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With some modern luxury SUVs stretching the limits of sheer size and practicality, Suzuki’s Grand Vitara Limited Edition takes a more right-minded approach. This Suzuki’s usefully sized, five-passenger, leather-lined interior brims with luxury and convenience equipment and its ruggedly elegant exterior styling makes it a class stand-out.

The Limited Edition is missing only one thing: The conspicuous excess of the SUV behemoths. That’s an omission that suits Limited Edition buyers just fine, since the upside is a vehicle that’s more sensible in size, more efficient to buy and operate, and doesn’t leave a Sasquatch-sized environmental footprint in its wake. With owners of giant-sized SUVs uneasily eyeing volatile gas prices and even the makers of some SUV big-rigs scrambling to distance themselves from thorny social responsibility issues, Suzuki’s right-sized Grand Vitara Limited Edition has never been in a stronger position in the SUV marketplace

The Right Mix of Features and Attributes

Positioned at the top of Suzuki’s comprehensive line of SUVs, the Limited Edition picks up where the already well-equipped Grand Vitara leaves off. Available in either rear-drive or four-wheel-drive form, the unabashedly luxurious Limited can be rightly considered the definitive compact premium SUV. New features and upgrades for 2001 further cement the Grand Vitara Limited’s position of leadership.

The Ready Power of an Advanced V6 Engine

At the core of the Limited’s luxury feel and driving assurance is a sophisticated 2.5-liter, 24-valve, DOHC V6 engine. Descended from Suzuki’s world-class high-performance motorcycle engine DNA, the Limited’s powerplant produces 155 horsepower and 160 ft./lb. of torque, to achieve a class-leading power-to-weight ratio of 20.6:1 (lb:hp). That ready power makes for solid throttle response in changing traffic conditions.

A number of notable engine features raise the bar among affordable SUVs. This exceptionally smooth powerplant has an innovative two-stage timing chain in place of the more conventional toothed rubber belt. The benefit: The quiet chain is more durable than belts and is self-lubricating, self-adjusting and maintenance-free. Another important feature, the Limited’s advanced Direct Drive Valvetrain (DDV) system, lets the cams act directly on hydraulic valve adjusters to improve efficiency and eliminate the need for manual tappet clearance adjustments. There’s also a special crossover induction system that increases torque and horsepower output for better performance and fuel economy.

Rear-wheel drive is standard on the Limited Edition, with four-wheel drive offered as a $1,000 option. The system’s two-speed transfer case operates in two-wheel-drive high-range for normal driving, and provides a choice of four-wheel high- and four-wheel low-range for off-road going. It’s a true shift-on-the-fly system that allows shifting between two-wheel and four-wheel high while traveling in a straight line at any speed below 62 miles per hour. When four-wheel drive is selected, a pneumatic actuator automatically engages the front differential and front axle. There’s no need for manually locking wheel hubs.

Safety, Security and Confidence

The quiet, secure driving feel hints at the solid design and construction that’s at the core of the Grand Vitara Limited Edition. The rugged body-on-frame design affords the sheer strength demanded in the dirt, but also provides an additional line of defense in accidental impacts. Working along with that added structure, the Limited Edition’s body employs designed-in energy attenuating crush zones to reduce deceleration loads to the vehicle’s passengers. Side impact door beams help maintain the integrity of the passenger compartment by spreading collision loads into the body’s steel cage structure. The Grand Vitara also has dual front SRS airbags, front three-point, height-adjustable seat belts and daytime running lights. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard, as is a remote keyless entry system.

ZW