Suzuki's Grand Vitara, a Granddaddy of SUVs, Shifts Gears
By Michelle Krebs August 4, 2008By Peter Nunn
TOKYO -- Debate over which SUV was the granddaddy of all SUVs that turned the workhorse utilities into popular people-and-their-stuff haulers inevitably includes familiar names -- the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, the Ford Bronco and the later Ford Explorer, which became America's best-seller. Then came the smaller Toyota RAV4 and today's best-selling SUV, the Honda CR-V.
But before the Toyota and Honda SUVs were even a gleam in product planners' eyes, Suzuki had virtually invented the compact soft-roader market with the 1988 debut of the Escudo in Japan and launched a year later in the U.S. as the Sidekick.
Today, Suzuki is right there with the best of them, reinventing the now disdained genre to meet the new reality of soaring gas prices. To that end, the Escudo/Grand Vitara for the 2009 model year are set to become leaner and greener.
New Engine Choices
Suzuki has already given a good idea of what's to come on home turf in Japan, launching new 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 3.2-liter V6 versions of the domestic market Escudo. The new engines coincide with a mild visual update for the burly SUV, which was completely redesigned for the 2006 model year in the U.S.
Likewise for the U.S. Both engines come to the U.S. in the 2009 Grand Vitara, replacing the relatively thirsty 2.7-liter V6, which previously was the only engine available.
The choice of a four-cylinder couldn't come at a better time. Surging fuel prices have put pressure on the Grand Vitara. Its sales peaked with the 2006 redesign at 26,931 sales, accounting for about a quarter of Suzuki's total sales. But they have been sliding ever since. In 2007, Suzuki sold 19,539 Grand Vitara models. For first half of 2008, it is selling at an even slower rate -- a mere 7,221 sold in six months despite the automaker upping the incentives to record levels, an average $2,395 for every one sold, according to Edmunds.com's calculations.
| Suzuki Grand Vitara: Granddaddy Among SUVs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Total Volume | TCI |
| 2002 | 11,531 | $1,145 |
| 2003 | 7,945 | $1,830 |
| 2004 | 4,860 | $1,411 |
| 2005 | 8,624 | $1,336 |
| 2006 | 26,931 | $1,485 |
| 2007 | 19,539 | $1,758 |
| 2008* | 7,221 | $2,395 |
*2008 is CYTD
Source: Edmunds.com
| Suzuki: U.S. Snapshot | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Market Share | Total Volume | TCI |
| 2002 | 0.4% | 67,855 | $1,070 |
| 2003 | 0.4% | 58,438 | $1,742 |
| 2004 | 0.4% | 73,946 | $1,539 |
| 2005 | 0.5% | 82,101 | $1,680 |
| 2006 | 0.6% | 100,990 | $1,394 |
| 2007 | 0.6% | 101,884 | $1,388 |
| 2008 | 0.8% | 56,248 | $2,006 |
*2008 is CYTD
Source: Edmunds.com
Suzuki Changes the SUV Game
The face-lift package comes at an opportune time for Suzuki's long running sport-ute. It was
20 years ago, in summer 1988, that Suzuki came up with the original Escudo, which launched in the U.S. as the 1989 Suzuki Sidekick. Those early versions came first with 1.3- and 1.6-liter engines, later spawning 1.8- and 2.0-liter variants.
At the time, Suzuki's idea was to marry 4x4 all-road toughness with a new sense of urban cool. Suzuki's previous 4x4, the Samurai, was small, boxy and definitely on the primitive side of utilitarian.
Suzuki smoothed over those rough edges for the first Escudo/Sidekick, bumped up the size and power and, no less crucially, came up a totally modern, highly stylish cabin. Blending 4x4 ruggedness with a fresh image of fashion and class, the Escudo/Sidekick was a true pioneering crossover.
In Japan, the Escudo was the model that started moving young Japanese out of sedans and into a car that looked more funky and fun, but still with good space and practicality. When
Suzuki came up with the soft-top version, it really had a runaway hit, especially in Europe.
Suzuki didn't deliver the same impact, alas, with the second generation, which came to the U.S. as the 1999 Vitara. It was a "better" car but so much blander all round.
In the U.S., the original Sidekick was also marketed by GM as the Geo (later Chevrolet) Tracker and was a car that directly influenced Toyota, pushing product planners to develop the RAV4. From there, the whole car-based SUV market just exploded.
Suzuki's SUV is also a true world player. In its time, it's been made in Japan, Canada, Indonesia, Vietnam and Spain. The latest version is manufactured just in Japan and Indonesia. Global shipments since 1988 have topped 2.47 million units.
Photos from Suzuki
1 - 2009 Suzuki Escudo/Grand Vitara
2 - 1988 Suzuki Escudo/Sidekick
3 - 1997 Suzuki Grand Vitara
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