We're nothing if not thorough, we had to know which was quicker

I’m quite possibly the last person that should have done this road test, at least in terms of the Drive office. For starters, whenever I spot a new vehicle in our parking lot, the first question my subconscious asks is whether or not the vehicle is indeed a car. If it isn’t, and by that I mean SUV’s, bakkie’s, most crossovers, pretty much anything bigger than a sedan, is not a car, well I’ve already written it off as largely rubbish. Making matters worse, just prior to this road test of the Grand Vitara I gave the fun Suzuki Swift Sport a largely favourable review, releasing me from any guilt I may have had, thus clearing the road to lay down an almighty torrent of abuse on the Grand Vitara. The logic being I praised one Suzuki so they can hardly complain too much if I criticise another. And yet fortunately, the entire dilemma seems to have been a problem of my own creation, because there really isn’t too much wrong with the Grand Vitara.

Sure, in classic Japanese vehicle fashion, of which Suzuki cars are for the most part proponents of, the Grand Vitara is a boring drive. No thrills are to be found anywhere in the Grand Vitara, I checked, in fact the only thing I could find was the owners manual in the cubbyhole and a few copper coins under the seat. Okay, it is a 4X4, so if awkwardly crabbing over mountains of dirt when there is a perfectly good piece of tarmac adjacent is your thing, there could be some fun to be had in this regard. But other than that, it’s transport, and that’s it. Which is by no means a bad thing, the Japanese auto industry has made countless billions selling to this precise market; boring, reliable, transport required types of people. Toyota are the kings in this arena, but Suzuki offer a commendable alternative. Whilst I’d be lying if I said I put the 4X4 capabilites of the Grand Vitara through a rigorous series of trials, what I did do it seemed to handle well. The easily adjusted 4X4 settings got the job done, a central locking diff and low range are standard features, although the 2.4L model lacks descent control.

The Grand Vitara can conquer mounds of sand, I'd still use the road though

The 4X4 does however manufacture a ding in the Grand Vitara’s armour though, as well as providing the only potential enjoyment of the vehicle, it also hammers fuel economy. Manufacturer claimed fuel economy is 8.9L/100km, and whilst this isn’t too bad it did require fairly gradual driving to achieve, the net result being fuel evaporated at a brisk pace during our week with the Grand Vitara. As it is well known that permanent four wheel drive is bad for fuel economy, I have decided the four driven wheels to be the culprit in the case of the disappearing petrol, that and the 1615kg kerb weight, I think they were accomplices.

The power is middle of the road, it is by no means a slouch, or underpowered, but there is no surge off the line from the Grand Vitara either. The engine is a 2.4L four cylinder inline, but without the benefit of a turbo only produces 122kW@6000rpm. So as I said, it is powerful enough, but nothing all that special. Torque of 225Nm@4000rpm is similarly competent but hardly spectacular. For our test we had the manual gearbox to channel that power through, although the 2.4L is also available in automatic, it is an expensive route to follow. The manual we had is R322 900 base price, but the automatic will set you back R337 900, not for any additional equipment or anything, it’s just 15 grand for an inferior gearbox. It isn’t the best manual gearbox around, third gear in particular can be a bit difficult to find compared to the modern smooth standard us motoring journalists have become accustomed to, but the gearbox is good enough. It’s definitely better than a lazy, easily confused automatic which I suspect would be installed in the automatic, and the auto will burn more fuel as well. So that, the auto I mean, I can’t compute, but for its price the manual is plenty of vehicle. The warranty and service plan that goes along with that plan is also generous, a 36 month warranty and 72 month/92 000km service period is certainly nothing to be criticised for.

The Grand Vitara's interior is comfortable and well laid out

As a road car though, the Grand Vitara doesn’t stand out from the crowd in any significant manner, except possibly on price. But it is comfortable, with plenty of room both for the driver and passengers. The standard equipment list is a little bare, but will cater for the needs of most. So I’ve come full circle, the Grand Vitara is middle of the road through and through, inside and out, to me at least. Whilst I felt the styling was uninspiring and the sort of vehicle that fades into the crowd, I seemed to be in the minority. Several friends commented positively on the styling, and a brief drive seemed to entrench their enthusiastic opinions, they’re wrong of course, but maybe just maybe I could be alone in the view that the Grand Vitara doesn’t makes waves in the styling department. Staying with aesthetics, I did like the simple well laid out dash, everything was easily accessible and user friendly, and put together in a surprisingly solid manner no less. My prior experiences with Suzuki’s have been dominated by cheap squeaky materials chaffing one another producing some annoying acoustics, not so with the Grand Vitara, and hopefully this sort of build quality is a sign of things to come from Suzuki.

At no stage during this road test did the Grand Vitara tug at me emotionally, nor did I have any fun, which normally for me results in scathing criticism in the concluding section of a road test. I must however be fair and objective, and for what t is and what it is supposed to be, the Grand Vitara scarcely reveals any flaws. If you need a big family car with off-road capability, you’ll struggle to find one for less. What makes the Grand Vitara an attractive option though is not that it is cheap, but that it is cheap without the usual drastic quality sacrifice. It is a difficult vehicle to praise then, simply because nothing it does is very memorable, but it is equally difficult to criticise for the same reason. I remember well the painfully expensive items in my life, not the dependable ones that get the job done at a good price.

Kyle Stone

Liked:

• Comfortable
• Well built interior
• pricing (for the manual only)

Disliked:

• Not very fuel efficient
• boring drive

Vital Statistics

Engine: Four cylinder petrol

Capacity (cc): 2393

Power (kW): 122 @ 6000rpm

Torque (Nm): 225 @ 4000rpm

Kerb weight (kg): 1615

Driven Wheels: Four wheel drive

Transmission: 5 speed manual

Wheel/Tyre dimensions: 225/65R17

0-100km/h (s): 11.7

Price (base): R322 900

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Mazda’s CX-7 crossover SUV is the latest to go under the Botox needle and now sports a much fresher appearance thanks to a large five-point grille that gives the CX-7 a much more purposeful, dynamic stance. Thick-looking chrome-plating details further express the vehicle’s pemium identity while a new design for the front foglamp bezels create a strong visual flow that gives the CX-7 an overall more powerful, athletic look and stance.

The refreshed model’s cabin include a sporty design for the steering wheel that replaces the round hooter button of the previous model and integrated switches that allow the driver to operate controls while gripping the rim. The larger roof of the distinctive double-roof instrument panel features a gently undulating shape with the newly adopted multi-information display (MID) positioned in the centre.

The facelifted CX-7 has an extensive standard equipment package: in-dash 6-disc CD player with MP3 capability, remote central locking, cruise control and an anti-theft alarm system. The MID displays trip computer readouts, alerts and alarms such as maintenance and service interval reminders as well as tyre rotation reminders along with other essential information to support the driver as required. New leather seats with front seat heating come standard across the range.

Additional luxury features available in the top of the range 2.3 DISI Turbo model includes a rear-view monitor system which helps the driver park and drive safely in reverse, a Bose premium audio system with Centerpoint surround sound and nine speakers, Xenon headlamps with auto levelling and headlamp washers, electric sliding glass sunroof and rain sensing wipers.

The CX-7 adopts Mazda’s MZR 2.5-litre engine, which can also be found in the Mazda6 and Mazda3, and is known for its excellent fuel economy and drivability. The 2.5-litre DOHC inline-4 cylinder engine delivers 120kW at 6 000rpm and offers maximum torque of 205Nm at 3 500rpm. By coupling this engine to a light-weight, efficient, five-speed Activematic transmission and utilizing a front-wheel-drive layout, this new powertrain combination promises to return excellent fuel economy figures.

The award-winning 2.3-litre DISI turbo engine remains an integral part of the range and is engineered to deliver high performance at all engine and road speeds, along with low exhaust emissions and good fuel economy. It develops 175kW at 5 000rpm and 350Nm of torque at only 2 500rpm. More than 90% of the engine’s maximum torque is available between 2 000 and 5 000 rpm, with crisp gear shifts thanks to the six-speed Activematic transmission.

The Active Torque-Split All-Wheel-Drive system uses a computer-controlled coupling integrated with the rear differential to deliver up to half the available torque to the rear wheels on demand. Sensors monitor engine information, individual wheel speeds, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) operation, and the CX-7′s standard Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system to optimize torque distribution. Electronic Brake Assist (EBA) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and a Traction Control System (TCS) come as standard across the range. Whether the driving conditions are dry and fast or slippery and moderately paced, exceptional stability is assured.

The CX-7 has service intervals stationed every 15 000km on the 2.5-litre derivative and 10 000km on the 2.3 DISI turbo model. An impressive four-year/120 000 km fully comprehensive manufacturer warranty, as well as the MazdaMotion five-year/100 000 km service plan and a three-year roadside assistance plan comes standard with the purchase of the CX-7. The 2.5 Dynamic is priced at R333 700, with the 2.3 DISI turbo Individual at R433 500.

With striking styling that belies its SUV architecture and performance and handling to match, the refreshed Mazda CX-7 will undoubtedly make a good companion over the December holidays. It will certainly keep your neighbours talking!

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Apparently the design cues on the ix35 will be carried over to other new Hyundai models, most notably the pronounced hexagonal grille, which will become a family signature. The car also has a smaller footprint that C-segment hatchbacks and MPVs, aimed squarely at buyers looking for a more stylish alternative to conventional cars. But it’s not just for the sake of being fashionable, as the sleeker styling contributes to enhanced aerodynamics enabling it to deliver better fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions than rival SUVs, bringing running costs on par with mainstream hatchbacks…

In Europe and other selected countries, the car will be known as the ix35 to bring it in line with the “i” prefix used in the i10, i20 and i30 models (which we won’t be getting, unfortunately). It will however remain the Tucson in Hyundai’s native market. It will be available with 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines, with the diesel versions being available in two- and four-wheel drive. The diesel models meet Euro 5 emission standards, which is of little significance to us at this stage due to our government’s absolute lack of interest in regulating the fuel available in SA…

Scheduled for local release in March 2010, I must say I quite like it, especially the fact that it doesn’t resemble a bullfrog.

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