2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Affordable off-road fun
By Nina Russin

2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Compact sport-utility vehicles are easy to find. Compact SUVs with full-time four-wheel drive are not. Finding one priced under $20,000 is even tougher, since the four-wheel drive mechanism adds several thousand dollars to the starting price.

Unlike its all-wheel drive competitors, the Suzuki Grand Vitara has a four-mode four-wheel drive system with a two-speed transfer case, so the driver can use extremely low gears to navigate uneven trails. It also has a neutral mode for flat towing behind a recreational vehicle.

Priced at $19,349, the Grand Vitara is a well-equipped five passenger vehicle with standard antilock brakes, side curtain airbags, electronic stability program and a full-sized spare. The 2.7-liter V6 engine paired up with a five-speed manual transmission has plenty of power to perform well in urban traffic or on the open road.

The Grand Vitara is light as sport-utility vehicles go, making for a favorable power-to-weight ratio and good fuel economy. The low-compression engine runs just fine on 87 octane gas, and the seventeen gallon tank gives the Grand Vitara plenty of range between fill-ups.

Towing capacity is 3000 pounds: not enough to meet our ALV minimum standards, but capable of pulling a small trailer. Roof rails are standard equipment on all trim levels.

2008 upgrades

The current models debuted in 2006 for the 2007 model year. This year, Suzuki adds a remote fuel door release, a new climate control head unit and better sound deadening materials to reduce noise intrusion to the interior. In addition to the base model I drove, there are two upscale grades: the XSport and Luxury starting at $22,349 and $23,749 respectively.

Robust body structure is also pedestrian friendly

The Grand Vitara is a anybody vehicle with integrated ladder frame, giving it enough torsional rigidity to handle the jostling it will take off road. The four-wheel drive model has just under eight inches of ground clearance. Short front and rear overhangs give the Grand Vitara ample approach and departure angles: the truck can climb and descend steep grades without hitting the bumpers.

The four-mode four-wheel drive system includes an all-wheel drive setting that powers the rear axle for better fuel economy on paved roads. It transfers power to the front wheels as necessary to maintain traction in wet weather.

There are two off-road settings that utilize high and low-range gears, depending on the difficulty of the trail. Both engage the locking center differential to optimize traction at all four wheels.

The neutral setting keeps mileage off the odometer if the owner flat tows the car behind a recreational vehicle. The full-sized spare is mounted on the tailgate where it’s easy to get to, and protected by a hard tire case.

If there’s an accident involving a pedestrian, the Grand Vitara’s hood will absorb some of the impact to protect against head injuries. The front end and bumper are also designed to reduce the risk of leg injuries.

Versatile interior

The base model has most of the creature comforts buyers with active lifestyles look for. The test car is the Grand Vitara with no options. It comes with automatic climate control with filtration, an AM/FM/CD audio system that is pre-wired for XM, redundant steering wheel controls for cruise and audio functions, heated side mirrors, and plenty of cubbies around the passengers for storage. iPod owners can add an optional interface that displays playlists and songs on the instrument panel.

I found the manual seat adjustments to be adequate for maintaining a safe distance from the steering wheel, and adjusting the height so I could see well all the way around the car. A tilt steering wheel is standard.

There is enough hip and leg room for second row passengers to ride comfortably, though two will be more comfortable than three. Larger passengers may have a hard time getting into the back row, since the wheel arches intrude into the door openings.

Cupholders in the floor console and in back of the center console will hold large water bottles. All four doors have map pockets: the front doors also have molded bottle holders.
Both rows of passengers have overhead reading lamps.

There are two, twelve-volt power points up front, located to the right and left of the shift lever. The control knob for the four-mode four-wheel drive is at the base of the center stack. There is a button to disengage the electronic stability program during off-road driving, so the driver can spin the tires to break free of the occasional rut.

A bin in the center console will hold a stack of compact discs, a PDA or other small electronic devices. An overhead bin between the front reading lamps is holds a garage door opener or sunglasses. The glove box is big enough to hold a few items beyond the owner’s manual and registration papers.

Generous cargo area

I was able to fit a couple of large cartons in the cargo area with the second-row seats in place. There is also a small storage area behind the cargo floor. The tailgate is hinged to the side since the rear tire is mounted in back. As a smaller person, I liked the fact that I didn’t have to reach up to open or close the tailgate. The rear hatch is wide enough to make loading and unloading the back area easy.

The second-row seats fold forward to create a flat load floor. There are two release latches on either side of the second row seats. A lever on the top of the seatback folds it flat. A second fabric loop releases the seat bottom so it can fold forward. With the second-row seats folded out of the way, the Grand Vitara can easily hold a bicycle with the front wheel removed.

A viable car for urban commuters

Its small footprint makes the Grand Vitara a viable car for drivers who have to commute through urban traffic. The power rack-and-pinion steering makes the car easy to maneuver, and four-wheel independent suspension gives it a compliant ride. Despite the large D pillar, I found visibility around the car to be pretty good. A standard rear wiper keeps the glass clean in rainy or snowy weather.

The five-speed manual gearbox has a long-throw shifter which is typical of trucks. If I were to use the car on a daily basis, I would probably upgrade to the five-speed automatic transmission. The clutch isn’t particularly stiff, but it’s still a nuisance in thick traffic.

The standard front disc and rear drum brakes work fine in the dry weather of the southwest, but I’d prefer all-wheel discs were I living in an area with a lot of rain or snow. Drums tend to fill up with water in the rain. They don’t stop as evenly as discs, and when rust ridges build up inside the drums, they can be difficult to remove come time to replace the brake shoes.

Standard safety

Standard safety features on the Grand Vitara include front, side and side curtain airbags with rollover sensing, antilock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability program. All five seating positions are fitted with three-point seatbelts and headrests. As of 2008, all models come with a standard tire pressure monitoring system.

The Suzuki warranty is one of the best in the industry: it covers the car for seven years or up to 100,000 miles and is fully transferable. The Suzuki Grand Vitara is currently available for test drives at dealerships nationwide.

Likes: A versatile compact sport-utility vehicle with four-mode four-wheel drive, favorable fuel economy and a price within reach of many buyers. It’s small footprint makes the Grand Vitara a viable urban commuter, while the two-speed transfer case gives it true off-road capability.

Dislikes: Automatic transmission is an option on the base model. The rear wheel arches intrude into the rear door openings, making it harder for second-row passengers to enter and exit the car.

Quick facts:

Make: Suzuki
Model: Grand Vitara 4WD
Year: 2008
Base price: $19,349
As tested: $21,019
Horsepower: 185 Hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 184 lbs.-ft. @ 4500 rpm
Antilock brakes: Standard
Side curtain airbags: Standard
First aid kit: Not available
Bicycle friendly: Yes
Off-road: Yes
Towing: No
Comments: Base price does not include a $650 delivery charge.

2008 Cadillac CTS Sedan

Race-inspired sport sedan
By Nina Russin
 

2008 Cadillac CTS Sedan

Ten years ago, Cadillac was struggling to find ways of appealing to younger, more active buyers. Designers introduced a concept car called the Evoq, which became the basis for a new generation of sporty luxury cars. The first CTS, unveiled for the ‘92 model year, melded the Evoq’s crisp, geometric design with a high-performance chassis, tested against Europe’s best at Nurburgring.

The second-generation CTS expands on the original formula with a new direct-injection V6 engine that has more power and produces fewer hydrocarbon emissions than the one it replaces. The 2008 CTS is wider than the first-generation car due to the availability of all-wheel drive. Both manual and automatic transmissions have six gears: the 6L50 hydra-matic on the test car has a manual shift option.

The test car has two option packages: the first upgrades the standard audio system to Bose 5.1 surround sound, adds navigation with XM radio and real-time traffic updates, rain sensing wipers, a panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled front seats, and rear park assist. The second option package replaces the standard seventeen-inch wheels with eighteen-inch rims, adds sport suspension, a limited slip differential, and high-intensity discharge headlamps.

Styling as crisp as a freshly-pressed tuxedo

There’s nothing subtle about the CTS exterior, especially when it wears candy apple metal flake paint. A two-inch wider track gives the new model a more planted look, while the profile maintains the strong aerodynamic wedge shape of the original model. A Cadillac designer described the exterior of the original CTS as having the crisp lines of a freshly pressed tuxedo. It’s an apt description for the current model as well: a stand-out profile that doesn’t get lost in a crowd.

The grille and front fenders borrow design cues from Cadillac’s Sixteen concept car: a design study based on classic V16 Cadillacs. On the CTS, the V16 heritage appears as a vertical chrome grille, chromed side air vents, and vertical tail lamps.

The long hood, raked roof and short tail end give the CTS sedan a coupe-like profile. The interior follows suit with a driver-focused cockpit: a high-tech center stack with pop-up navigation screen, hand crafted white leather seats, and a panoramic sunroof. I’m not quite sure what “sapele pommele” wood is, but it certainly looks nice on the instrument panel and door trim.

Zero-to-sixty in a hurry

Nothing brings out the warm and fuzzy in me like a car that accelerates hard enough to melt blacktop. The CTS goes from zero-to-sixty in 5.9 seconds: not quite as fast as a Mercedes-Benz E55, but considerably more affordable. The new engine with the six-speed automatic transmission has a long, flat torque curve that pulls hard all the way up to red line.

Since the CTS begs to be driven at speed, I decided to open it up on the I-10 freeway between Phoenix and Tucson. The road is wide, flat and straight. Most drivers bury the pedal to save time: anything south of ninety is about the speed of traffic.

Although it isn’t an especially heavy car, the CTS feels solid at speed. The optional eighteen-inch rims and sport tires give the sedan a large, stable footprint. Stabilizer bars front and rear, and a new strut brace between the front shock towers minimize roll and enhance steering response. The sport suspension that comes with the all-season performance package includes monotube shocks: a limited slip differential hooks up the rear wheels during hard acceleration.

Fuel injectors direct gas into the engine cylinders rather than through the intake valves. The result is faster response, more efficient combustion, and fewer emissions, especially during engine warm-up. Variable valve timing maximizes power without sacrificing fuel economy. Best of all, the high compression engine runs on regular octane gas. Average fuel economy is about twenty miles-per-gallon for city and highway combined.

Stabilitrak integrates the car’s antilock braking and traction control systems with yaw control, helping the driver to steer straight when rain, ice or snow make for slippery conditions. Disc brakes with vented rotors front and rear allow the car to stop hard when necessary, regardless of the weather. The variable assist steering produces the right amount of steering effort at a variety of speeds, with a good on-center feel.

Visibility to the front and rear of the car is good. The side mirrors don’t do a particularly good job of picking up cars passing to either side. I had to look both ways before making lane changes to make sure there weren’t cars in my blind spots.

The HID headlamps on the option upgrade swivel at night to light corners in the road. They can move up to five degrees inboard and fifteen degrees outboard, making it easier to see pedestrians who might not be in the beam of a conventional headlamp.

Navigation with travel alerts

Graphics on the navigation screen are easy to follow, and include information about exit ramps, points of interest, real-time traffic and road construction alerts. There are audible alerts about detours. I was surprised to see the system pick up on a construction project that had just begun the evening before our trip.

The pop-up screen is visible from both front seating positions, and surprisingly, doesn’t interfere with the driver’s forward view. 

The Bose 5.1 surround sound system is state of the art: MP3 and iPod compatible, with a hard drive for downloading CD tracks and buffering the car radio. The driver can pause a live broadcast for up to an hour, and replay it uninterrupted.

Both front seats have ten-way power adjustments with lumbar support, seat heaters and coolers. I remember the mushy upholstery on Cadillacs in the mid-1990s: my lower back was grateful for the ergonomic upgrade.

Keyless start allows the driver to enter and start the car without digging for the keys. The key fob can start the car as far as 200 feet away, activate the climate control, seat heaters and coolers.

Spacious trunk

The trunk is spacious enough to hold a week’s worth of groceries, luggage or a couple of golf bags. It isn’t big enough for a bicycle, but it is long and deep enough to hold a couple of large cartons.

Standard safety

All models come with front, side and side curtain airbags, daytime running lamps, antilock brakes, traction and stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and a one-year subscription to OnStar. The base model comes with a tire sealant and inflator kit in place of a spare tire. A compact spare tire is a $250 option.

The Cadillac CTS is built at GM’s Lansing, Michigan assembly plant. The sport sedan that debuted in August of last year is currently available for test drives at Cadillac dealerships nationwide.

Likes: Exceptional on-road performance, with excellent steering response, firm linear braking, and road feel. The direct injection V6 engine has the power of a larger block, but much better fuel economy. It’s impressive that the high-compression engine can run on 87 octane gas.

Dislikes: Side mirrors do not do an adequate job of compensating for blind spots. A spare tire should be standard on all models.

Quick facts:

Make: Cadillac
Model: CTS V6 DI Performance Sedan
Year: 2008
Base price: $34,545
As tested: $46,440
Horsepower: 304 Hp @ 6300 rpm
Torque: 273 lbs.-ft. @ 5200 rpm
Zero-to-sixty: 5.9 seconds
Antilock brakes: Standard
Side curtain airbags: Standard
First aid kit: N/A
Bicycle friendly: No
Off-road: No
Towing: No
Comments: Base price does not include a $745 destination charge.