry if you can't remember the previous model, you're not alone. It was completely lacking in sparkle. This Carens is new from the ground up, it's also the final piece of the Peter Schreyer jigsaw that has seen every model in the Kia range transformed into altogether more competitive machines. With stiff competition from a whole host of established models the new Carens needs to be brilliant to succeed. Read on to see if it's any good.

People carriers live or die by their practicality and Kia has really hit the jackpot with the Caren's. Unlike a number of rivals all models have seven seats, the rear most two spring up from the boot floor with a simple tug of the straps. Space is decent for short journeys but is no worse than any of its rivals and thanks to an exceptionally long wheelbase space in the remaining five seats is palatial. The middle row individually slide, recline and fold making for a completely flat load bay. You can also fold the passenger seatback down for carrying long loads.

Simple and uncluttered was the design brief for the interior which is very pleasing to the touch thanks to plenty of squishy materials on all of the major touch points. There's also the customary neat storage areas scattered around the cabin. It's also refreshing that even in base '1' spec goodies such as cruise control, leather bound steering wheel, four electric windows, Kia's Flex Steer system and Bluetooth connectivity are all standard.

The Carens that went before was as exciting as a poke in the eye to look at but the new car is a lot better. It borrows familiar cues from the smaller cee'd including the 'tiger nose' grill and sweptback lights that house LED daytime running lights. In profile Kia have gone for short overhangs, a shallow glass area, simple surfacing and a rear end that mimics the Germanic cee'd SW. It gels together really well even without the chrome accents and alloys of higher trim levels.

There are two engines to choose from consisting of a 1.7 litre CRDi diesel in two states of tune (114 or 134 bhp) or a 1.6 litre direct injection petrol boasting 133 bhp as fitted to our test car. It lacks the low end torque of the diesels but it still does a decent job of hauling the 1606 kg Carens but requires a few down changes of the excellent six speed gearbox for overtaking. It also needs to be revved hard to get the most from it but it never sounds strained.

What strikes you most about the Carens on the move is the superb comfort and refinement it provides. The seats are incredibly comfortable and ride is beautifully smooth and supple ironing out even the worst surfaces. Wind, road and engine noise levels are barely audible at all speeds making long drives relaxing for all the family. There is a price to pay however as there's little fun to be had on sweeping country roads mainly due to the lifeless steering that's vague no matter which Flex Steer setting you opt for. There is plenty of grip though and the chassis feels secure and composed even when pushed.

Kicking off at a snip under £18,000 for the model you see here the Carens craftily undercuts its closest rivals yet doesn't skimp on standard equipment or safety features. It also comes with Kia's industry leading seven year/100,000 mile warranty for added peace of mind. Although the petrol engine is far from thirsty it's the diesels that cost very little to run falling into VED band D compared to band F for the model you see here.

TECH DATA
Price as tested: £17,895
Engine: 1.6 litre 16v 133 bhp - 0-62 mph: 10.9 secs - Maximum Speed: 115 mph -
Economy: 33.6 mpg (urban) -53.3 mpg (extra-urban), 44.1 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 149 g/km - Band F (12 months): £135
Dimensions: Length: 4525 mm - Width: 1805 mm - Height: 1605 mm - Wheelbase: 2750 mm
*data from Kia UK

DRIVERVIBE VERDICT
If you're in the market for a seven seat family car you really must consider the new Carens. It has a spacious, flexible cabin that can seat five adults and accommodate all of their clobber. Then there's the option of utilising the two additional seats in the boot for pair of kids. The cabin itself is smartly designed using plush materials and isn't lacking in kit or handy stowage areas. There won't be any complaints on the move either as the Carens is supremely comfortable cosseting passengers even on the worst of Britain's roads yet feels safe and secure when cornering. We would however recommend trying one of the diesel engines as the petrol can feel breathless and isn't as cheap to run. There really is little that the Carens doesn't do well and for that reason we would highly recommend it.

Review by Rob McSorley of DriverVibe. Review and all photos ©DriverVibe. Check out DriverVibe here

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Mitsubishi Mirage - the DriverVibe review

Speedmonkey will be hosting reviews by Rob McSorley of DriverVibe.  Today it's the turn of Mitsubishi's supermini, the Mirage

If you're on the lookout for a practical five door supermini with minuscule running costs then you might want to head in the direction of your local Mitsubishi dealer.

You see this new Mirage is the successor to the popular Colt and is the first model in which the entire range sneaks under the 100 g/km threshold wiping out the cost of road tax.

Its been achieved by keep the car as light as possible meaning you can get away with smaller engines in the Mirages case 999cc or 1193cc three cylinder petrol units with a choice of five speed manual or a CVT automatic (not available with the smaller engine). You can expect economy somewhere in the range of 65-70 mpg whichever engine you pip for.

Its an incredibly easy little car to get on with. It has a comfortable ride and all of the controls are feather light making it a dream to drive in bustling city centres. The snappy five speed gearbox in our car is wonderfully precise if only the same could be said for the steering.

The fizzy 1.2 triple rasps away making light work of bringing the 845 kg Mirage up to motorway speeds and then settles down nicely. The problem is that it draws your attention to the wind and road noise around you. It only starts to feel out of its depths on twisty roads where the product of the soft forgiving ride is sloppy body control that wallows all over the place.

From behind the wheel its easy to admire the Mirages simple take on cabin design thanks to its clear and concise layout. It's robustly constructed but its easy to see where corners have been cut when you examine the choice of plastics. Despite the lack of reach adjustment of the steering column it's a doddle to find a comfy driving position and visibility is very good.

Space is generous for four adults which is impressive given the new Mirages more compact dimensions and the boot is a useful size too. If you like your toys then the 3 spec you see here is the one to have. As standard you get power steering, digital climate control, four electric windows, keyless entry, a quality CD player, automatic lights and wipers and front and rear parking aids.

You also get 15 inch alloys and a rear spoiler which really is the only thing to get excited about on the outside. The styling is understated to be polite and dull if you're not in the mood which is a little bit of a letdown as the Colt that went before was blessed in the looks department.

Still with a range that kicks of at just £7,999 (with Mitsubishi's current deal) for the basic 1 which is anything but to £10,999 for the model you see here the Mirage represents superb value for money. It should also last a lifetime if Mitsubishi's reputation for reliability is anything to go by.

Tech Data

• Price as tested: £11,999 
• Engine: 1.2 litre 12v 79 bhp - 0-62 mph: 11.7 secs - Maximum Speed: 112 mph - 
• Economy: 56.5 mpg (urban) -72.4 mpg (extra-urban), 65.7 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 100 g/km - Band A (12 months): £0 
• Dimensions: Length: 3710 mm - Width: 1665 mm - Height: 1490 mm - Wheelbase: 2450 mm 

*data from Mitsubishi UK


Verdict

Like all cars the Mirage is far from flawless. It doesn't handle very well, has a cheap feeling interior and is unlikely to have you glancing behind you as you walk away from it but there is still lots to like. The cabin is spacious and feels sturdy, it costs pennies to run and it comes with with a choice of two characterful, economical engines. Its also very comfortable and is cheap to buy. So its certainly going to hold plenty of appeal for many motorists.

Review by Rob McSorley of DriverVibe.  Review and all photos ©DriverVibe.  Check out DriverVibe here

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