2008 SUZUKI Grand Vitara 5 Doors 1.9L DDiS AWD 5MT (129 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Suzuki introduced an upgraded version of the Grand Vitara’s third generation in 2008, improving the car’s safety and engine range.

Over the years, Suzuki changed the Vitara to Grand Vitara, and in 2005, it launched the third generation of this vehicle. In 2008, this was refreshed for all markets. While in Europe, the change was needed to comply with the Euro5 emission standards, in the U.S., these changes were made mostly to adapt to the market’s situation, which was very bad due to the world financial crisis.

On the facelifted version of the Grand Vitara’s third generation, the automaker introduced some styling updates at the front. Thus, the bumper was replaced with a new model that sported smaller fog lamps for vehicles fitted with them. The car was available in four trim levels, and the top version got a sunroof and roof rails. Moreover, there was a new design for the 17″ light-alloy wheels.

Inside, Grand Vitara provided enough room for five adult occupants, despite its small footprint. The front high-mounted seats offered the driver and side passenger a better view of the road. At the same time, at the back, the small-sized SUV featured a 60/40 split-folding bench that could expand the cargo capacity. Moreover, when completely folded, the bench’s seatback formed a flat area for the trunk area, suitable for being used as a camper vehicle.

Under the hood, Suzuki installed a wide choice of engines, depending on the market. Thus, while the Europeans received a version with a Fiat-sourced 1.9-liter turbo-diesel, the U.S. versions got a range of powerplants that ranged from a 2.4-liter inline-four to a punchy 3.2-liter V6 provided by GM.