2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara Trekka review from Australia and New Zealand

Nothing - Touch Wood!

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!