Faults:

Starter motor failure while on holiday, requiring towage, repair and return home in a rental vehicle.

The auto-electrician was disparaging about the engine (a Renault), and recommended getting rid of the vehicle before it had done another 50,000 km.

Otherwise no problems.

General Comments:

I bought this on an impulse - I live rurally and thought a 4WD would be a good idea. Cost me $24k second hand from a dealer - two years old.

Not a terribly refined vehicle in diesel form, but an honest worker. Does the basics well.

Good economy - overall 35 mpg, 40 mpg on a long run. Economy gauge was in km/l, not l/100km as is the norm.

Moderately noisy engine, quite peppy - 300 Nm from a 1.9 turbo diesel, which is more than some of the old 3 litre Prado diesels.

Handling was reasonably good, but being a high ride (which I enjoyed), there was always a reluctance to take corners too quickly.

I would have loved cruise control for long journeys, but this is not available in the diesel Vitaras.

I took it off-road out on a farm with some steep hills, and it coped well with five people aboard.

A good looking vehicle in my opinion. After the starter motor failure, I sold it privately for $18k and bought a 1995 Lexus LS400, which because of its low purchase price (less than $8k) will be cheaper to own than the Vitara (which needs road user charges and more expensive maintenance).

Faults:

The clutch feels like it's slipping more than it used to, but still perfectly drivable, even in deep sand.

Makes a weird noise when down shifting into second gear sometimes.

The trim where the soft top attaches was broken when I bought it, due to mistreatment by the previous family.

General Comments:

I originally learned to drive on a 1991 Vitara, and wasn't expecting to get another due to wanting a convertible with lots of features, but it was quite simply the best choice for the money.

Since it's four-wheel, I can show up most of my friends larger more powerful customized beasts. Quite amazing how well this little car performs off-road (I've only done sand so far, but only the very steepest hills stop it, and that's because of my clearance while cresting, which I hope to fix soon).

With normal driving it's a bit under powered, but this is easily fixed by down shifting and revving a bit higher than usual. Sure it's a bit hard on the engine, but I swear the little thing just loves you more when revved to 5,0000-6,000 for shifting. Highway passing becomes quite an art-form requiring planning and patience, really teaches you to know exactly what your vehicle is capable of.

I don't know exactly what kind of gas mileage I get, because I've never bothered to work it out, but on a long trip (~400km) with an equal mix of freeway and off-road driving, I only used half the tank (~20L), which was exceptional.

It's strange, but I prefer to drive this rather than my family's 2007 Mini Cooper S Parklane, mainly because of the transmission (mini is auto), but also because this car is just so much more comfortable to sit in and fun to drive.

Faults:

Nothing - Touch Wood!

General Comments:

This is an good value for money car. We bought one to replace my wife's old runabout and my old Suzuki Sierra. This vehicle is a good compromise between a large 4wd (IE Pajero etc) and a car. Very economical to run for a 4wd. We are averaging 10L/100km in a mix of probably 70% city and 30% highway driving with the 2L 4cyl engine. Granted it is not very quick off the mark, but remember it's a 4wd so its horses for courses really. It is very practical and offers excellent comfort on long intersate trips. The monocoque construction definitely lend itself to good handling around the bends, but at the cost of tightly sprung suspension. Build quality is excellent and doesn't seem to have too many design faults. The cabin plastics are a little hard though and mark easily.

The biggest let down has been the dealers. We bought ours over the phone from NSW to get the trekker pack which added about $3,500 worth of extras for nothing. We saved around $5,000 by shopping around using the phone. Not bad for 20mins work. However the dealer fitted cruise control which didn't work. Why? They fitted it to ours, a 4cyl version which doesn't have a CC kit available! You would have though they would know this, but they shipped the car to us anyway and made it our problem despite knowing it would never actually work! No excuse for this!

The second issue I have had recently is with our local dealer in QLD. We are servicing it under the severe operating conditions which drops the interval from 15,000km to 7,500km fir oil changes. We had the oil change done however the dealer didn't bother to change the filter despite performing a manufacturers service and the book clearly stating that the oil filter had to be replaced! I have never heard anything so ridiculous, but they though I was a real idiot for asking and then demanding they change it. $65 worth of oil, $70 worth of labour, but couldn't see the logic in changing a $20 filter!

Once again a good car let down by incompetent and down right rude dealers!! Suzuki should take note and take some responsibility, after all these are the people selling and servicing your product! They will make you look either good or bad so sort it out!