`Grand' Vitara Is Merely Good -- Suzuki's New 4X4 Needs A Few Tweaks To Match Its Name

It could have been worse: They could have called it the Grand Sidekick.

Instead, Suzuki named its flagship 4X4 the Grand Vitara, the "Grand" no doubt celebrating the marque's departure from the toylike machines of its past. But Vitara? Sooner or later someone will slip and call it Viagra. Not altogether inappropriate, considering its potent new V-6, the magic ingredient that turns a plain Vitara into one that's Grand.

The trucklet that wears the name of Suzuki Grand Vitara (JLX+, no less) is markedly improved over its predecessor, the Sidekick, in every way: more powerful, more substantial, more handsome - adjectives that apply also to the basic, four-cylinder Vitara. But it's the V-6 Grand Vitara that Suzuki thinks will sway buyers also considering the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, two otherwise competent machines notable for their indifferent acceleration. Both offer only four cylinders.

Do two extra cylinders make a difference? Yes. Do they make all the difference? No.

The 2.5-liter, double-overhead-cam, 24-valve six is revvy and sweet, with enough torque to handle a Northgate traffic jam without rowing the Grand Vitara's slick five-speed transmission like an oar.

There's enough punch left at 70 mph to pass without downshifting in places where a CR-V or RAV4 driver might reconsider passing at all.

But hey, with 3,200 pounds to haul around, the 155-horsepower Suzuki is no rocket. The husky frame costs at the gas pump, too; at 19 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, the Suzuki sucks gas like the much fatter Lexus RX 300.

The other real difference between the Suzuki and its Toyota and Honda rivals lies in its more truckish demeanor. The Grand Vitara is built on a frame, like a truck. The Toyota and Honda are unitized, like cars. The frame makes the Suzuki heavy for its size, but also quite stout-feeling and stable. The CR-V and RAV4 are full-time all-wheel-drive designs based on cars, without a low-range four-wheel-drive gear.

Both sit lower than the Suzuki, and neither is appropriate for real off-road use. The Grand Vitara is, with higher ground clearance, shorter overhangs and a low range for its part-time four-wheel drive. You can shift into four-wheel-drive on the fly.

The tradeoff for that ruggedness comes in jouncy ride and steering. Small bumps are transmitted through the steering and brakes, and the hood flutters over rough roads. The ride is busy rather than harsh.

The ride is one reason to avoid long trips. Here are the others: The Suzuki is comfortably cozy for four, but the luggage area behind the seats is the smallest in this class. There's no center armrest up front, and the window sill is too high to rest an arm there. At cruising speed, wind noise overwhelms all other sounds, including the tinny-sounding, hard-to-use Clarion AM/FM cassette located underneath the ventilation controls, a little higher than knee level. Which do your eyes seek more, the radio - its face contains the clock, too - or the fan?

In town, the cabin is quiet at low speeds and the clutch is light and precise, making the hills in downtown Seattle a breeze. You sit high enough for a commanding view on especially comfortable seats. Cross a bridge to the Eastside and you'll find the Grand Vitara unperturbed by gusts.

Head downtown and parking the Grand Vitara, one of the smallest vehicles on the road today, isn't the snap it should be. Its side mirrors are too small, and the rear headrests, if they're not removed, render the rearview mirror useless. The aggressive-looking cladding on the sides of the Grand Vitara (it's metal, not plastic) makes its body several inches wider than it appears from the driver's seat.

You'll also dread the Long Wet. With no drip rails to channel rain away, water trickles onto the seat when the doors are opened or the window is cracked.

On the good side, the defroster is quick and you'll never have to remember to turn on your lights on a dreary afternoon: The Grand Vitara has daytime running lights. The plus package adds noisy but effective antilock brakes.

There are two deep, grande-latte-size cupholders in the space where a center armrest should be.

There's a jewel of a truck in here somewhere. It's already zippy and confidence-inspiring, and most of the Suzuki's annoyances are easily fixed. Unsnarling the interior ergonomics would turn mini-sport-ute shopping into a one-question affair: "Do you ever go off road?" If so, the only answer would be the Grand Vitara.

Suzuki, it's your turn. Put in an armrest. Install a better radio and put it above the fan controls. Tune out the wind noise and make the mirrors bigger. It'll take more than a V-6 to make the Vitara "Grand."

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1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara.

Base price: $19,999. Price as tested: $20,429. Safety features: Dual air bags, power anti-lock brakes with front disks and rear drums, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, side-impact beams, daytime running lights. EPA figures: 19 mpg regular unleaded city, 21 mpg highway. Finance note: Assuming a 10 percent down payment and a five-year new-car loan at the prevailing national rate of 8.51 percent, monthly payments for the tested vehicle would be $377.31.