Grand Vitara or Rav4?

[gopher]

we're currently looking for a new car for my wife to replace her honda civic.
we've narrowed it down to a choice between a grand vitara or a rav4 both are around the $35000 mark with end of year runouts.we're leaning more towards the grand vitara because it is 4wd
has anyone had any experience with either vehicle?
does anyone know of major problems with either?
has anyone towed with either (we have a 15 foot fibreglass boat that we currently tow with the vz)
it has to be an auto

thanks

[TVR-190]

bump, i know but my had had a xl7 for many years, basically a vitara with 2 more seats and it treated him well, towed his boat around and towed a caravan 50,000km around aus.

even did a bit of 4x4ing with it and only reason he doesnt have it now is cause it got totalled.

My Dads Suzuki XL7

[ashbox]

grand vitaras are good cars, the xl7 that was mentioned has been known to drink a fair bit.
i'd try for a rav6 if you can stretch it but both cars are good.

[ryno_vrx]

i've been it a 07ish rav4 and it was a zippy little car , good for flying around town but it didnt feel like it had much power so towing would be out of the question.
but my missus's mother has a rav4 05 model and yeah i cant say anything good about that heap of junk and they've had it since new and baby'd it always but its hopeless the accelerator about a inch of movement and no response at all and its bloody rubbish off road,

[sycvs]

ive got a 94 model vitara and i say its well worth it for fuel and having that bit of extra play for of road use rav4 to light and look ugly

[MasterOfReality]

I have a 2006 Grand Vitara, the new new shape one and I would recommend it over the Rav4 and I went though the same process.

Its built like a brick shithouse and is made in Japan and looks a crapload better than the new Rav4. I take mine offroad occasionally and like the fact I have a proper 4WD system with a dual range transfer case which is the same you will find in a Patrol or Landcruiser, unlike the pretend 4WD/AWD of the Rav4. Wheels magazine reckons its the only smaller suv with real offroad capability. It handles surprisingly good on road too. The Rav6 torque steered like hell when I planted it. The interior is nicer looking and less futuristic than the Rav4 which looks like shit in my opinion.

I bought the 2 litre manual as its only a daily. Its a slug in traffic, and first gear is low as in typical 4WD style, but it holds its own quite well on the freeway. I just got back from a 3500km round trip from Brisbane to Wollongong with a lot of city/hilly driving in between and averaged 9.1 L/100km. My girlfriends parents have the previous shape with the small V6 and its marginally less thirsty than my 5 litre and not much more powerful than my 2 litre, but you would want the V6 regardless for towing, and I hear new models are quite good power wise (165kW) and consumption wise. The V6 is an auto only option whilst the 2.4litre 122kW 4 cyl is available in both.

The new models are supposed to be a lot better than the 2006 models as they reduced the noise levels and increased the refinement. The gearbox in mine feels agricultural, sort of like straight from a tractor, but I suppose it bodes well for longevity.

[excalibur]

yep Grand Vitara FTW!!!

[bigfut]

definitely go the Vitara. I have a 2009 Rav4 CV auto. It very rarely gets more than 500kms out of a tank, and I have towed an empty furniture trailer with it, and it used 1/2 a tank to tow 120kms, so not a towing vehicle.

[Nanos]

i would go the vitara any day. like most have said it has a dual range transfer case. no pint getting a small suv without dual range.

[johnvtls1]

omg the vitara is the most gutless car of all time!!! they drive terribly. the motor in the new ones isnt to bad but the old 2.0L was rubbish. the rav is by far the better car. better engine, better features and looks way better. much better resale value too.

[Nanos]

but what is it being bought for. most people dont buy them for performance. they are supposed to be a small 4x4. if its being bought as a small 4x4 then the vitara wins hands down. a rav 4 is not a true 4x4. no low range.

i used to own a suzuki sierra many many years ago. best 4x4 offroad. (currently have 80 series landcruiser, the suzuki shits all over it offroad).

if your buying it for comfort and performance then the rav4 is better option. but if your buying it as a bit of all worlds then the vitara would be the pick

[MasterOfReality]

Yeah, when it comes down to it, the Rav4 is a poser 4WD.

The old 2 litre isn't that bad, like I said before, its slow off the mark due to the very low first gear but above 3000rpm it get going reasonably well. The current Rav4 isn't leaps and bounds ahead of the old GV 2 litre like what people make it out to be. The only suv which has a decent 4cyl is the XTrail.

Sure the engines are better, but like Nanos said, it depends on what the primary use is.

My Grand Vitara actually handles better on road than my boat of a Calais, and thats with a SV suspension kit as well.

The only thing a Rav4 has over the Grand Vitara is mechanical refinement.

[gopher]

omg the vitara is the most gutless car of all time!!! .

lol we're upgrading from a 10 year old civic so the vitara feels like a rocket ship by comparison

but what is it being bought for.

mainly to tow my 15 foot fibreglass runabout and the occasional trip to Fraser Island.
most times i'll probably still use the commodore for towing anyway

anyway the general consensus seemed to be get the Vitara so we have put a deposit on a 2009 model 4 door wagon and hopefully pick it up at the end of the week or early next week

[TVR-190]

4cyl or v6?

[gopher]

2.4l 4 cyl

[vlv8vic]

almost bought a vitara but then gave the Captiva a test drive. Made the vitara just feel so tinny and poorly built but i haven't actually heard of any real issues. RAV 4 was too small.
CX7 or CX9 were spot on but cost was a little high at the time, they seem to have come down a bit though.

[Nanos]

if your planning on doing fraser or any beach launching of the boat i would go the viatara. you will need the low range and the true 4x4. its amazxing the difference having a true 4x4 will make when you need it.

i have a landcruiser which is constant 4x4 and once things get slippery i have to hit the centre diff lock and turn it to true 4x4 mode.

the rav 4 would be trouble on fraser.

plus having low range will be good for any crap boat ramps.

[TVR-190]

if your planning on doing fraser or any beach launching of the boat i would go the viatara. You will need the low range and the true 4x4. Its amazxing the difference having a true 4x4 will make when you need it.

I have a landcruiser which is constant 4x4 and once things get slippery i have to hit the centre diff lock and turn it to true 4x4 mode.

The rav 4 would be trouble on fraser.

Plus having low range will be good for any crap boat ramps.

anyway the general consensus seemed to be get the vitara so we have put a deposit on a 2009 model 4 door wagon and hopefully pick it up at the end of the week or early next week

. .