Friday, October 16, 1998 —- North Shore News -— 35 FORMERLY the Sidekick, the 1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara has a standard V6 engine, part-time, shift-on-the-ily 4WD, four wheel anti-lock brakes, and a five passenger interior. Prices start at $22,995. Check out the Vitara at North Vancouver Suzuki, 1695 Mazine Drive in North Vancouver. THE 1999 Suzuki Vitara and Grand Vitara replace the 10-year-old Suzuki Sidekick which, when it first appeared in 1988, was the first of 2 new generation of com- fortable, easy-to-drive small sport-utility vehi- cles. Like the Sidekick, the Vitara is offered in tvo body styles, evo-door convertible and four-door hardtop, and comes with cither a 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. Both the Vitara and its equiva- lent, the Chevrolet Tracker, are built in Ingersoll, Cntario at a joint GM/Suzuki CAMI plant. Grand Vitaras, however, come only as a four-door hard- top with an all-new 2.5-litre V6 engine. The V6-powered Grand Vitara is exclusive to Suzuki, and is built in Iwata, Japaia. Unlike most of today’s car- based, all-wheel-drive sport- utility vehicles, the Vitara and Grand Vitara have a truck-like ladder type frame, and a part- time, shift-on-the-fly four- wheel-drive system with a two speed transter case that includes Low Range. In addi- tion, they now offer automati- cally locking and untocking, front hubs. At the Grand Vitara’s intro- duction last August, Suzuki's National Advertising Manager, Mike Kurnik, ventured that its traditional body-on-frame design and Low Range gear is an advantage over its competi- tion. “The key to any recreation- al sport-utility is ite ability to handle extreme traction condi- tions,” he said. “When the going gets really tough, you need the extra pulling power of a Low Range gear set. Neither Honda’s CR-V nor Toyota’s RAV4 feature 2 two-speed transter case — not even as an option.” (Kurnik didn't mention that the Jeep YJ has these fea- tures, but perhaps he doesn’t see it as. a competitor.) Low Range gear is most useful when climbing or descending very steep and slip- pery grades. In particular, it allows 4WD vehicles to descend steep grades without use of the brakes which, if applied, can cause the vehicle to slide and lose direccional sta- bility. In other words, Low Range is necessary for serious of-roaders, but not really nec- essary for general on and off road use. ‘The Grand Vitara’s new 2.5-litre DOHC 24 valve V6 engine delivers 155 horsepow- er and 160 ft.-Ibs. of torque. It provides superior acceleration to fast year’s four-cylinder engine, but its main advantage is haw smooth and quiet it is when compared with four- evlinder engines. It also pro- vides a heftier towing capacity of 680 kg (1500 Ib.) However, fuel consumption is rather thirsty, averaging, Base price: $22,995 Type: four-door, five-passenger small sport utility Layout: longitudinal troat engine/RWD/4WD Engine: 2.5-litre V6, DOHC, 24 valve about 11.01/100 km (36 mp.g.). Nene of the Grand Vitara’s competitors, except Jeep, is available with an optional six-cylinder engine Both the Vitara and Grand Vitara have 2 new five-link rear suspension which, when com- bined with its solid rear axle, provides improved wheel con- trol and a better ride while maintaining truck-tike derabili- ty. During my on and off-road testing, I found the Grand Vitara to be easy-to-drive, and versatile on all types of sur- faces. Its new body and chassis are much stiffer, in part due to a suspension brace berween the strut towers under the hood. My overall impression is that the new Grand Vitara is a bet- ter-quality vehicle than its pre- decessors. Four-door Vitaras and Grand Vitaras now seat five passengers rather than four, and both front and rear seats recline. Kear seats now have height-adjustable head restraints and outboard posi- tions have three-point seat- belts. The redesigned interior offers more storage space, a console angled tawards the dri- ver, and new heating and ven- tilation controls near the top of the center stack. The standard AM/FM /eassette player and radio has very small, hard-to- Technical data Transmission: five-speed manual (fouz-speed Range Fuel consumption: City automatic); two-speed transfer case with Low — 12.31/100 km (23 m.p.g.3 Hwy — 9.7 1/106 km (29 n.p.g.) see buttons, but the sound is great. To increase cargo space, the split folding rear seatbacks fold tat For access to the cargo area, the rear hatch door opens sideways. My pet peeve is the power door fock system. One turn of the key in the door tock locks all the doors, buta turn the other way unlocks only the dri- ver’s door. Grand Vitara’s are offered in two trim levels, JX and JLLX. For a base price of $22,995, the JX includes stan- dard power steering, duai airbags, ABS, AM/FM /cas- sette player with four speakers, digiral clock, split folding rear seatbacks, power windows and power door locks, two 12 volt outlets, tachometer, variable intermittent wipers, rear wash- er/wiper and P2235 /60R- l6inch tres and a full-size rear- mounted spare tire. For $26,195, JLX models add air conditioning, crvis control, CD player (instead of cassette), and alley wheels. An automatic iransinission is an extra $1500. The Grand Vitara is good value when compared to other vehicles in its class most of which have less horsepower, smaller four-cylinder engines, and a higher price tag. Get a brain when in the rain ONE of the many things I like about Vancouver is the way the rain hits hard around this time of year and stays until May or June. That, coupled with the fact that bonehead drivers run rampant here on the West Coast, is a great source of inspiration for a traffic columnist. Driving conditions change quite dramatically during the raiay months. Visibility is reduced, the roads are slick and pools of water gavher just about any- where that gravity sees fit. Heavy rain, tog, mist and the carly onset of night Shaun Conlin signals affect any given motorist’s ability to sce necessary sights properly. Reducing speed in adverse conditions is the first, best, defensive driving practice. Slowing gives one a little bit more time to assess and anticipate traffic and its haz- ards. It’s important to look well ahead into traffic in all weather conditions, but more: important through the long dreary SAD season(s). Using, on-road foresight enables a driver to anticipate any porential hazard or blockage on the road ahead. “Hazard,” for lack of 3 bet- ter word, describes anything (or things) that can or will inhibit the smooth fow of traffic. Some pretty simple advice: If you can see 10 blocks down the strect, LOOK 10 blocks down the street. Find out what’s going down yonder before you're in the thick of it. Keeping an eve on your See Looking page 37 ce wT...