Faults:

Upholstery marks VERY easily, even from rain water, and is difficult to clean.

General Comments:

Very rugged and agile off road (sensibly off road...)

Manually selectable 4WD, including Low Ratio.

Very thirsty for a 1.6, approx 28 mpg.

Any speeds over 60 mph and I did feel I was pushing it too far.

Not very stable in windy conditions.

Faults:

Engine Check/ECU/Turbo fault.

Continual limp mode activation.

General Comments:

The Grand Vitara has decent off-road ability and an adequate road going ride. It is solidly built and offers a reasonable level of comfort.

The diesel engine is relatively crude and noisy. It offers adequate performance and economy.

My Vitara, like my original 2.0 V6, had reliability issues. The TD was plagued by a fault detected by the engine management unit, which put the car into limp mode. Two separate dealers were unable to rectify the problem and the fault became dangerous as the power delivery was never predictable. The car spent a total of 5 weeks over 3 months in workshops, and for the rest of the period it was never safe or a pleasure to drive. I eventually returned it to the supplying dealer as not fit for purpose.