ArcaMax

When most people think of Suzuki, they think of two wheels -- not four (Suzuki being one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-performance sport bikes).

Unlike Honda -- which also makes motorcycles and is very competitive in both markets -- Suzuki's success has been more one-sided. Part of the reason for this may be that its passenger vehicles have been smaller and less powerful than what's been popular in cheap gas America -- land of the 5,000-lb. V-8 SUV.

But cheap gas is getting a lot harder to find -- and smaller, less profligate vehicles more akin to what's selling in Europe and elsewhere (where gas has been expensive for years) are rapidly growing in popularity here.

Suzuk's Grand Vitara is just such a machine.

Like the Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Saturn VUE and other compact SUVs, the Grand Vitara is easier on gas (18 city/23 highway for manual transmission versions) than the typical mid-sized, V-8 powered SUV (an '06 Ford Explorer is rated 14 city/20 highway), as well as easier to park and maneuver.

It's also as inexpensive to buy as it is to feed -- with a base price of $18,999 ($24,399 "loaded").

But the Suzuki differs from just about every other similar-in-size/price competitor in that it is built on a truck-style rear-drive (as opposed to car-like front-wheel-drive) platform and rides on a welded-in, truck-style ladder frame (which is stronger and can take more abuse than car-based unibody construction). Its 4x4 system is a real-deal 4x4 system, too -- with a two-speed transfer case and Low range (plus a new center-locking differential for '06), as opposed to the lighter-duty all-wheel-drive systems used in the Escape, VUE and just about every other small SUV currently on the market.

The only exception, in fact, is the Jeep Liberty. But its price point ($21,190 to start; $22,700 for the least expensive 4x4 version) puts it at a clear disadvantage relative to the Grand Vitara -- which can be ordered with 4x4 for just over $20k ($20,199 to be exact). That's a difference of $2,500 -- big money for most folks, especially at this price level.

So Suzuki's got something here -- if, that is, you care about actually going off-road (and doing it for around $20k).

In addition to its real-deal 4x4 system, you've also got 7.9 inches of ground clearance combined with equally real-deal angles of approach (29 degrees), departure (26 degrees) and brake-over (19 degrees) designed to let you tackle terrain that would hurt a car-based "SUV" -- or at least dent the floorpans.

The Grand Vitara can tow up to 3,000-lbs. and has almost 70 cubic feet of cargo carrying capacity with the second row seats folded flat.

Bu even if you don't care about off-road cojones, you may like the fact that the Grand Vitara (all trim levels) comes standard with a 2.7 liter, 185-hp V-6 engine -- available with either a manual or automatic transmission -- while most of its competitors start out with borderline inadequate fours and make you pay extra for an optional V-6.

Sometimes, a whole lot extra.

For example, while the Ford Escape starts out at a fairly reasonable $19,380 -- you'll need to cough up $23,390 to get the optional V-6 (and if you want the optional AWD, that'll cost you another $1,750 on top of that). Similarly, the Saturn VUE seems like an ok deal at $17,390 for starters -- but that only gets you into the base model with a four-cylinder engine and front-wheel-drive. The base price for the V-6 equipped VUE is $21,390 ($23,045 with the extra-cost AWD system). Even the Hyundai Tucson is a less-than-cheap date -- at least, if you want the optional V-6 and all-wheel-drive. Base price for a Tucson with both those features is $22,345 -- vs. $18,999 for the Grand Vitara with V-6 and rear-drive ($20,199 with 4x4).

The current (2006) Honda CR-V doesn't even offer a V-6, yet has a starting MSRP of $20,395 ($21,595 with the extra-cost AWD system).

Suzuki also throws in stability control, traction control, ABS (with Electronic Brake-force Distribution), front and rear seat side curtain air bags (six airbags, total), auto climate control air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted secondary controls for the audio system (which features both CD player and MP3 capability and is set up from the factory for XM satellite radio), keyless entry and all the basic power options (windows, locks, cruise control).

That's a lot of content for an $18-19k vehicle.

In fact, many of the features described above are either not available on competitor's base-price models or require you to step up to a more costly trim level to get them. Some of these competitors will push $27-$28k fully loaded -- for example, the $26,680 Ford Escape V-6 Limited -- while you can order up a top of the line Grand Vitara Luxury with all the features included in the base model, plus automatic transmission, "SmartPass" keyless ignition, heated leather seats and wood trim -- for $24,399. The Grand Vitara Luxury model also includes 17-inch rims (16s are standard) in-dash multi-disc CD changer and HomeLink remote transmitter.

The Grand Vitara's standard seven year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty's pretty appealing, too. Compare that to the Escape's skimpy three year/36,000 mile coverage; same deal with the VUE. Even Honda doesn't come close -- just five years/60,000 miles on the CR-V's powertrain. (Only Hyundai does better -- 10 years/100,000 miles.)

And Suzuki stands alone as the only one of the bunch to allow buyers the fun (and economy) of going with a manual transmission, if they like. The others force you to accept an automatic if you want the almost-essential extra power of the extra-cost V-6 engine. That may be a small point for most drivers, but there are still a few of us out there who prefer the control and driving experience that only a manual transmission can deliver. And we'd like not to have to give up adequate power to get it.

While the Grand Vitara may not have the sex appeal (or the 180-mph top speed) of a GSX-R 1000 sport bike, it does offer the same appealing bang for the buck -- as well as increasingly hard to find real-deal 4x4 capability at a price point more and more given over to pretend SUVs that talk the talk but would get in trouble if they ever tried to walk the walk.

========

Eric Peters is a syndicated automotive columnist and author of "Automotive Atrocities: Cars We Love to Hate (MBI)." His columns have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily and Bottom Line Personal Finance. Readers may contact him at EPeters952@aol.com. Visit his website at ericpetersautos.com.