2015 Suzuki Vitara leaked

If it has an S on the front you can talk about it here.
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KuroNekko
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It will be debuted at the Paris auto show soon.

What's most interesting is the Vitara's departure from its traditional ladder-frame, part-time 4x4 SUV design to what looks to be a CUV with AWD.
I personally don't see the point given the currently-offered S-Cross is pretty much that already, but I guess no one wants a real SUV anymore.

I just hope the Jimny never gets this treatment and remains a true SUV.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/08/28/suzu ... -official/

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11408278025 ... ased-ahead

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murcod
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The 2006 JB series Grand Vitara essentially did away with the ladder frame chassis (Suzuki termed it as having a "built-in ladder frame" = monocoque) and introduced a full time 4WD system. Didn't you get it in North America?

Edit: here's a write up from back in 2006 http://www.motoring.com.au/reviews/2006 ... ra-v6-1152

The big change will be going to a FWD set up with east west engine. Each successive model is also joining the "jacked up hatch back" brigade and losing the wagon practicality :x . Every new SUV seems to be a disappointment in that area.

This is also a concern
Front-wheel drive will be standard but for more money clients will be able to opt for the ALLGRIP all-wheel drive system sourced from the larger SX4 S-Cross.


:shock: It's going to be smaller than the S-Cross? The current 5 door Grand Vitara is 200mm (~8") longer than the S-Cross.....
David
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Wonson92
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Urgh this makes me sad.... Why AWD, why smaller, why the stupid oversized grille. I thought the Vitara would hold its dignity in the current revolution of giant hatch/AWD's. It just went from a very capable/affordable off roader to a mass market, early 30's targeted POS in my opinion (which probably won't sell). :( I hate the S-Cross with a passion (mini van meets hatch meets compact SUV with zero capabilities :?: ) I hope Suzuki doesn't loose its soul.
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This is why I'm in a me-too Wrangler, again. It's the only game left in town. It's questionable though for just how long.

Yes, very sad indeed.
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KuroNekko
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murcod wrote:The 2006 JB series Grand Vitara essentially did away with the ladder frame chassis (Suzuki termed it as having a "built-in ladder frame" = monocoque) and introduced a full time 4WD system. Didn't you get it in North America?
We did, but the GV was still offered with a Part-Time 4x4 as well. Depending on trim, you could get Full Time or Part-time.
Keep in mind that even with unibody designs and full-time 4x4 systems, that's still a robust offroader compared to car-based platforms with FWD-biased AWD systems. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is also a unibody full-time 4x4 vehicle. No one denies that it can handle the rough stuff respectively, though not as capably as the traditional SUV Wrangler.

The sad thing is that this new GV is essentially giving up on being a SUV and becoming another CUV with AWD. Maybe the market favors this and Suzuki wants more wide-spread appeal for the GV. I just don't really get it given they already offer the S-Cross with this AllGrip AWD system.
I'm not sure what Suzuki can now offer to people who want a real SUV with a true 4x4 system other than the tiny Jimny.

Keep in mind that while SUVs are dying out for more fuel efficient, smoother-riding CUVs, some people still want and/or need real SUVs. Toyota seems to have addressed this and is actually building a limited run of Land Cruiser 70s to commemorate its 30 year production run. This is a no-nonsense 4x4 that will only be offered in a 5 speed manual. It's intended to be a hardcore, ultra-reliable 4x4 with no compromises. It's the furthest thing from something like a CUV with a CVT and AWD. Glorious.

Autoblog featured an article on it:
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/08/26/toyo ... -relaunch/
The videos in the article are also impressive if you can stand to hear the LC's Chief Engineer's broken English. I wish he just spoke Japanese given they subtitled him anyway.

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KuroNekko
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Ronzuki wrote:This is why I'm in a me-too Wrangler, again. It's the only game left in town. It's questionable though for just how long.

Yes, very sad indeed.
The Wrangler is too iconic and too popular for Jeep to change it. I'm confident it will remain a true SUV with a real 4x4 system. All I want to see from Jeep regarding the Wrangler is a 4 cylinder diesel offered with a MT. This would make it an economical daily driver in terms of fuel efficiency and probably very reliable. I think there is hope given FIAT now runs the show and they have diesels. I think FIAT doesn't want to really change Jeep, but more expand it for greater global appeal. Hence, they are creating the new little CUV: Jeep Renegade. I'm actually really digging this car.

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murcod
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murcod wrote:.....
This is also a concern
Front-wheel drive will be standard but for more money clients will be able to opt for the ALLGRIP all-wheel drive system sourced from the larger SX4 S-Cross.


:shock: It's going to be smaller than the S-Cross? The current 5 door Grand Vitara is 200mm (~8") longer than the S-Cross.....
Okay, going by a local story I read, Suzuki are going back to having both a Grand Vitara and Vitara - like they did many years ago.
The born-again Vitara is set to plug the gap between the new suburban S-Cross and the off-road Grand Vitara in Australia, starting below $30,000.
So (I'm guessing) there will be a new Grand Vitara coming out as well - hence the new Vitara being smaller than the S Cross.

Here's a bit I found on the Grand Vitara replacement http://www.themotorreport.com.au/58914/ ... eplacement
David
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KuroNekko
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What was the difference between the Vitara and the Grand Vitara in Australia? In the US, it was the engine if I recall correctly. The cars were the same and only the powerplant and features differed. The Vitara was the 4 cylinder while the Grand Vitara had the GM-sourced V6 engine. The "Vitara" name was then discontinued but after GM dropped Suzuki, the V6 was not available. In essence, the car was called the "Grand Vitara", but only powered by a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder.

I wonder if the new Grand Vitara will remain a SUV while this new Vitara is more a CUV. That would mean they are essentially different cars then.
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murcod
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It's a bit more complex than that. Like has been mentioned previously, the original H20A, H25A and H27A (2.0, 2.5 and 2.7l) V6 engines do not in any way shape or form have any GM heritage.

The current shape GV originally came out in 2005 with the H27A (plus J20A 2.0l and 1.6l 4 cylinder options); the H27A was then replaced with the much nicer GM 3.2l V6 in 2008 - along with the J24B being introduced to replace the J20A 2.0l. The 3.2l V6 with 5spd auto was then dropped from the lineup in 2012 with the sole petrol engine option being the J24B with a 4spd auto (or manual trans).... :roll: ... There's a 1.9 diesel as well - sold from around 2010 locally?

The first the Vitara started off as a small 2 dr 1.6l 4cyl in 1998, grew to include a 5 door in 1991 (still with the 1.6l). The Vitara had a 1.6l 4 cylinder for most of it's life, with the 2.0l 6 cylinder appearing around 1995 in the 5 door only. The first Grand Vitara "Suzuki Grand Vitara Type1" appeared here in 1998 as a 5 door model with an updated exterior look. Dimensions (length, width, wheel base) indicate it was basically identical to the last Vitara "Suzuki Vitara 5door Type3" which ceased in 1998. The 2.5l V6 started with the Grand Vitara, but there was also a smaller 4 cylinder 2.0l engine.

So, from what I can see, the name was axed in 1998 perhaps as it had grown and morphed into a much more luxurious vehicle?

Calling the new smaller model simply Vitara certainly fits in with the origins of that model back in 1988 - a small to medium 4WD. Just a pity about the whole FWD architecture thing.
David
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KuroNekko
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The reason why we Americans keep talking about a GM-sourced V6 is because the smaller displacement Suzuki V6s were not offered in the States to my knowledge. It was either a GM-designed V6 or a Suzuki-designed 4 cylinder. I don't think any of these Suzuki-designed V6 engines Australians got made it to the US market.

Also, the car was called the "Sidekick" until 1998 in the US market. I had a 1998 Suzuki Sidekick JX with a 4 speed auto and 4x4. The engine was a 1.6 liter 4 cylinder gasoline engine that peaked at 98 HP. A 1.8 liter engine was also offered for higher trim models. No 6 cylinders were offered for the Sidekick.

1998 was the last year before the car was redesigned and then called the "Vitara" in the US. The Sidekick was also sold as the Geo Tracker and later as the Chevy Tracker. The Geo brand went defunct and the car was merely called the Chevy Tracker under the GM branding.
In Japan, the car is and has always been called the "Suzuki Escudo".
None of these cars were ever offered in diesel in the US market.

I'm most curious to see if Suzuki will kill off their true SUVs and make them into CUVs all but for the little Jimny. Both the good and bad thing about Suzuki's offering to the segment was a traditional SUV. It was great for offroaders and those who needed a robust SUV with a real 4x4 system. However, most people wanted a CUV with better fuel economy and ride characteristics so they ignored Suzuki's SUVs. The popularity of CUVs really marked the decline of Suzuki in the US.

Given the Escudo/Vitara is now a CUV, I wonder if the Grand Vitara will follow suit and merely be a bigger CUV with a bigger engine. In that case, the Jimny will be the only hold-out and will probably stay so given its popularity in developing countries and to keep costs low.
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