2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Suzuki calls its Grand Vitara an "off-road athlete." The five-seat SUV is based on a purely Suzuki design, and competitors include the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4. Base, Premium, Ultimate Adventure Edition and Limited versions are offered.

New for 2012
The 2012 Grand Vitara is available in a new trim level — the Ultimate Adventure Edition —  which is offered on rear- and four-wheel-drive versions. This new trim features 18-inch black chrome wheels, fog lamps, side mirrors with integrated turn signals, three-tone water-resistant seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Later in the model year, all versions of the Grand Vitara except for Limited trims are scheduled to get a new tailgate that eliminates the outside-mounted spare tire. A new navigation system is standard.

Exterior
The Grand Vitara features accented flared fenders and a tailgate-mounted spare tire on the Limited trim. Exterior features include:

• Standard 16-inch wheels
• Standard front tow hooks
• Standard body-colored side moldings
• Available 18-inch wheels

Interior
There's room for five in the Grand Vitara on front bucket seats and a 60/40-split folding rear seat that offers fold-and-tumble operation. The Limited version includes a seven-speaker stereo and SmartPass keyless start system, which also locks and unlocks the SUV with the press of a button on the door. Interior features include:

• Standard navigation system
• Illuminated steering-wheel controls
• Chrome interior door handles
• Standard automatic climate control
• Standard CD stereo
• Sun-visor extenders
• Sliding armrest
• Available Bluetooth connectivity

Under the Hood
The Grand Vitara comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Rear-wheel drive is standard and these models are available with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Full-time single-mode or four-mode four-wheel-drive systems are available, both only with the automatic. The four-mode system includes 4H, 4H Lock (slippery), 4L Lock and Neutral positions and has a limited-slip center differential. The Neutral position allows for flat towing behind recreational vehicles. Mechanical features include:

• 166-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 162 pounds-feet of torque
• Fully independent suspension
• 3,000-pound towing capacity

Safety
Standard safety features include:

• Seat-mounted side-impact airbags for front seats
• Side curtain airbags with rollover sensors
• Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution
• Electronic stability system