2010 Suzuki Grand Viatra XSport
Suzuki has been a major player in motorcycles, ATV’s, and marine products for years. For some reason, they have had mixed results with automobiles. With their history, one would think that they could take advantage of their knowledge of small recreational vehicles to crank out some great small cars, compact crossovers, and off-road SUV’s. Somehow, though, greatness in the marketplace has eluded them.
The 2010 Suzuki Grand Viatra Xsport is a compact crossover SUV. It is the third of 5 trim levels. It has a 3.2 liter V6 engine that produces 230 horsepower and 213 pound-feet of torque. It has 16 inch alloy wheels, four-wheel drive, and a 4-speed automatic transmission. It is rated at 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. An upgrade to a 4-mode four-wheel drive is also available, as are other upgrades.
The Grand Viatra Xsport also has full power accessories, automatic climate control, cruise control, a Garmin Navigation system, front bucket seats, rear 60/40 split bench seats, remote keyless entry, a leather steering wheel, roof rails, a sunroof, and foglamps. The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, and a CD/MP3 player. There are plenty of upgrades available.
The Grand Viatra also comes with stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, and anti-lock brakes. In government tests, it received 4 stars out of 5 in front-impact tests, and 5 out of 5 in side impact tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it its high score of good in front offset tests, but only its second-best score of acceptable in side impact tests.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The interior is surprisingly nice. The materials are high quality for its market segment, and the design is modern but understated. There is plenty of headroom and legroom in the front and rear seats. There aren’t a lot of nooks and crannies, but there is 69 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded down.
Whether intentional or the result of most of their experience being in recreational vehicles, the drive and ride are tweaked toward off-road driving. The Grand Viatra handles great, with responsive steering and a tight suspension, but the ride quality suffers a bit. Like smaller Jeep models, the Grand Viatra rides a bit like an off-road vehicle even while cruising at highway speeds. There is also a bit of road noise and wind noise.
Acceleration is very nice, and there is enough power in reserve for smooth sailing on the highway. All in all, though, the ride quality isn’t all that great for long trips, especially if you are starting to feel the effects of age.
After 2010, Suzuki discontinued the V6 engine option for this model. The 4-cylinder version is abysmal. If you like this vehicle, as they say at the ball game, “get ‘em while they’re hot.”
The verdict: better than the 2011 model, but the only real reason we can find for buying one is a very low price.
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