EDMUNDS.COM 2004 SUZUKI VITARA
Find, Buy, Review, Make offers on, and View more vehicles like the 2004 SUZUKI VITARA new at UsedNewCars.com!
Click Here For More Reviews On Edmunds.com
 Summary
What Edmunds.com Says
The small SUV segment is full of very capable vehicles, and although the Vitara can rock-crawl with the best of them, it gets left behind in nearly every other respect.
Pros
Truck-based body-on-frame construction means off-road capability.
Cons
Meager cargo space, cramped rear seats, lacks refinement.
What''s New for 2004
The Vitara two-door has been dropped. The Vitara four-door is upgraded with a V6 engine and comes with charcoal-colored bumpers and mud guards, a newly designed soft spare tire cover and new exterior colors.
Overview
Introduction:
Every year of the Vitara''s production has seen the introduction of new competitors that improve upon or best what the Vitara offers. With segment leaders like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Ford Escape grabbing all the attention, the Vitara has a tough time standing apart from the crowd. A V6 engine handed down from its larger siblings makes the Vitara four-door slightly more competitive, but it still has far less power than most other compact SUVs. Unlike most of today''s unibody mini-SUVs built on car platforms, the Vitara boasts a truck-tough body-on-frame construction. This, combined with an optional dual-range four-wheel-drive system, gives the Vitara its biggest advantage over its segment competition. This system allows for shift-on-the-fly engagement for real off-road action. The Suzuki''s true off-road capability is also helped with eight inches of ground clearance, an impressive amount for such a small vehicle. The Achilles'' heel of the Vitara is its unrefined engine and cramped interior space. Other mini-SUVs offer significantly higher quality and refinement for about the same price. Suzuki does offer a long warranty, but it''s hardly enough to justify purchasing it over more modern, more powerful competitors. What''s more, although the Vitara does possess durable trucklike underpinnings, anyone looking to do some serious off-roading would be better served by a Jeep Wrangler, and the Wrangler is good for some top-down fun while the Vitara is no longer available in two-door form.
 |
For Pricing information, see Edmunds'' Pricing page. |
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:
The Vitara comes as a four-door only and in one LX trim level. Standard features include remote keyless entry; daytime running lights; air conditioning; an in-dash CD player; power windows, locks and mirrors; a tilt steering wheel; cruise control; a rear-window defroster; a cargo cover; and 16-inch steel wheels. Alloy wheels and antilock brakes are optional.
Powertrains and Performance:
The Vitara is offered in either rear-wheel drive (2WD) or four-wheel drive. Four-wheel-drive models get a two-speed transfer case for additional power in low-speed off-road situations. The only engine available is a 2.5-liter V6 rated at 165 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. Two transmissions are offered: a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic.
Safety:
Antilock brakes are optional, but neither side airbags nor traction controls are available. In offset front crash tests conducted by the IIHS, the Vitara received an "Acceptable" rating (the second highest possible), while government crash testing resulted in a four-star rating (out of a possible five) for driver and front-passenger protection in a front-impact collision. Side-impact tests resulted in a four-star rating for front passengers and a five-star rating for rear passengers.
|
For more Safety information, see Edmunds'' Safety page. |
Interior Design and Special Features:
While the Grand Vitara received interior quality improvements last year, the Vitara did not. The result is that the cabin still looks woefully out of date. Then there''s the issue of passenger room, as the Vitara is seriously lacking in both front and rear legroom. The four-door''s maximum cargo space of 50.2 cubic feet is considerably less than the Toyota RAV4''s maximum of 68 cubic feet, even though these vehicles are virtually the same size on the outside.
|
For more Interior Features information, see Edmunds'' Specifications page. |
Driving Impressions:
Truck-tough body-on-frame construction and dual-range four-wheel drive gives the Vitara solid off-road abilities, but serious off-road enthusiasts should look elsewhere for a more capable vehicle. Careful tuning of the suspension and steering by Suzuki''s engineers helps mask the old-tech underpinnings, but for the most part, the Vitara still feels less refined than most other vehicles in the category.
|
For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from Edmunds'' editors, see Edmunds'' Road Tests page. |
[ UsedNewCars.com ] [ Information Index ] [ Site Map ]
[ SUZUKI Information Index ] [ SUV Information Index ]
| 
