Subtle touch-ups
The 2009 Grand Vitara's style has only been lightly refreshed. The most obvious differences reside in the grille and wheel designs, as well as the slight modification of the central dash board (the stereo system and air conditioning controls) and the steering wheel (cruise control and audio buttons).

It also sports new, extendable sun visors, a welcome improvement considering the generous window real estate. What's more, the JLX and JLX-L models have inherited a new 8-speaker sound system that turns out a worthy performance.

Obviously, it has kept its large rear door that accesses the cargo area. The door opens from left to right (towards the sidewalk) and requires nearly the equivalent of the car's width to open fully, which is quite a bit.

The cargo area is accessed through the large rear door, which opens from left to right.

However, by electing to install the spare tire on the outside of the door, the automaker has increased the trunk's capacity. But plan on buying a lock (not included with the car) to secure the tire cover made of synthetic material, or it might get nicked!

The trunk is spacious, but not as much as that of the CR-V or RAV4. With the folding rear seat in its upright position, there is 25% less cargo space in the Grand Vitara. Folded down, the difference drops to 5%. This is due to the Suzuki's shorter overall length (447 cm compared to 452 for the CR-V and 460 for the RAV4).

Price drop--or is it increase?
The 2009 Grand Vitara remains an attractive option, especially with the 4-cylinder mill: the more fuel-efficient engine enabled Suzuki to drop the base price to $25,995, $3,750 less than the 2008 Grand Vitara. Of course, that one sported a V6. To get a V6 in 2009, you'll have to shell out a minimum of $31,695, $1,950 more than last year. That said, with a comparable level of equipment, it's still cheaper than a Honda CR-V EX ($32,690) or a Toyota RAV4 Limited V6 ($33,890).

Truly, an old friend that hasn't changed.


Photo Credit : Luc Gagné