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-   -   The First Grand Vitara on Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-term-ownership-reviews/30922-first-grand-vitara-team-bhp-9.html)

yea samurai...i have the same problem with my ford fusion diesel. all the bunk chaps think its petrol by default.

i think its a good idea to get a small 'PETROL' sticker and paste it on the fuel lid. not totally idiot-proof, but definitely a precaution.

Congrats Samurai! This a great thread with excellent write-ups. Loved it! :)

All the best and happy driving! :)

I guess now I can answer this. Yesterday I climbed the very steep Abumbe ghats with 4 adults and today regular highway/local road combo with 4 adult+ 2 kids with luggage. Never felt the lack of power or lack of torque while cruising or overtaking. At some parts of Agumbe ghats I was doing inclined twists (not the hairpins, they are something else) in 4th gear with ease. So we can put that fear to rest, it is good enough for a non-aggresive driver.

I am already thinking about that.:)

Great.. It now sounds like it is a good vehicle for city roads - turning radius, visibility, parking ease, good enough torque for not too frequent gear changes, enough space to pickup guests from the US, dont care attitude towards potholes, speed breakers - bangalore roads..and yeah make heads turn..

AND

great for long distance, off-roading prowess ..

I guess the only thing missing is either diesel fuel costs or better petrol fuel efficiency.. but then you cant ask for it all..My first impressions were good, i will now go ask for a test drive..Thanks samurai and enjoy your vehicle - you seem to go where no normal mangalorian 4 wheeler does not go..

You forgot to mention, it can carry your golf clubs with ease. Looks like you can lay your trusty Baleno to rest now!

Leaning towards it ;-)

Hi Samurai, need to know if there is any improvement in the road condition between Bangalore and Mangalore. i am planning a trip...Louis

The same thing is happening to me when I fill up my SX4. And its even in the Shell outlets!Guess these vehicles arent popular enough yet for the attendant to recognise the fuel type immediately. And this is inspite of having the "Petrol" sticker on the fuel flap!!!

Samurai,

Can your GV's display switch between instantaneous and average fuel consumption? If yes, in the average mode, what does it average over (last n km or last n seconds or something else)?


Also, here is a forum for all GV owners (you may already be using it, just sharing for the benefit of others):
2G (2006+) Grand Vitara - Suzuki Forums: Suzuki Forum Site

Yes, I switched it to average mode, it showed 7.5kmpl for now. The average is since the last reset, I have never reset before. So 7.5kmpl includes all the off-roading, climbing Agumbe ghats, etc. I am yet to do a clean highway drive, I don't have a clean highway anywhere around here.:mad:

The Manipal-BLR route via Charmadi is said to be very nicely drivable. Once in BLR, I'll personally conduct the GV to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Expressway - also very nicely motorable.

I think 7.5 is very reasonable considering that the engine still new, a lot of slow speed 4H, 4L runs and it's a 4WD.

Do you feel any perceptible sluggishness compared to the Baleno in our day to day driving conditions?

The reason I ask is - I am preparing myself to take the plunge and just want to know what to expect. I currently drive NHC iDSI which is not a fast car as per T-BHP standards, but I find it quite adequate (in fact low end torque is just amazing). Of course, being a Honda it has crisp and feather touch gearshift and lovely FE (13 - 14 in City). So, will life be a hell if I switch over to GV?

Still waiting for the test drive of the manual...Maruti has made a mess with selling all A/Ts to the dealers here for the TD vehicles.

Hey, I totally missed this. Really good pics and nice wheels. I get the feeling you are going to make the most of this 4x4.

May god give you worse roads for your GV everyday.

(if god doesn't, govt will)

congrats for the buy. I was also seriously considering GV here in states, but i was only going to do highways, and there were more refined options for that.

Thanks, I am already member of another forum which discusses current Gen GV only. But I see many members from that forum in this one.

Thanks, I'll take up on that offer when I visit Bangalore with GV. But then I didn't buy this car to drive on nice roads, did I now?:)

Yeah, that's right.

Compared to the Baleno, not much really. The difference is quite noticeable only in second gear when I am on steep incline. While Baleno could take it at 2nd gear from slow start, the GV needs the 1st gear. But GV has a very usable 1st gear, unlike any car I have driven where I have to quickly shift to 2nd. You can accelerate quite a bit on 1st without over-revving. This is probably designed so because it needs that useful torque in off-roading.

I find GV performance very acceptable after driving Baleno for 2+ years, and I live in a hilly place. I haven't been able to compare highway/high-speed performance, that is something you can verify yourself even in an AT model. Oh, the MT performance is much better than the AT I test drove.


The gear-shift is one area, you will cry over. It is a very far cry from the NHC gear-shift. Switching to 2nd is a pain, but rest of the car makes it worth it though.

Frankly, you should buy the GV if the terrain demands it, like in my case. If you are going to use it as an urban crawler, you are not really making the best use of your money.