I was horrified to learn that my wife's choice as her next car was to be a Suzuki Jeep. I am no fan of 4WD vehicles having had to manouevre round them in my wife's old Micra as they execute their 17 point turns in the Nursery car park. I am convinced people are playing this oneupmanship thing ... Read review
Advantages: Very comfy seats. Good for WW2 fantasies Disadvantages: Bouncy, tinny, basic
...car was to be a Suzuki Jeep. I am no fan of 4WD vehicles having had to manouevre round them in my wife's old Micra as they execute their 17 point turns in the Nursery car park. I am convinced people are playing this oneupmanship thing of "mine is bigger than yours" with their 4x4's. I mean for goodness sake ( I would say something stronger but this is a family site), why do you need a 40 foot long 20 foot high Panzerwagen to take a 4 year ... ...vehicle bought was a 1997 Suzuki Vitara 1.6 JX Sport (soft top) This car has the 8 valve engine.
Exterior: The car looks good in bright red colour scheme with black soft top. I don't particularly like the square headlights which I think look a bit naff. I think jeep's should have round headlamps(it's the John Wayne in me I think). The hood is a wee bit finickey to deal with. You have to loosen it every time you open the boot . We ... more
I was horrified to learn that my wife's choice as her next car was to be a Suzuki Jeep. I am no fan of 4WD vehicles having had to manouevre round them in my wife's old Micra as they execute their 17 point turns in the Nursery car park. I am convinced people are playing this oneupmanship thing of "mine is bigger than yours" with their 4x4's. I mean for goodness sake ( I would say something stronger but this is a family site), why do you need a 40 foot long 20 foot high Panzerwagen to take a 4 year old to nursery?
Anyway rant over. I tried to persuade my wife of the folly of 4WD vehicles. Like high fuel consumption, tendency to roll over while cornering and cost of parts. She was not to be swayed insisting that it was her turn to be indulged. So the hunt for the jeep was on.
The vehicle bought was a 1997 Suzuki Vitara 1.6 JX Sport (soft top) This car has the 8 valve engine.
Exterior: The car looks good in bright red colour scheme with black soft top. I don't particularly like the square headlights which I think look a bit naff. I think jeep's should have round headlamps(it's the John Wayne in me I think). The hood is a wee bit finickey to deal with. You have to loosen it every time you open the boot . We haven't used it in the summer yet so don't know what its like to take up and down .Ours came with a newly fitted rear zip (made by a boatbuilder), apparently the original zip is a bit flimsy . Much to my amazement, the car is a bit of a headturner especially with younger men and women. Can't think why!
Interior: If you are looking for luxury, look elsewhere. Gloomy black cheap plastics everywhere. Keep fit windows,not a toy in sight ! Ours came with an aftermarket CD/Tuner which is a high quality one. Space inside is very limited particularly in the rear. Access to the rear seats is difficult to say the least even for children with the limited leg room and being high off the ground. Aftermarket running boards would help here. The front seats are extremely comfortable and very supportive in fact they are as good a seat as I have sat in. The boot (laughs) is ridiculously small. The rear seats do fold down to give more space though. The car does benefit from an excellent heater which helps clear the rear plastic window quickly. No airbags which ain't clever for a vehicle of this vintage even basic Fords had them in 1995.
Driving experience: This car has often been called a "Hairdressers special" I have to say most hairdressers I know would struggle to drive this effectively unless they stuck to 30MPH.
I would caution anyone who does not consider themselves a confident driver against owning one of these. They can really bite. In the wet the back likes to try and swap ends with the front. Which for someone who like me who likes to" get the tail out" is fine but could be scary for less confident drivers. In high crosswinds they get blown about a lot. So keep both hands on the wheel at all times. Gearchange is reasonable with a massive gearlever and a long throw gearbox.
I found I had to re-educate myself and drive lthe way I drove when I was learning. For example when turning left from a junction if you accelerate before the wheels are straight you will find yourself heading for the kerb. Most other cars don't do this. It might be because the Jeep needs bigger steering inputs when compared to cars.
Do not try to barrel this into corners like a car because they aren't designed to do that very well. The performance is in the "wouldn't pull the skin off custard" league so don't expect to get anywhere in a hurry! The car does make a lovely noise. Very macho! The most amusing aspect of the drive is the bounciness thus the name Zebedee. It feels like for every yard you are moving horizontally you bounce a foot in the air. Very strange and probably torture on a long journey. The car does have excellent visibilty
Off road: Haven't tried it off road yet. Apparently they are quite good according to my friend who does a lot of off roading. I was in a Suzuki Samurai (the Vitara predecessor) off road and was very impressed with what it could do.
Fuel consumption: The car is used mainly on A and B roads and returns a reasonable low 30's miles per gallon.
I wanted to hate this car, I really did. But I find it quite endearing, its idiosychracies appeal to the non-conformist in me. It's much more interesting and challenging to drive than your bog standard eurobox. Maybe it's because I come from a farming background that it's agricultural feel appeals or maybe its the fantasing that I am taking part in a World War 2 movie when I drive it , I don't know. So despite it's obvious drawbacks. I would have another one. It certainly isn't boring and my wife loves it.
Advantages: Looks good inside and out. Disadvantages: Light on steering, weak plastic handles, high fuel useage in urban areas
...wife and I gained a Suzuki Vitara on the Motorbility Scheme (my wife is disabled). The vehicle attracted us mainly because of the ease to get into and out of the vehicle, as well as the fact that it is a nice looking car. Within the first year of our three year contract, we could not wait to the day we hand the vehicle back over.
In Suzuki`s defence, the vehicle is comfortable inside and all the controls are neatly laid out. The 4x4 has also been ... ...Why Suzuki have insisted on placing a large thin plastic handle on the rear boot door, is beyond me, but this item has had to be replaced on a number of occasions because it keeps splitting. As for the front door windows, these seem to be very flimsy and when rolled half way down, they tend to shake and flex whilst the vehicle`s in travel.
The fuel consumption is not too bad - if you are doing nothing but long journeys. In and around towns, your ...
titch98 01.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Vitara
Advantages: Good looking, attractive, head turner Disadvantages: Lack of load space when taking the wife shopping
I bought my metallic blue JLX SE soft top a little over 4 years ago and it has now covered 118,000 miles on the original engine. In that time it has not been a particularly cheap car to own, having required a new gear stick, power steering box, fuel pump, tyres, starter motor, exhaust and all these things don't come cheap. BUT take it out with the top down on a summer's day and watch people stare!!!!!! talk about green with envy. I have been asked ... ...Speed - it is fine for what I want, we cruise up and down the M5 & M6 quite regularly at 75 - 80 mph and it never misses a beat. It is quite a responsive car through the country lanes, not a rally car by any means, but it will go when I ask it to.
Handling - as with most cheaper 4 x 4s it responds to being treated with proper respect, throw it into bends and it will object, take it steady and no problem. There does not seem to be a problem with ...
davethemerlin 19.10.2002 (20.10.2002)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Vitara
Advantages: Excellent Fun Disadvantages: Not comfy on long Journeys
...proud owner of a Black Suzuki Vitara JLX. It is my Second Vitara that I have owned after having a Blue JX before this one. I traded my old one in because it lacked the following features: The REALLY wide Wheel arches The REALLY wide Wheels Power Steering Leather interior. They were both Soft tops though. Now, I feel, I can comment on the cars seen as I have quite a bit of experience with them. Build Quality. They look very nice tidy cars on the outside ... ...inside. Not as bad as the SJ413 though. Every bump and hump causes a rattle somewhere. Ride comfort. The power steering on my new jeep make the ride a lot easier from a driving perspective but dont buy one if you intend on doing lots of miles in it on long journeys. They are not built for it. Body Styling. There are a few extra to bolt on if you desire. My previous Jeep (the JX) did not have side steps or a bull bar on the front. These are additions ...
buzzplane 13.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Vitara
Advantages: Four Wheel Drive Disadvantages: No visibility through rear window.
...our Vitara from the local Suzuki dealer a few weeks ago.Its now been used on long and short journeys,round town and on the open road.
The engine is 1600cc.It has a 5 speed manual gearbox driven through the rear wheels with the option of 4 wheel drive for icy/snowy conditions.
Dont be fooled into thinking that this is a car for the serious off roader...its not.But it will get you out of a muddy field or down an icy road.
The interior of the car ... ...no c.d player.Though it does have central locking and an immobiliser fitted as standard.
Ours is the 3 door "estate" .Its only called an estate for insurance purposes (which is group 9 ),you only have to open the rear door to see that ! With the rear seats in use you would be hard pushed to get more than two or three bags of shopping in,maybe not even a set of golf clubs!
The rear seats do fold away,seperately if required,to give a lot more room ...
yessuf 19.02.2004 (22.02.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Suzuki Vitara
Advantages: Looks Great Disadvantages: Read The Article
What can I tell you about the Vitara.... Let's begin by saying I own a V Reg JX 1.6................ And what a mistake that was!
Don't get me wrong, there a great looking motor that's reasonably good off road but... when it comes to comfort, power, speed, city driving, motor way driving and economy there's nothing worse on the road.
This car drinks petrol and I often find that my wallets empty due to this. If your taking this car out on the motorway- ... ...There's no power in the tiny 1.6i engine either - If you don't believe me here's a little test for................. Go out on a test drive in one, put your foot down on the excelerator but watch in horror as the little old lady on a pedal bike speeds past you. Seriously though - It's a nice car if your after looks and not all the important aspect of a car.
Happy Driving........... ...
KeithTheChief 26.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Suzuki Vitara
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I have owned my Grand Vitara 2.5 V6 for some time now and it still fills me with joy when i see it on the drive, such is the pleasure it is to drive and be seen in.
Admittedly i nearly didn?t buy it as i thought it would be too expensive to run compared to my 1600cc Skoda, but this has not proved to be the case.
Interior
The Grand Vitara has a spacious cabin with every thing you need to reach easily accessible, although i did engage the wipers a few times instead of indicators as these controls are reversed on japanese cars. Steering is height adjustable and all seating reclines for maximum comfort for passengers and driver. I recently completed a 4 and a half hour journey without feeling the need to stop en route, something i have never managed in any other vehicle.
Engine
The 2.5 V6 engine roars to life when you turn the key ...
Advantages: soft top for lazy summer days Disadvantages: no parcel shelf everything is on display
The suzuki gv 2 litre soft top is one of the most fun 4x4's Ive driven when on road or when im feeling adventerous, if your lucky enough to have a 4x4 centre near you of if you know of a dirt track thats hardly used this is the car to go in. Travel in 2 wheel drive [uses less petrol] to go where ever you want to go and as soon as the terrain looks difficult slide it into 4xh [4x4 but max speed] for the time of your life and don't worry about getting stuck if you strugle in 4xh follow in car instructions to put car into 4xl [4x4but more power than speed, topspeed of 35 mph] rock backwards and forwards and your free, This is the car to have. The soft top means on those rare sunny days you can catch a few rays while heading to a remote area for a picnic and just slide it back up if you feel the rain coming.
With the 3 door suzukis ...
Advantages: Good looking, reliable, fast and fun Disadvantages: blind spots to the left and right
After my girlfriend began her new job we decided that the first thing we should do is to swop the car.
At the time she had a SuzukiVitara which was so slow and as my girlfriend now had to drive over a long, high bridge to work every day, was blown all over the place on windy days so we began to look around.....we decided on the Honda crx Del Sol.....The actual model was the sporty SiR model which has 170BHP as standard and is a jap import.
The engine is a 1.6 DOHC Vtec and was manufatured in 1994, M reg.
I feel that we could not have bought a better car for the money as we paid £4400 and have upto now never had a problem with it, however, i have replaced the battery brake pads and exhaust.
The car runs perfectly and is a better drive than my year old citreon xara(company car).
The car is not fast until you reach about 5500 ...
Rogue_Leader 27.12.2003
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