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Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Toyota RAV4

42 messages,  Last post on Sep 30, 2007 at 1:07 AM

You are in the Suzuki Grand Vitara/Vitara Forum.

What is this discussion about? Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota RAV4, SUV

Messages Page 3 of 5

#13 of 42 Grand Vitara The Best Suv in it's class! by leclerc

Apr 06, 2006 (8:53 am)

Well you have all seen the Grand Vitara now so what is the problem? For the money you are getting the best there is out there.The Grand Vitatra was voted the best Suv under $40,000 by TSN'S Motoring, And Voted Best New SUV by AJAC and Canadian Driver says it is a must see for anyone considering a compact SUV. So check them out you will be pleasantly surprised!

#14 of 42 Re: Grand Vitara The Best Suv in it's class! [leclerc] by petl

Apr 06, 2006 (11:25 am)

Replying to: leclerc (Apr 06, 2006 8:53 am)
Information on how the AJAC awards works. It only includes new vehicles (not all vehicles available in each class). Also, since the 2006 RAV had not been released yet, it was not included in the evaluation process. I'm sure the Grand Vitara is a good vehicle, but it was not compared to or evaluated against every vehicle available in its class. Therefore, the process is flawed and a little misleading.

#15 of 42 Re: Grand Vitara The Best Suv in it's class! [petl] by alrod

Jun 07, 2006 (2:33 pm)

Replying to: petl (Apr 06, 2006 11:25 am)
Drove the Rav4 and bought the Suzuki Grand Vitara. I like the styling much better. I went with the leather seats, sunroof, 4WD and basically maxed the car out. The quality on the Toyota is a little better, but this puppy is a little bigger and is just a lot more fun. HUGE improvements over previous years models which kept Suzuki off my shopping list before.

#16 of 42 Re: Grand Vitara The Best Suv in it's class! [alrod] by campdrafty

Jun 08, 2006 (10:14 am)

Replying to: alrod (Jun 07, 2006 2:33 pm)
Glad to see your post. We're going to start test driving vehicles - chiefly the new Grand Vitara and the new Rav. Have previously owned a '95 Sidekick and currently own a '00 Grand Vitara. Both Suzuki vehicles have proven extremely reliable and functional - great to drive both in the city and offroad (have a camp in the mountains). Love the new GV design, both inside and outside. Not crazy at all about the Rav's interior or exterior, but am test driving the vehicle based on reports on Toyota's quality. I hope to stay with Suzuki because of our past experience!

#17 of 42 Re: Grand Vitara The Best Suv in it's class! [alrod] by xostnot

Jun 08, 2006 (10:15 am)

Replying to: alrod (Jun 07, 2006 2:33 pm)
We like to hear that! (Surely the Rav4 has more cargo room, though.) If you want to stir up trouble, just post your choice on a Rav4 discussion site.

#18 of 42 Re: Grand Vitara The Best Suv in it's class! [xostnot] by campdrafty

Jun 08, 2006 (11:18 am)

Replying to: xostnot (Jun 08, 2006 10:15 am)
lol!!! I thought about that! I know that most Toyota owners are extremely loyal to their brand too. Still, when my husband and I visited the car show here in Pgh when it came to town, we checked out both the GV and the Rav. The GV looked great and felt very comfortable inside. We didn't get a good feeling at all inside the Rav - felt "cramped".
Question - and sorry if I've missed a previous post about this - we've been reading a lot on edmunds about both vehicles - does anyone know what the engine size will be in the '07 GVs? My '00 GV is a 2.5l engine (I think), and the new ones are 2.7l. I've never had a problem with the engine size in my current gv, but it seems to be a serious topic among new gv owners. Any answers appreciated.
Thanks!

#19 of 42 Re: Grand Vitara The Best Suv in it's class! [campdrafty] by xostnot

Jun 08, 2006 (3:36 pm)

Replying to: campdrafty (Jun 08, 2006 11:18 am)
The horsepower race fans are hoping Suzuki puts the XL7's 3.6L V6 in the GV for '07. Others are hoping Suzuki makes available the diesel available in it outside North America. My guess is they will stay with the 2.7, which has been used in the >06 XL-7. Outside the insiders, no one really seems to know yet.

#20 of 42 thoughts by avrguy73

Jun 13, 2006 (5:50 pm)

There is no way that the suzuki is bigger. The Suzuki looks small and low. And it is.

#21 of 42 Re: thoughts [avrguy73] by campdrafty

Jun 13, 2006 (7:29 pm)

Replying to: avrguy73 (Jun 13, 2006 5:50 pm)
Actually, they're now somewhat similar. Did a comparison on Edmunds:
 
Height on Suzuki - 66.7 in.
Height on Rav - 66.3 in.
 
Length on Suzuki - 176 in.
Length on Rav - 181.1 in.
 
Width on Suzuki - 71.3 in.
Width on Rav - 71.5 in.
 
Ground clearance on Suzuki - 7.9 in.
Ground clearance on Rav - 7.5 in.
 
Given all these similar dimensions, it is amazing that the Rav has a much bigger cargo capacity. It is longer, though, and their seats do fold down better.

#22 of 42 Mileage and the Rav4 by xostnot

Jul 04, 2006 (12:25 am)

The '06 GV has really been taking in on the chin for poor mileage and a crude V6 from many corners, especially Rav4 fans. The epa rating for the GV is 30mpg CDN, while the V6 Rav4 is rated at 36mpg.
 
Well, the other day I was driving on a flat, straight road, with no traffic to draft, and no wind. I waited until I was holding the speed steady, with the mileage indicator varying by no more than plus or minus .1 l/100km. At 110 kph, the GV was getting 9.8 l/100km, and at 100kph it was getting 9.0 l/100km. So I was thinking that the epa rating probably is for more like a simulated speed of 80kph, not 100. I slowed to 80, waited for the throttle to settle out, and checked the reading. 8 l/100km. That's 36mpg using the Canadian/Imperial gallon. It would be 15% less for the US gallon.
 
It has just over 5000 km on it now. When it had 200km on it, driving at 110kph, on flat and level, with no wind, but in winter and with the roof rack crossbars and 5 pairs of skis on the rack, and the tires underinflated, it settled at 11.8 l/100km.
 
So it appears to me that these results are consistent, and better than the epa rating now that it's nominally broken in, in warm air, with nothing on the roof, and with the tires inflated to the spec 32lb. pressure.
 
AND, if this turns out to be typical, then it means all the criticism the GV has been getting, much of it credited to a crude engine, is simply wrong. And given the GV is always in AWD, it means it's actually doing better than Toyota's much-vaunted sophisticated engine and superior engineering.
 
This is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Messages Page 3 of 5

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