Good day, dear reader of my blog. In this article I will present an overview of one interesting, in my opinion, car. It will be a crossover, although I myself am rather skeptical about this class of cars, since I think that most owners of cars of this class do not often need increased cross-country ability, and the car mainly emphasizes the status of the owner. Whoever says anything, but in our country it is quite prestigious to have a crossover, even a relatively budget one.
This car is far from the most comfortable in its class, not the most economical, but rather, on the contrary, and not the most prestigious. Nevertheless, the army of owners of this SUV is huge. That's right, it's an SUV, since this car differs from its counterparts in advanced capabilities when driving over rough terrain. No, this is not Niva, because such thoughts could appear after reading the first part of the article.
Today there will be a review of the Suzuki Grand Vitara or Suzuki Escudo, that's what the car was called in its homeland. And Japan was the birthplace of this car, and by the way, all Vitars officially sold in Russia were from there. Today we will talk about the most popular generation of this model, which was produced without major changes for more than 10 years from 2005 to 2015. The car was very popular and it was purchased by a huge number of motorists.
A billion Chinese can't be wrong
Model life cycle
As I already wrote, the car appeared on our market in 2005. Even at the beginning of its journey, the car did not make a splash. It was a typical middle peasant with a fairly modern appearance for those years and inexpensive interior trim materials. The kits were fixed, that is, it was impossible to add one or another equipment, but you had to choose the next kit.
Restyling 2008
The first restyling took place in 2008. It is rather problematic for an unprepared person to track the changes made. I will list the main innovations:
- The drum-type brakes from the rear axle disappeared and disc brakes appeared;
- Turn signal repeaters migrated from the front fenders to the rear-view mirror housings;
- The on-board computer screen was removed from the center of the dashboard and now its readings could be read from the instrument cluster;
- Slightly modified grille;
- The range of engines has been expanded, 2.4 and 3.2 liters have been added;
- The design of alloy wheels of 17 diameters has changed, and 18-inch ones began to be installed on cars equipped with a 3.2-liter engine;
There were also other changes, but they are less significant, and we will not talk about them.
Restyling 2012
The second restyling took place in 2012. By this time, the popularity of the car had fallen significantly and the reason was not that the car had changed for the worse, but that the changes in 2008 and 2012 were insignificant. In the meantime, new generations of competitors appear, facelifts are undergoing and, frankly, the outdated Vitara looked rather pale against their background.
The visual changes of the restyled car are already more obvious here. What has been changed:
- There were two new configurations, the main differences of which were a multimedia system with navigation;
- Other seat upholstery material;
- The front of the car has been heavily modified (bumper, grille, etc.)
And in 2015, after a sharp change in the exchange rate of the ruble against the dollar, the release was discontinued, and the car left the dealerships.
Engines and equipment
Before restyling, the three-door car was equipped only with a 1.6-liter engine (106 hp), paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The five-door Grand Vitara was available only with 2.0 (140 hp), which was aggregated with either a 5-speed manual or a four-speed.
The basic equipment of the car was very generous. There were 6 airbags, heated front seats, music control on the steering wheel and much more. The photo shows what the car looks like in the basic configuration before restyling.
The two-liter Grand Vitara with a gun enjoyed the greatest interest. Such a car was available in only two trim levels. The first is basic, but with light alloy wheels of 17 diameters. The second - at that time very rich, included: keyless entry, xenon headlights, a 6-disc CD-changer, leather upholstery, ESP and so on.
After the restyling carried out in 2008, the short Vitara, in addition to the previous 1.6 (106 hp) and manual transmission, finally got an automatic, but it was available only in tandem with a 2.4-liter engine with a capacity of 166 hp. With. The same engine relied on the five-door, but here there was already a choice of 5MKPP or 4AKPP.
The two-liter engine remained unchanged. And a new 3.2 engine (233 hp) appeared for the Grand Vitara, available only with a five-speed automatic. Only this engine, according to car owners, turned the “vegetable” Vitara into a car capable of accelerating, but the high transport tax and fuel consumption did not allow this bunch to become popular.
The last restyling of 2012 did not bring any changes to the engine line, only the 3.2-liter six-cylinder V‑shaped engine is a thing of the past.
Advantages
Here I will describe those aspects of the car that are positive in my opinion. I also want to say that I know firsthand about this car, I drove more than one thousand kilometers behind the wheel, and not just was on a test drive.
I note a very spacious interior of the car, both in length and width. Many classmates are closer. despite the much greater length, it is crowded in the knees on its back row, and in the presence of a panoramic roof, you reach the ceiling with the top of your head. The situation is similar with Ford Kuga, Hyundai ix-35 (tucson), Kia Sportage (regardless of generation). Additional comfort for passengers is created by the tilt-adjustable backrest of the rear seat, as well as the almost complete absence of a “cardan” tunnel.
Despite the hard plastic, the build quality of interior parts is at a high level. Crickets, if they happen, are quite rare and the reason for this is most often the intervention of hands that grow far from the shoulders. Also, regardless of the configuration, a huge amount of space for any small things.
Well, the main advantage is the design of the transmission. The transmission is similar to the VAZ 2121 Niva, that is, permanent four-wheel drive with a reduced range and a locking center differential. For complete happiness, the owner also lacks locking at least one cross-axle differential. Permanent four-wheel drive, in contrast to the one connected with a clutch, makes it possible to calmly move along uncleaned winter roads for an arbitrarily long time without fear of overheating the clutch. And the lock helps to distribute the torque between the axles equally.
Suzuki Grand Vitara has good handling. It has a heavy, but very accurate steering wheel with very decent feedback.
Flaws
Here we have the reverse side of permanent all-wheel drive, this is a high fuel consumption compared to classmates. In the city, even a two-liter engine on the mechanics!!! can eat 15 liters per hundred, not to mention the automatic and larger engines of 2.4 and 3.2 liters. Even when driving on the highway, it is not always possible to meet the cherished 10 liters per 100 km.
Trunk volume. This is not entirely a disadvantage, for someone it may not be a minus at all. The trunk has a large height with a small length. Therefore, it seems that the volume is decent if loaded under the very shelf, and the trunk area is relatively small.
The disadvantages include the low level of acoustic comfort. And this is not only my opinion, but the opinion of most owners. The first part here is played by the engine, which is clearly audible in almost all modes. Plus, as the speed increases, noise is added to the sound of the motor due to poor aerodynamics.
Is it worth buying?
Rather yes than no. And here, first of all, it is worth looking not at the advantages and disadvantages described above, but at the reliability of the car design as a whole. There are no turbocharged engines, either diesel or petrol. A classic hydromechanical automatic machine works in the transmission. In no case do I want to offend the owners of cars with robotic gearboxes and CVTs, which have their own positive aspects, but the hydromechanical gearbox, other things being equal, has a larger, and much larger resource. Whether this is important to a person who purchases a used car. It is important for the buyer to know that after the purchase he will not end up with expensive repairs, and maybe even a replacement of the robot or variator. And before buying, be sure to check the compliance of the configuration and color of the car with the information encoded in the VIN number, to help you.
This concludes the post. I will be happy to answer questions, as well as help with practical advice. I recommend reading the second generation, which I owned for more than 6 years. See you soon on the blog pages! Bye!
The popularity of Suzuki Grand Vitara is so great that for many years it was produced all over the world and under different names.
Success and international recognition are objectively deserved - the universality of the model in the totality of its qualities knows no equal.
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For a long time, the compact SUV remained the best-selling one, and the car took its rightful place in the Russian market, and on a par with the right-hand drive twin brother Suzuki Escudo.
Who traveled, he knows, he will understand
The Grand Vitara is interesting and unique in that it is the most off-road in its class. Because there is a permanent all-wheel drive, a ladder-type frame is built into the body, there is a center differential between the front and rear of the transfer case, there is a differential lock system and reduced speed, which gives improved off-road qualities. The interior of the model is nothing particularly outstanding, solid, concise, simple, not attracting attention, but not old-fashioned.
In the constant all-wheel drive of the Japanese on the track, even in bad weather conditions - ice, rain, winter road, there is a feeling of complete safety and reliability. If you happen to get into more serious off-road, the differential lock and downshift will come to the rescue.
Of course, we must remember that this is not a classic all-terrain vehicle, but an urban crossover and its suspension is low, the ground clearance is only 200 mm, but the car honestly works on it and goes where most classmates will get stuck.
Add to this the reliability, it does not break, unsurpassed quality and not to be killed, along with an excellent price tag, you get the most honest car in terms of hardware, and cross-country ability and functionality ratio.
A bit of history
In fact, 1988 can be considered the starting point of creation, when the first Suzuki Escudo came out. But officially under the name Grand Vitara rolled off the assembly line in 1997. In Japan it is called the Suzuki Escudo, in the US it is called the Chevrolet Tracker. In Russia, the start of sales took place together with everyone and ended with the end of production in 2014. It was replaced by Suzuki Vitara until 2016.
The debut of the new generation is scheduled for 2020 - 2021, according to the top manager of the Russian representative office of the brand Takayuki Hasegawa, due to the continued demand from the department's customers and dealers, who confirm that Russia lacks such a car. Most likely, it will be built on its own original base, and not on the legacy of the Vitara bogie.
1st generation (09.1997-08.2005)
On sale are three (an open-top version is available) and a five-door frame crossover with rear-wheel drive and the Part Time 4FWD system, the essence of which is the ability to hard connect / disconnect the front axle by the driver manually at a speed of no more than 100 km / h, and downshift only at full stop.
In 2001, the model range was replenished with an elongated modification (the wheelbase became longer by 32 cm) XL-7 (Grand Escudo) with a three-row interior for seven people. The giant is equipped with a 2.7-liter V6 power unit, developing up to 185 hp.
The first Grand Vitara is equipped with 1.6 and 2.0 petrol in-line fours with 94 and 140 hp. and V-shaped six-cylinder, issuing up to 158 hp. A 2-liter diesel engine was exported to some countries, developing up to 109 forces. A five-band manual or 4-zone automatic gearbox is paired with an internal combustion engine.
2nd generation (09.2005-07.2016)
This is the most purchased generation, produced for 10 years without radical changes, the happy owners of which have become a huge army of car owners. What is great, all the cars for the domestic consumer were assembled in Japan.
The second Grand Vitara received a frame integrated into the body and permanent all-wheel drive with a differential lock and a reduction speed. In Japan, the novelty is available in four design solutions - Helly Hanson (especially for outdoor enthusiasts), Salomon (chrome trim), Supersound Edition (for music lovers) and FieldTrek (luxury equipment).
In 2008, the manufacturer carried out the first minor modernization - the front bumper changed, the front fenders became new and the wheel arches, the radiator grille were highlighted, the sound insulation was strengthened, and a display appeared in the center of the instrument panel. The restyled version has acquired two new engines - 2.4 liters 169 hp and the most powerful 3.2 liter 233 hp. The latter was not officially delivered to Russia, just like the diesel 1.9 liter Renault, which was exported to other markets. The gearbox for all cars is a five-speed manual or a four-speed, electronically controlled automatic machine with two modes - normal and sport.
On a short three-door four-seat baby, only a 1.6-liter engine with 106 hp is installed, its base is 2.2 meters, a small trunk and rear seats that fold separately. In a five-door configuration, five passengers are quite comfortable, and a two-liter engine with 140 hp. enough for a full daily drive in the city. To carry bulky luggage, the back row is laid out in parts, and the volume of the cargo compartment increases from 275 to 605 liters.
The second change in Grand Vitara in 2011 affected cars for the foreign market. The spare wheel was dismantled from the door of the cargo compartment, thus reducing the length of the car by 20 cm. The environmental level of the diesel engine was brought to Euro 5 compliance. All basic equipment received an electronic drive in the transfer case for turning on / off the reduced speed and a self-locking differential. The forced lock button is located on the center console.
An additional option is available - a driver assistance system when driving downhill. It maintains a speed of 5 or 10 km/h according to the transmission mode. And also at the start on the rise and the ESP skid prevention system. The three-door car did not receive an improved transmission, so it does not have increased cross-country ability.
What engines are on the Suzuki Grand Vitara
| Engine model | Type | Volume, liters | Power, hp | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G16A | gasoline R4 | 1.6 | 94-107 | SGV 1.6 |
| G16B | in-line four | 1.6 | 94 | SGV 1.6 |
| M16A | inline 4-cyl | 1.6 | 106-117 | SGV 1.6 |
| J20A | inline 4-cylinder | 2 | 128-140 | SGV 2.0 |
| RF | diesel R4 | 2 | 87-109 | SGV2.0D |
| J24B | Benz row 4 | 2.4 | 166-188 | SGV 2.4 |
| H25A | petrol V6 | 2.5 | 142-158 | SGV V6 |
| H27A | petrol V6 | 2.7 | 172-185 | SGV XL-7 V6 |
| H32A | petrol V6 | 3.2 | 224-233 | SGV 3.2 |
More pluses
Of the advantages of the Suzuki Grand Vitara, apart from the main one - the transmission, along with cost, dynamism and reliability, good handling, one can note a high level of safety with the highest scores according to the results of crash tests.
In the exterior, an important advantage is a spacious interior, both for legs, as well as overhead and to the sides, which most in the class do not have. Excellent visibility. Plastic, although hard, but high-quality, with plenty of space for every little thing.
... And cons
There are drawbacks, like everyone else. Of the important ones - high fuel consumption, as a retribution for all-wheel drive. In the city, a 2.0 liter with a manual transmission eats up to 15 liters per 100 km. What can we say, about more powerful and with a gun. A rare case, on the highway it turns out to meet 10 l / 100 km. Most car owners note the low level of aerodynamics. The car is noisy and hard. Trunk volume is not small, but the shape is not comfortable - high and narrow.
Is it worth buying, if so, with which engine
After weighing the pros and cons, yes. Because there are few good reliable, durable cars now. Producers have long been not interested in playing long. They need more often to change components, parts, mechanisms, machines for new ones. Suzuki Grand Vitara is not like that. There are many timeless classics here that will serve well for decades.
No turbocharged internal combustion engines, no robots, no CVTs - perfectly smooth and imperceptibly working hydromechanics with a long resource. The most important thing when buying a commercial vehicle is not to end up with expensive repairs or frequent replacement of expensive parts. Choosing this Japanese also the price will be more than adequate.
Objectively, for a 5-door car, two liters and with passengers on a trip out of town and beyond, will not be enough. Around the city, from work, home, to shops - enough. Therefore, 2.4 liters with a power of 166 hp. - just right, and 233 horses, which produces a 3.2 liter - too much. For such power, the car is light, it becomes dangerous, maneuverability is lost.
In general, the car is a real Japanese prude, which has everything you need to feel calm and safe on the road, know and be sure, and not guess whether it will stretch or not stretch on the off road section. When creating the Grand Vitara, Suzuki didn't go to great lengths to create a trendy design, focusing on the essentials.
We don’t have rear-wheel drive Vitara, although such theoretically existed in the USA. Five-door cars are equipped with a full-fledged transfer case with permanent all-wheel drive and a reduction gear, but three-door cars with a 1.6-liter engine are content with a simpler one without a lowering gear, with a completely inefficient cam self-block. You can also find cars from the USA with a connected front axle, but this is quite rare. However, this is easily fixable if a person is ready to get confused with altering not only the transfer case itself, but also the electronics that control it, as well as replacing the wiring harness.
Permanent four-wheel drive with a center lock and a reduction gear, and even with an optional rear axle lock, is quite a serious arsenal for an SUV. And it’s also at least four transmission units versus one or two on most crossovers. And for complete happiness - two cardan shafts. Of course, all this economy, although it works very reliably, nevertheless requires maintenance. It is necessary to change the oil regularly, and, judging by the reviews, it is best to pour not the original mineral water, but transmission semi-synthetics with reduced viscosity. Seals should be checked regularly for leaks. But with us it is quite easy to do: any oil leak is clearly visible against the background of a dirty unit.
On machines of the first and second restyling, the reliability of the front axle gearboxes is extremely low. Any excessive load quickly leads to failure of the bearings, and if the situation starts, then the main pair. Additional risk factors are heating from the engine and the unfortunate location of the gearbox breather: when forcing even a shallow ford, water can get inside. Of course, the breather is led out into a rubber tube, the end of which is fixed at the very top of the engine compartment, but for most machines the system works normally, which means it is not very reliable.
The transfer case does not have a "foolproof", so the 4HL lock-up mode will not turn off at high speeds and on hard surfaces, and the load on the transmission can go off scale.
The quality of the seals, unfortunately, is far from ideal. They flow, and both on new cars and on cross-country ones. Replacement does not always help to fix the problem for a long time. An unsuccessful tool, dirty planes, a bad supplier - and here again everything is under replacement ... But there are more than a dozen oil seals. In general, you will have to change often, and sometimes it’s trite to “hammer” if the oil leak is insignificant.
The cardan shafts here are actually not quite cardan. They have CV joints on them, except that the oldest cars produced in 2005-2007 have cardans in the drive. And CV joints have covers that sometimes tear, and it is better to change them immediately. But there are no officially covers for sale, and there are no CV joints, there are only assembled shafts, which, as you understand, costs absolutely indecent money. All these factors lead to the fact that transmission failures on older cars are one of the most frequent and expensive faults, and also one of the most troublesome. By the way, if all three lamps of transmission modes are flashing, then do not rush to repair the transfer case. Most likely, it's either wiring, or ESP failures, or ignition system failures. There are no buggy sensors or vacuum actuators here.
Manual transmissions are generally very sturdy. But the clutches fail, which wear out early, and the gearshift mechanism with weak traction. The second problem was eventually solved by cardinally strengthening the part. But the hydraulic clutch remained the same, not particularly resourceful and not very convenient. If you remove the restrictor jet from the drive, then it will be more convenient to use it. But the price of a hydraulic cylinder combined with a release bearing is still high. It is easy to damage it if the clutch is unsuccessfully installed, but the clutch itself is still weak and requires very careful handling. For most owners, it will have to be changed every 60-80 thousand kilometers. Rarely anyone manages to run more than 150 thousand on one set, and the risk is not justified: when the disc wears out, the basket breaks very easily, which entails additional costs. In addition, the operation of replacing the clutch is expensive and “traumatic”: if not removed carefully, it is easy to damage the wiring or something else. But otherwise, cars with manual transmission do not have any serious difficulties.
Pictured: Suzuki Grand Vitara "2012–present
With automatic transmission, too, special surprises can not be expected. Suzuki installed two Aisin automatic transmissions on the Grand Vitara, and the best Toyota series. With engines of 1.6, 2.0 and 2.4 liters, and sometimes with 2.7, a four-speed gearbox A44DE, aka AW03-72, worked. If you don’t remember this, then it was she who stood on the rear-wheel drive Previa and Mark II. And with engines of 2.7 and 3.2 liters for the American market, they began to install a more advanced five-speed TB-50LS / Aisin A750F. She is also a "Toyota" series, and she can also be found on the Lexus LX470, Toyota Tundra and many other cars from this manufacturer. All boxes are very strong and reliable, able to go more than the engine and the whole machine with good maintenance.
The four-speed gearbox is only threatened by overheating due to dirty radiators, extremely cruel treatment with a complete lack of maintenance, and runs far beyond 300. For very “racers”, an “early” (with runs from 200 thousand kilometers) failure of the gas turbine engine blocking pads is possible. Then you can wait for the failure of the GDT bushing, its oil seal and oil leakage.
A reliable valve body, reliable electronics and a durable mechanical part leave practically no chance of breaking this harsh unit without the help of "smart" servicemen or by personal efforts. If the box works, then most likely it will continue to work. It is enough to change the oil on time, and even if there are already jerks, you just need to flush the automatic transmission with the valve body removed, and it will go again. Surprising for today's vitality! True, fuel consumption and dynamics are no longer so encouraging.
The five-speed automatic transmission is just as indestructible, but with a run of more than 200 thousand kilometers, you will have to change the solenoids. By 250 thousand mileage, the gas turbine engine blocking linings wear out quite often. And the consequences of working with worn linings come earlier and are more expensive. In general, this is one of the most reliable five-speed transmissions, and also quite dynamic and modern.
Surprisingly, the Grand Vitara's gearboxes are the least of the transmission hassles. Much more troublesome other nodes.
Motors
The most running engines are in-line fours with a volume of 2 and 2.4 liters. Less common are 1.6-liter engines, the old Suzuki V6 2.7-liters were installed only on American cars, but with a 3.2-liter engine from GM (the same as on the Chevrolet Captiva), the car was delivered to us officially for some time . Diesel engines were also not officially delivered to us, but cars with a Renault 1.9 engine are still found. All engines are good, although Suzuki's inline-fours are prone to oil appetite, and the 2008 2.4L engines also had problems with a cylinder block that leaked right through the wall. And since modern engines are made from obscure waste by stamping aluminum cola cans, it turned out to be almost impossible to brew or somehow fix this problem outside the factory. However, more on that below.
Common problems of all motors are related to the design of the cooling system. Radiators are frankly weak, often flowing at the junction of plastic and aluminum parts, and the expansion tank cap does not release excessive pressure.
A common problem with 1.6 liter and 2.0 liter engines is the passage of gases through the cylinder head gasket. And this also does not contribute to the long and normal life of the cooling system.
Catalysts and a weak exhaust system are another common "trouble" for all Suzuki and GM engines. The catalyst resource is usually less than 200 thousand mileage, and the exhaust system often does not live up to hundreds of thousands of mileage without loss. Of course, cars that go into the mud and off-road suffer first of all, but even in a car with a purely urban operating mode, the exhaust system looks completely unpresentable already in the fifth or sixth year of service.
Oil leaks due to a very simple crankcase ventilation system and not the best oil seals on inline fours are also a common problem, the weakness of the crankshaft rear oil seal is especially annoying, for the replacement of which you will have to remove the gearbox.
In the photo: Under the hood of Suzuki Grand Vitara 3-door "2008–12 The 2 liter petrol engine is the most common. The design of its very respectable age: the j20a / JB420A series was installed on the previous generation of the model. This motor is 16-valve, with a timing chain drive and is quite reliable. True, his character is not very suitable for a heavy machine. Despite the presence of a phase shifter on the intake shaft, there is not enough thrust at low speeds, but the “tops” are quite lively. The resource of the piston group is quite decent, about 250-300 thousand mileage before overhaul. But this is if you do not allow excessive loss of oil through valve seals and leaks. It does not tolerate a low oil level, it turns off the liners with a guarantee, damaging the crankshaft and block yokes.
Runners prefer thicker oil, at least SAE40. The pressure on engines with runs above one and a half hundred may no longer be enough, and this leads to accelerated wear of the crankshaft liners.
Valve stem seals and seals are a sore point, they will have to be changed quite often. Already after hundreds of thousands of runs, it is recommended to replace the caps so that the piston rings do not coke. At the same time, it is worth cleaning the intake manifold, it is also very dirty.
Pictured: Suzuki Grand Vitara 5-door "2005–08 On a run of 200 thousand, a complete revision of the engine is recommended, and the piston group may still be in excellent condition, but the cylinder head will almost certainly require serious repairs. Fortunately, the motor is very maintainable. There are repair sizes for almost all wear parts, and spare parts do not cost space money. And two repair sizes of pistons are just a holiday at the present time, although they are rarely needed. In a good scenario, you can get by with repairing the cylinder head and replacing the liners, and the piston group will withstand another hundred to one and a half thousand mileage.
Timing chain 2.0 lower
original price
2 668 rubles
The timing chain resource cannot be called gigantic, but it usually takes care of 120-150 thousand, which is a good indicator by now. The main thing is that early breakthroughs of the chain can not be feared. Although cases of the appearance of extraneous noise in the timing with runs of less than a hundred thousand still occur, they do not always end with the replacement of the chain and tensioners.
Ignition modules and spark plugs require constant attention. Otherwise, the consumption increases, and the dynamics drops sharply. Weak spark plug tips need annual maintenance, and spark plugs need to be replaced. Moreover, the motor is sometimes able to “eat up” the iridium Denso, which for some reason are assigned to it according to the passport. This is especially true for engines that are operated on 92nd gasoline. So checking and replacing candles every 30 thousand kilometers is highly recommended. It’s also not necessary to go broke for “platinum” or iridium, ordinary NGKs work just as well.
The engine mounts also do not differ in excessive reliability; with an increase in the level of vibrations, they must be checked. There is a possibility that the motor is already just lying on rubber cushions.
The 2.4 liter engine is very similar to the "little brother", but has several features. Firstly, the block is new, and it is not cast, but stamped from recycled aluminum. And until 2008, the robot at the factory pulled the cylinder head studs. It would seem, what is the connection? It's simple: the material turned out to be weak, the block began to flow over time. A typical problem is an antifreeze leak from the cooling jacket under the exhaust manifold. Less common is a leak into the oil. It will not be possible to weld a crack exactly, extruded aluminum does not hold welding, and such procedures are not recommended due to thermal deformation. Reaming and putting a patch from “cold welding”, as is done on cast-iron blocks, will also fail: the block is weak and the vibrations will quickly loosen the patch. Usually the block is simply replaced. Moreover, the shot block assembly is changing. It was this operation that was done with all warranty cars, but there was no revocable company, so you can meet a car with a “leak on board”.
Another nuance is the lack of repair dimensions of the piston group. This is not a critical problem, because the pistons are cheap, and the liners can be removed with liquid nitrogen and replaced. And the materials are quite strong, the resource of the piston group during normal operation is more than 300 thousand kilometers. The crankshaft has one repair size, but the cylinder head must also be replaced when worn. However, there are always options. In general, the motor is also quite successful, and even pleases with a higher thrust, which is so lacking in a heavy machine. But his character is again, torsional, high-speed.
The small 1.6-liter engine on the three-door JB416 is in many ways similar to its two-liter counterpart. It is not considered particularly problematic, but at age it also begins to suffer from oily appetite, which can lead to serious damage.
V6 engines fit the car much better. Both the native Suzuki 2.7 J27 and the GM 3.2, which here received the “name” JB 632. But they are too rare. I have already written about GM motors and will not repeat myself. In short, it has a very successful design, but the timing resource is small and it is very demanding on the operation of the cooling system.
Suzuki's V6 is a little more troublesome. Firstly, the timing chain resource is far from unlimited here, but when noise appears on the right cylinder head, it is immediately worth changing the entire timing kit, it is prone to jumping, as a result of which the valves on one of the cylinder heads bend, and on the second they work normally, so the timing mechanism is already arranged. Usually the consequences are even worse than when the circuit breaks. The motor continues to run, tearing off valve heads and grinding pistons and cylinders. There will be nothing left to repair. Of the pluses - the presence of repair dimensions and a common resource. But with spare parts, everything is quite complicated, such machines were not supplied to us, and there are not many of them in Japan. However, about the features of contract motors a whole paragraph below.
For most Japanese cars, you can easily purchase contract units from Japan. This means guaranteed high quality and not a high price for motors. But in Suzuki's case, something went wrong. Motors of 2.0, 2.4 and 2.7 liters are difficult to purchase inexpensively. Prices even beyond the Urals start at 80 thousand rubles for the JB420A, and the V6 is even more expensive. You will have to repair the motor, but only if there is something to repair there. In addition, a fairly large number of versions of the block and piston group will cause a lot of trouble. The lack of mounting holes in the block and a completely different cylinder head can be an unpleasant surprise for those who replace the power unit assembly. In general, in terms of parts, Suzuki is not a typical Japanese car. Maybe this is a view from the European part of Russia, but everything is different with you? Are there specialists who can pick up the right node and sellers who sell it for a penny? Maybe so. But to warn future owners about this "nuance" is definitely worth it.
In the photo: Under the hood of Suzuki Grand Vitara 5-door "2008–12 Renault diesel engines are rare, but a few reviews indicate that they proved to be very mediocre, if not worse.
Pictured: Suzuki Grand Vitara 3-door "2005–08 Summary
Suzuki Grand Vitara is very interesting from a technical point of view. Indeed, under a typical crossover appearance, a real “rogue” is hiding. Only now, its capabilities will still not be used to its fullest, because they buy it precisely as a crossover. And in this incarnation, he is not very strong. It rides hard, it manages mediocrely, and you don’t have to nod to all-wheel drive, it just doesn’t contribute to good handling. Vitara eats a lot of fuel and is much more difficult to maintain than a typical crossover with a motor "across" and a clutch in the rear wheel drive.
Pictured: Suzuki Grand Vitara 5-door "2012–present True, Suzuki tried very hard to make it strong. The Grand Vitara has very good engines, excellent automatic transmissions and a strong body that can withstand tough off-road use. But the old joke comes to mind: “Mom, why do we need all these bells and whistles in the zoo”? That's what I don't understand. But if you are looking for a serious car for serious tasks, then consider this car. With a little preparation, it will outdo many larger and heavier players, and at the same time it will be much more convenient in everyday use.
From the history of the model
- On the conveyor: from 2005 to 2014
- Body: 3- or 5-door station wagon
- Russian range of engines: petrol, Р4, 1.6 (106 hp), 2.0 (140 hp), 2.4 (169 hp); V6, 3.2 (233 HP)
- Gearboxes: M5, A4, A5
- Drive unit: full
- Restyling: 2008 - new engines 2.4 and 3.2 became available; modified front bumper, fenders and grille; turn signal repeaters were transferred to the exterior rear-view mirrors, and a multifunction display was built into the dashboard. 2012 - redesigned wheels, front bumper and grille
- Crash tests: 2007, EuroNCAP; protection of the driver and adult passengers - four stars (30 points); protection of child passengers - three stars (27 points); pedestrian protection - three stars (19 points)
Sealing rubber bands on the doors quickly wipe the paintwork at the points of contact with the openings. And the seal on the trunk opening leaves a mark on the inner door panel.
Grand Vitara is a popular car. But, despite this fact and the need of the spare parts market for used body parts, it does not attract the attention of car thieves. With one exception: practically on an industrial scale, they steal the spare wheel cover on the tailgate. A new casing costs 25,000 rubles, and another five thousand will have to be paid extra if you want Suzuki to be on it.
The long life of the car on the conveyor was blossomed by two restyling. However, both did not bring significant changes to the design: technically, the cars of the last years of production are almost identical to the ten-year-old specimens. The old horse will not spoil the furrow!
Along with the most common five-door version, there is also a shortened three-door. Its version with a 1.6 engine, only a manual gearbox and a truncated transmission is in some demand - without a locking center differential and a reduced range of gears in the transfer case. Other modifications - with a full-fledged off-road transmission.
- With age, a slight sagging tailgate is inevitable due to the heavy spare tire. The issue is resolved with a minor adjustment.
- The optics do not cause trouble: they do not fog up and do not melt. An exception is a modification with xenon dipped beam, which is equipped with a mandatory headlight washer system. Her motor is at the very bottom of the tank, located behind the front bumper, and is not covered by anything. Two or three years are enough for its terminals coming out of the case to rot due to road dirt. The motor costs 6000 rubles.
- Engineers obviously miscalculated, making the honeycombs of engine and air conditioner radiators too small. The gap between them is quickly overgrown with a mud coat that interferes with cooling. It is the engine that sounds the alarm first (especially versions 2.4 and 3.2), the arrow of the antifreeze temperature gauge goes into the red zone. Servicemen recommend flushing radiators at least once every two years. To do this, they need to be dismantled.
- At the location of the underhood power fuse box, on the right in the compartment, moisture constantly accumulates. On every fifth car at the age of seven to ten years, this leads to serious decay of internal contacts. The disease can be seen: the block is transparent. But it is non-separable, so you need to change it as an assembly. Usually, due to oxidized contacts, there are problems with the transfer case. On the panel, the signal illumination of the all-wheel drive systems lights up and the modes stop switching.
