Suzuki 4 me and 4u! (Suzuki Vitara 1.6 JX 4U2 Estate)

Member Name: Rocket-Queen

Product:	Suzuki Vitara 1.6 JX 4U2 Estate
Date:	10/09/09 (119 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun to drive, comfortable, high driving position.

Disadvantages: Has difficulty in high winds, and steep hills. Guzzles fuel.

I bought my Suzuki Vitara JX 4u2 in the year 2004, and it's an X reg (2000). It was a big step up (literally!) from my previous car, an old Austin Mini, and it took quite some getting used to. The first thing you notice when driving a Vitara is how high up you are... the driving position is excellent, you can see above and beyond the cars in front, and you feel very safe up there. I must point out that this makes it very easy to find in a car park too, as the tall roof sticks out like a sore thumb!

The drive...
I find this car great fun to drive. For nipping around town shopping it's perfect (although a little heavy on fuel but I'll come to that later). I've taken it on many long journeys too, and find it handles motorway speeds very well, although it does get rather noisy at top speeds. I do think it could do with a 6th gear, as 5th doesn't seem high enough. One thing definitely worth noting is, due to it's height, it doesn't fare too well in high winds. Or even moderate winds, to be fair. Many times I've found myself crawling along the M62 in the slow lane, praying I don't get blown into the hard shoulder, or worse! I really have no idea why this occurs, and it can be disheartening/embarrasing seeing both smaller cars and massive trucks overtaking me with no problem.

The 1.6 engine handles all terrains well, I've travelled all over the Welsh mountains with no problem. However the second you add any significant weight it can struggle up some hills, as I discovered when towing a trailer full of camping gear and 3 male passengers last month. My Vitara really struggled. I had to drop to 2nd gear for much of the journey, and it seemed to take forever to get up those hills. The noise coming out of my poor engine was horrendous! Add to that some tight bends, and the high winds pushing us towards the edge of some huge drops, and it was a stressful journey.
I must confess to never having used the 4-wheel-drive option, as it seems so impractical to have to jump out and turn the dials on the front wheels to do so. Perhaps if I had, my journey into the mountains might've been less of an ordeal....

Exterior...
In a world where many 4x4s are sadly becoming more rounded and car-like, this is square and angular enough to still look like a 'jeep'. Mine is blue and silver, identical to the image on this page. When polished up it looks very smart! The alloy wheels which come fitted as standard look great, and to be honest I really can't fault the look of this car.

Interior...
The colour sceme throughout is a boring, dull grey. The seats are very comfortable, with plenty of room both in front and back (yes, I've been a passenger in my own car several times, my dad likes to drive it now & then). My best friend is 6 foot 6", and even he can fit his long legs in without a problem. The dashboard is simple and the dials well laid out, and I find the gear stick is in a perfect position. Overall this is a very comfy car to be in, even on long journeys. There is no 'boot' as such, just a tiny 6-inch space behing the rear seats. I guess this is why it's called an "estate". This means anything more than 3 shopping bags will have to go on the back seat. The rear seats do fold down though, giving a large space if needed, with plenty of height. I managed to squeeze an exercise bike in there quite easily.
There is no air conditioning, but the blower is powerful enough to keep you comfortable. Likewise the heater. It also demists very qucikly (something of a luxury to me, having previously owned a Mini which would steam up in all temperatures). Another plus is the sound system, which is very impressive.

Fuel consumption...
Now this is the one major gripe I have with the Vitara. It seems to swallow petrol far too quicly for my liking. I'm not good at working out miles to the gallon etc., but to give you some idea, my car gives me approx. 60 miles to a £10. Compare this to my dad's big Citroen C4 people carrier, which gives him 120 miles to £10, and it's quite a difference! I seem to be forever filling it up.

Reliability...
In the 5 years I've had it, I've had only one problem. Two years ago there was a loud bang from the engine, and it came to a halt. Turns out something had fallen off, but I got it fixed and it's been fine since. I cannot elaborate on this, as I know nothing about car engines! My dad just took it to a garage and got it fixed. Apart from this mishap, the car has been no trouble at all. I haven't had to buy any parts, and it's passed all MOTs without a hitch.

Conclusion.
A very enjoyable, loveable car to own, and to drive. Comfortable, practical, and good looking. Just don't push it to any extremes and it'll be fine!

Summary: I love my car

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