The all-new Suzuki Grand Vitara was first released in India last year. It’s finally made its way to southeast Asia as well, debuting at this year’s Indonesia International Motor Show. With its tagline “Gear To Dominate, Excellence Escalated”, let’s see what the hype is all about.
The 2023 Grand Vitara is now a Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki
Photo: Suzuki
The exterior hasn’t changed much since its debut last year. The Grand Vitara is a pretty big vehicle measuring 4345mm long, 1795mm wide, and 1645mm tall. Add to that a 2600mm wheelbase and 210mm of ground clearance, and you’re sure to have a pretty comfortable ride, space aplenty, and height enough for any kind of terrain and fording through some high water.
Up front, you’ll see a massive polygonal-patterned grill with a pretty chrome accent piece on top. It also gets the split headlight treatment with the top units being its DRLs and turn signals, with the LED headlight units themselves mounted on either side of the bumper.
On the side, you get a clear picture of how wide the Grand Vitara’s profile is. It takes on a boxy yet muscular shape, which is rounded off by the 17″ alloy wheels; two different designs are conforming to each of the two variants.
As for the rear, we still see the split taillight treatment, with the brake lights mounted to the sides, complemented by a long LED strip running the width of the tailgate. The turning and reverse lamps are set on the sides of the bumpers, which gives the Grand Vitara a pretty unique look when seen from the back. It also comes with a spoiler atop the tailgate and a sharkfin antenna on the roof.
Photo: Suzuki
The interior is a good mix of both sportiness and elegance. Depending on the variant, the upholstery will either be a diamond-patterned fabric, or black perforated synthetic leather in black. What looks to be leather-draped panels on the door cards and the dashboard, as well as the armrest console lid do well to add a touch of class.
The gauge cluster is analog, but it does come with a multi-information display in the middle of the tachometer and speedometer. The Grand Vitara also comes with a heads-up display, while the steering wheel comes with control toggles, as well as paddle shifters for more spirited drives. There is also a 9-inch infotainment display that doubles as a 360-degree camera screen for the GX variant.
Other creature comforts include a multitude of storage spaces, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, cupholders, a 12V and USB socket in the center stack, as well as a panoramic sunroof, a wireless charging pad, and additional USB sockets in the rear for the GX variant.
Photo: Suzuki
Under the hood of the Grand Vitara is the 1.5-liter K15C gasoline engine. It’s mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, and it’s good for 102 HP and 137 Nm of torque. But before we get too excited, the Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki (SHVS) nomenclature only means that this also comes equipped with an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG), a lithium-ion battery, and the Engine Auto Stop Feature. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Grand Vitara is a mild hybrid, and this is the only engine option available.
Safety features include 6 SRS airbags, ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), BA (Brake Assist), and EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution).
Photo: Suzuki
The 2023 Suzuki Grand Vitara comes in two variants: the top-spec GX and the GL. The GX variant is available in 4 color options, which are Pearl Splendid Silver + Black, Pearl Artic White + Black, Pearl Celestial Blue, and Pearl Midnight Black. The GL variant, though, is available in 3 colors, namely Pearl Arctic White, Prime Grandeur Gray, and Pearl Midnight Black.
Seeing as it’s still on exhibit, no mention of its price was made by Suzuki. So that leads us to two important questions. First, will it be priced competitively in the Southeast Asian region, and will its price point fit well into the market? That’s actually our next question. Will the Grand Vitara be brought in by Suzuki Philippines, and will the computation of its price tag make it attractive enough in our country?
With the loss of the Vitara, perhaps reentering the segment with this pretty model would be a sound idea. Given the fact that SHVS is being given a strong push in every market that Suzuki is in, this model would make sense in the PH. It’s going to be a waiting game, but we’re pretty optimistic that this model will see the light of day on our shores. And we hope it’s sooner rather than later.
