Suzuki Vitara (New model) and S Cross Thread

[Ryeman]

I'm not sure of heavy duty hauling with a CVT.

[Ootohere]

Who is heavy duty hauling with any of the vehicles mentioned here.?

The Yeti is no Heavy Hauler either.

 

Plenty recent articles again bringing up the subject of CVT's and how the will need to be the future of Green Engines 

and Hybrid Vehicles, as much as anything for lightness and reliability as the VW experiences are showing 

that Dual Clutch Boxes are not where it is going to be, but they will plough on with them for years yet since 

they put all their eggs in one basket.

The Far East and Asian Manufacturers have the CVT's available to them now, but it is drivers that are not taking to them. Yet.

[Ryeman]

Many would regard pulling a caravan as being risk with a CVT in terms of longevity and reliability.

[Ootohere]

Would they.  

Maybe no more than some might with a DSG / S-Tronic.   Pulling out Stumps did not go well for you.

A Subaru Outback 2.5 Lineartronic has a 2000kg Braked Towing Limit.

[Ryeman]

No problem with stump but all of the new transmissions are aimed at reducing weight for better economy and all cars have a ten year design lifespan.

After that they're uneconomic to repair and meant to be recycled.

The true cost of motoring is probably higher than it's ever been.

[Ootohere]

VW have now reduced Model Production runs to 5 years, and the expected vehicle lives are dropping.

 

They used to have built in Obsolescence, just from Corrosion, now that corrosion should not be an issue it is coming more 

to be electrical issues & computer says no.  or as it seems, poorer build quality and quality control at manufacturing killing off their 

vehicles.

[Ryeman]

Out here we are about to receive the Haval H2 as an Qashqai/HRV competitor.

It's a division of Great Wall but when you check it out it's designed by the the man who did the BMW X5.

It will meet the highest crash standards with a 5 year warranty and in the smallest iteration- the H2 will have either a,six speed manual or 7 speed dual clutch auto.

The engine will be a 1.5 turbo 120kw 280nm.

In £s sub 15K.

I guess it's inevitable.....

[Ootohere]

Inevitable it seems that the news reaches the UK long before it gets to Australia.

[Ryeman]

There was, apparently, a previous item which I'd missed - so what's it like?

[Dr Zoidberg]

Five star NCAP test for the Vitara. Four for the 500X.

[Lady Elanore]

Five star NCAP test for the Vitara. Four for the 500X.

I just saw that. Must admit I am more than a little surprised at the FIAT. Did the Jeep equivalent get 5 stars ?

[shrub]

Lots of decent/premium cars getting four stars these days due to revised Euroncap criteria. Well done Suzuki for getting the five stars. Suzuki were also one of the only manufacturers to do well in the latest US small overlap crash tests before manufacturers started modifying their cars. Look at the IIHS website.

[Guest]

Autocar will be doing a full road test of the Vitara next week.

[Lady Elanore]

Still waiting for my Vitara, apparently as I went for the dual colour option there is a ridiculous waiting period for them, at least by Suzuki standards. Although this might bode well for residuals

 

Anyhoo, I have at last found a video with what it should look like (it's the right colour at least) and the chap testing it seems to like it. I've watched somewhere in the regions of 20 videos on the Vitara so far and the consensus seems to be it's an honest little thing, but the interior plastics are a bit hard (for hard, read cheap). This doesn't bother me as the car was comparatively cheap and I'm hoping the money has been spent on it's mechanicals. Certainly the economy seems to be superb, especially for a little bluff SUV. It goes to show what you can do with less weight. The car recently got a full 5 stars in the crash tests, which is something it's more expensive Fiat rival failed to do

 

Here's the video (with English subtitles) of it for those who find them interesting

[Ryeman]

The review I read out here refers to coming smaller capacity turbo petrol engines being available

The current 2.4 petrol version I'm the Grand Vitara has 5nm less torque than my Pug's 1.2 turbo and at much lower revs (fm 1750).

So, to me, the coming small turbo petrol sounds tempting.

[Lady Elanore]

The review I read out here refers to coming smaller capacity turbo petrol engines being available

The current 2.4 petrol version I'm the Grand Vitara has 5nm less torque than my Pug's 1.2 turbo and at much lower revs (fm 1750).

So, to me, the coming small turbo petrol sounds tempting.

The 2.4 is the Grand Vitara (I currently own the 3 dr version) and it has been replaced with the one in the video, a 1.6 (petrol or diesel). There is rumoured to be a hotter turbo petrol coming along later.

[Ryeman]

Yeah, my turbo petrol Pug points to the future - effectively a 'clean' diesel in drivability terms.

[Lady Elanore]

Yeah, my turbo petrol Pug points to the future - effectively a 'clean' diesel in drivability terms.

I went for the diesel Vitara. Insane economy (as the young folk might say) for a 4x4, even if it isn't quite the off roader the Grand Vitara was. Plus it has 232lb/ft of stuff

[Ryeman]

I Would struggle to work a diesel hard enough unless I've got consistently long drives.

[MarieK]

I just saw that. Must admit I am more than a little surprised at the FIAT. Did the Jeep equivalent get 5 stars ?

 

Yes the Renegade got 5 stars.

I just looked in this thread to see if you had your new Vitara yet, but I see you're still waiting.

I collected the Renegade on friday, loving it so far.

[Lady Elanore]

Yes the Renegade got 5 stars.

I just looked in this thread to see if you had your new Vitara yet, but I see you're still waiting.

I collected the Renegade on friday, loving it so far.

Did you go for the two tone colour bonnet?

[MarieK]

Did you go for the two tone colour bonnet?

 

No, only two tone option I went for was the alloys.

[Lady Elanore]

I did like the look of them, but if I wanted the full fat 4x4 it was a bit out of my price range. Seen a few on the roads too unlike the Vitara

[MarieK]

I haven't seen any on the roads apart from mine, even with a 1000 mile round trip to collect

[Lady Elanore]

I haven't seen any on the roads apart from mine, even with a 1000 mile round trip to collect

I see one most days if I am in a city somewhere Looks like they are popular, which if handled well at the point of sale, means good residuals later on