In back, there is sufficient legroom for adults; if three of them climb aboard, they'll obviously rub shoulders, but otherwise, they'll fit. The rear seatbacks are angle-adjustable, and the amount of cargo space is pretty good; a little less than in the Toyota and Honda, a little more than in the Ford and Mazda. The tailgate opens up sideways, which is fine in your parking lot but irritating when you're parallel-parked.

On the highway at 100 km/h, the 2.4-litre engine is spinning at 2,800 rpm, and the cabin actually seems quieter with the 4-cylinder than with the old V6.

In back, there is sufficient legroom for adults.

Competition
The compact SUV category is already a crowded battleground, and it's expected to grow even more in the next few years. The Suzuki Grand Vitara now starts at $25,995 for a manual-transmission JA model. This JX tester costs $27,995.

Here's a look at other compact SUVs with 4- or all-wheel drive and 4-cylinder engines:
Ford Escape XLT I4, 171 hp, $27,499
Honda CR-V LX, 166 hp, $29,790
Jeep Compass North, 172 hp, $23,127
Jeep Patriot North, 172 hp, $22,317
Kia Sportage LX Convenience (manual only), 140 hp, $25,895
Mazda Tribute GX-I4, 171 hp, $26,245
Mitsubishi Outlander ES 4WD, 168 hp, $26,998
Nissan Rogue S, 170 hp, $26,598
Subaru Forester 2.5X Touring, 170 hp, $29,095
Toyota RAV4 with B Package, 179 hp, $27,935
Volkswagen Tiguan Trendline 4MOTION, 200 hp, $30,975

Other rivals not listed above include the Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Nitro, Pontiac Torrent and Saturn Vue which don't offer 4-cylinder engines. An all-wheel drive Hyundai Tucson is only available with a V6. The Jeeps are bargains in comparison, but are among the smallest of the category and are less refined.

Conclusion
A lot of people who shop for a small SUV don't think of Suzuki, maybe because there are so few dealers, but they should. The Grand Vitara is a well-built vehicle that can rival the more popular models in that category.

As for the 4-cylinder model compared to last year's V6, it's delivers about the same performance, consumes a little less fuel, but is more refined than the thrashy old 2.7-litre. For daily duties such as getting the kids to day-care, bringing home the groceries and get through the winter months with confidence, the Grand Vitara is worth a good look.


Photo Credit : Matthieu Lambert