Strengths:
Comfortable, affordable compact SUV; great off-road performance with 4-wheel drive; rugged body-on-frame construction

Changes:
The Suzuki Grand Vitara enters 2010 with minimal changes. Among them is the addition of standard navigation. More soundproofing has been added to the body, and the car now features a remote fuel-door release and automatic climate-control. Trim levels have been shifted and the Luxury has been renamed Limited, and the 5-speed manual transmission is now only available on the two-wheel-drive base model.

Value:
Because of its fully independent suspension and ladder frame design within a uni-body structure, Suzuki calls the Grand Vitara "The Off-Road Athlete." It sits on a rugged chassis, and safety features include anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, anti-skid system, side curtain airbags with rollover sensors, front side airbags and electronic stability control to help prevent the loss of control of the vehicle. Towing capacity is 3,000 pounds with the V6 engine.

Overview:
The 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara is available with two engine choices. The first is a twin-cam, 2.4L inline-4 that makes 166 hp and 162 ft-lb of torque and comes mated to either a 5-speed manual on the 2WD Base trim only, or a 4-speed automatic transmission on the rest of the Grand Vitara range. Also available is a 3.2L V6 with 230 hp and 213 ft-lb of torque, which comes paired with a 5-speed automatic.

In addition to rear-wheel drive available on all Vitaras, two 4-wheel drive-systems are also available: a single-mode system and the Four-Mode by ...

Suzuki, which is a full-time 4-wheel-drive system with a 2-speed transfer case.

Four standard trims are available for 2010.

Base and Premium are the basics, featuring the 4-cylinder engine and 2WD, while XSport and Limited offer more options. Single-mode all-wheel drive is also offered on Premium models. XSport and Limited trims can be equipped with either the 4-cylinder or the V6 engine, and either 2-wheel drive or Four-Mode all-wheel drive.

A Premium Special Edition is also available and includes heated mirrors, 16-inch aluminum wheels, one year of access to MSN Direct Services traffic, weather, movie times, and more and a 6-disc CD changer.

The Grand Vitara seats five, and with the 60/40-split rear seat folded forward, also called Fold-and-Tumble, its already-roomy 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space can be expanded to nearly 69 cubic feet.

Side-hinged rear cargo door allow for even larger cargo to carried.

The Four-Mode system has a full-time mode for on-road driving, which sends power to the front wheels as needed. It includes low-range gearing and a limited-slip center differential. The center differential can be locked while in either high or low range for negotiating off-road terrain, mud, or deep snow.

Short overhangs and good ground clearance help in tight off-road situations.

Towing and being towed are strong points for the Grand Vitara. For those who travel by RV, and who want to take the Grand Vitara along, it can be towed by using the 4-wheel-drive's neutral position and with all four wheels on the ground without registering miles on the odometer.

The base and Premium Grand Vitara come nicely equipped with standard automatic climate control, cruise control, steering-wheel audio controls, full power accessories, touch-screen navigation, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity and a CD/MP3 sound system with XM satellite radio compatibility.

The sportier, mid-range Xsport adds a SmartPass keyless entry and starting system, 6-disc in-dash changer, additional tweeters and a subwoofer, fog lamps, roof rails and a sunroof.