By Charles Donaldson
Not only do we as individuals love our canine “family members” city officials vote to construct dog parks strategically around communities to facilitate exercise for our four-legged friends. Unless we live in walking distance, we are forced to escort our dogs, open our vehicle, and forge forward with a wagging tail flopping back and forth like windshield wipers. On we go to the over-sized backyards where dogs can run free and converse with their new-found friends.
Some of us might love our cars as much as we love our furry pets, which has us asking about which vehicles are dog friendly and still fun to drive. So what are we looking for in a dog friendly car? Here are my suggestions and please let me know if you have others.
- Ease of entry
- Durability of seats and cargo area
- Amount of space
- Ease of cleaning
This month we will investigate the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara; first for driving, styling and performance characteristics and second on its “dog-friendly” attributes.
The 2010 Grand Vitara has become the sole SUV in the Suzuki lineup. With a wheelbase of 103.9 inches and 177.1-inches of overall length, the Grand Vitara falls into the mid-size SUV class. The lineup is as follows: Grand Vitara, Grand Vitara Premium 2WD, Grand Vitara Premium 4WD, Grand Vitara XSport 2WD, Grand Vitara Limited 2WD, Grand Vitara XSport 4WD and Grand Vitara Limited 4WD.
There are two engine options: 4-cylinder 2.4-liter 166 HP and 6-cylinder 3.2-liter 230 HP. The base Grand Vitara comes standard with a manual transmission, while the other models are equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.
The exterior styling is contemporary and attractive. The wheels are stretched out as far as possible creating short overhangs and helping to improve the ride. Bold flared fenders, chrome touches, large head and tail lamps manifest a sporty presence. The large rear hatch with a mounted spare tire provides easy access for dogs or cargo. Opening up to a generous cargo area (70.8 cubic feet), or mobile animal transportation area, there is a removable cover to hide any stored contents.
As for the remaining interior, our 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara Limited was dressed in two-tone colors with touches of black wood trim applique. The center dash was beautifully laid out with a pop-up small navigation screen on top. The seats were comfortable and all controls were positioned for easy access. Cup holders were well placed in both the front and back areas. The sun visors were designed with a pull-out feature to further block the sun. The rear cargo area was equipped with a cargo net that could store bags of food or bags of your best friend’s items.
Our test model also had standard leather seats. I would recommend placing a blanket over the seats allowing your pooch to ride in style. Dog claws and leather seats do not go well together.
Room for improvement:· It felt top heavy on turns
Cool Features:· Touchscreen GPS Navigation System
· Remote Keyless Entry
· Bluetooth system
· Real time traffic, weather, movie times, etc.
In Summary – The 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara is a well-equipped mid-size SUV at a discounted price. There is plenty of room for most dog breeds and other family pets. As for ease of cleaning, due to the leather seats and nice carpet your best bet is to cover any area you feel the family pet may lay paws on. So, is it dog friendly? I would say yes with a little help. Is it people friendly? My answer again is a resounding yes! In fact, the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara is so fun to drive with their pets; most masters will hunt for a good ‘barking place.”
Specifications
2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara
Base price: $26,999 as driven: $27,523 (with destination charges)
Engine: 3.2-Liter V6
Horsepower: 230 @ 6200 rpm
Torque: 213 pound-feet @ 3500 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed Automatic with Overdrive
Drive: Four-Wheel-Drive
Seating: 5-passenger
Turning circle: 36.7 feet
Cargo space: 70.8 cubic feet
Curb weight: 3876 pounds
Fuel capacity: 17.4 gallons
EPA mileage: 23 highway, 17 city
Wheel Base: 103.9 inches
Warranty: 7 years/100,000 miles
Also consider: Dodge Nitro, Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty, Mazda Tribute, Toyota RAV4
Future changes: Estimated Redesign in 2011
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