Grand Vitara is fully up to date with clean, modern styling inside and out, and a surprising amount of cabin space. Thank generous increases over the 1999-2005 version of six inches in wheelbase and 11 inches in overall length. That contributes to a six-inch gain in rear-seat leg room, creating enough space for two adults to ride comfortably, another standout attribute in this class. It's stoutly built and the quality of the cabin's materials and assembly wouldn't be out of place in a more-expensive midsize SUV.

Sadly, acceleration from the 185-hp V6 and 5-speed automatic transmission disappoints. The milquetoast progress is further blunted with four adults aboard. We'd hoped for a little more oomph. On the positive side, our test AWD Luxury model has been mechanically trouble-free, and we're averaging 18.8 mpg, about midpack for V6 4WD compact SUVs we've tested.

Suzuki isn't the first brand that pops to mind when most people consider an SUV. But prices are attractive, and, based on our extended-use-test experience so far, shoppers in this category should at least consider following Grand Vitara's lead and stray from the beaten compact SUV path.

Editors' Comments

Tom Appel: What a nice small truck. Responsive steering, decent handling. Like the Grand Vitara before it, the newest Suzuki ute wants for power in passing and merging situations, but is completely up to the task of daily around-town work. The interior looks upscale, too. Shopping small SUV? Grand Vitara is worth a look.

Damon Bell: The Grand Vitara is competent, but trails class leaders such as Honda CR-V in refinement. Our top-of-the-line Grand Vitara Luxury stickers at close to $1,000 less than a comparable CR-V, but I would still shop the Honda first.

Rick Cotta: Suzuki hasn't been a major player in the SUV game of late, but the new Grand Vitara may change that. And it should. There's little to fault and a lot to like. Its host of safety features are all standard, and pricing is reasonable. If the new Grand Vitara proves reliable--something our extended-use test should help determine--Suzuki finally has a strong competitor.