Suzuki Grand Vitara I FT/GT (1998–2005)

From Vitara to Grand Vitara

The original Vitara arrived in 1988, with a long five-door from 1990. Its successor was larger, with the five-door moving up into the compact SUV class, and was at first sold in many markets only with engines of two litres and more, while the old Vitara continued with smaller units. The extra "Grand" marked that step up.

The construction stayed traditional. Like its predecessor, the new car used a separate ladder frame and four-wheel drive that the driver engages when needed. One notable change was the steering: Suzuki replaced the earlier recirculating-ball box with a lighter rack-and-pinion system. Mazda sold a rebadged version in Japan as the Proceed Levante until 2000, and North American buyers knew the same vehicle as the Chevrolet Tracker. In Japan it kept the Escudo name.

The Suzuki Grand Vitara overview follows the nameplate on to the JT of 2005, which switched to permanent four-wheel drive and a body with an integrated ladder frame. The model's place in the brand's story is covered in our history of Suzuki.

Body styles and plants

Three bodies were built on two wheelbases:

• Three-door: 2,200 mm (86.6 in) wheelbase; in Germany first sold with the 2.0 petrol from 1998, later with the 1.6 and the diesel.
• Five-door: 2,480 mm (97.6 in) wheelbase; early German versions had the 2.5 V6 or the 2.0 TD, and the 2.0 petrol joined in 2002.
• Soft-top: a short two-door convertible; ADAC lists it as the Grand Vitara Cabrio (GT) for 1999 to 2002, and Wikipedia states that soft-tops were made in North America.

European cars came from Suzuki's Iwata plant in Shizuoka. North American Vitaras were built by CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario, and the model was also assembled in Indonesia, Argentina and Ecuador. In the UK, a 1.6-litre GV1600 arrived in early 2001 as a cheaper entry point.

Engines and four-wheel drive

European buyers had five engine families over the model's life. Gearboxes were a five-speed manual or a four-speed Aisin automatic.

Performance was modest by modern standards. ADAC lists the 2.0 five-door manual at 12.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, 160 km/h (99 mph) and 9.3 L/100 km (30.4 mpg UK) on the NEDC cycle. The 109 PS diesel is slower at 13.9 seconds but uses 7.3 L/100 km (38.7 mpg UK). The 158 PS V6 automatic reaches 170 km/h (106 mph) and 0–100 km/h in 12.4 seconds, at a cost of 10.9 L/100 km (25.9 mpg UK). The 1.6 three-door needs 14.3 seconds and tops out at 150 km/h (93 mph).

The four-wheel drive is part-time and switched in by the driver. A part-time system has no centre differential, so four-wheel drive is meant for loose or slippery surfaces; this is the main mechanical difference from the permanent system of the later JT. Suspension uses coil springs front and rear, with disc brakes at the front and drums at the back.

Dimensions and capacities

The table shows a German-market 2.0 Comfort five-door from 2002–2005, with the three-door 1.6 for comparison in the last rows. Wikipedia quotes shorter lengths, 3,810 mm for the three-door and 4,090–4,155 mm for the five-door, possibly because European cars carry the spare wheel on the tailgate.

The three-door 1.6 weighs only 1,245 kg (2,745 lb). Its smaller 56 L (12.3 UK gal) tank and 1,600 kg (3,527 lb) braked towing limit also set it apart from the five-door.

The XL-7 and later updates

The biggest addition came in September 2001: the Grand Vitara XL-7, a stretched seven-seater about 4.70 m (185.0 in) long. It sat on a longer wheelbase and used an all-aluminium 2.7 V6 that was not offered in the other versions. Sold as the XL-7 in North America and as the Grand Vitara XL-7 in Europe and Australia, it was the most powerful car in the range. In April 2003 it received a new front end and an uprated 135 kW (184 PS) engine. ADAC files it as a separate series, HT, which shows how far it moved from the standard wagon.

The rest of the range was updated in stages. Wikipedia lists facelifts in 2000, 2002 and 2004, and German sources describe a model update for September 2001. The practical changes for European buyers were mainly mechanical: the common-rail 80 kW (109 PS) diesel replaced the older 64 kW unit, the 1.6 opened the range from late 2001, and in August 2004 the 2.5 V6 rose to 116 kW (158 PS) with an automatic gearbox.

Safety: IIHS tests and equipment

No Euro NCAP result for the first Grand Vitara was found. The US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested the four-door, and its ratings apply to 1999–2004 models:

• Moderate overlap front: Acceptable, based on a 1999 Grand Vitara JLX four-door.
• Side impact: Poor, based on a 2003 four-wheel-drive four-door without side airbags, which the IIHS notes were not available.

In Germany, ADAC lists driver and passenger airbags, ABS and Isofix as standard on the 2002–2005 2.0 Comfort. ADAC lists no stability control, so the car demands care on loose or wet surfaces, as any tall, short-wheelbase off-roader does.

Buying a first-generation Grand Vitara today

The youngest cars are now about 20 years old, and no TÜV or ADAC breakdown data for this generation was found. Condition matters more than the model's reputation, so these sourced points are a starting list:

• Diesel recall: ADAC records a May 2006 recall for a loose connection on the glow-plug relay of diesels built from 2000 to 2004, covering 3,595 vehicles worldwide. Check that it was done.
• Side protection: no version had side airbags, which explains the Poor IIHS side rating.
• Towing: the five-door is rated at 1,850 kg (4,079 lb) braked, so check the clutch and transfer box on cars that have pulled caravans or trailers.
• Engine choice: the 2.0 petrol was the core engine of the range; the V6 uses the most fuel, and the 109 PS diesel is the most economical on paper.

When new, ADAC listed the 2.0 Comfort five-door at EUR 22,900 for the 2002–2005 model period, while the three-door 1.6 started at EUR 17,850 in late 2001. Suzuki offered a three-year or 100,000 km warranty at the time, with six years against rust perforation.

For other used options, browse Japanese SUVs, the diesel SUV list or the Suzuki model range.