Wondering how much South Africans are loving the newly launched Suzuki Grand Vitara? Well, it very narrowly missed the 20th position of the Top 20 most-sold cars in SA for last month, but it would still have to be pretty popular to make the top 30 list list. See below:
Passenger Vehicle Sales - May 2023
1. Volkswagen Polo Vivo – 1 876
2. Toyota Corolla Cross – 1 644
3. Toyota Starlet – 1 218
4. Suzuki Swift – 1 178
5. Volkswagen Polo – 1 024
6. Toyota Fortuner – 1 018
7. Hyundai Grand i10 – 976
8. Haval Jolion – 881
9. Chery Tiggo 4 Pro – 745
10. Renault Kiger – 720
14. Suzuki Baleno – 504
15. Kia Picanto – 485
16. Renault Kwid – 485
17. Kia Sonet – 444
18. Suzuki Ertiga – 425
19. Haval H6 – 403
20. Hyundai Venue – 398
21. Suzuki Grand Vitara – 382
22. Renault Triber – 370
23. Hyundai i20 – 356
24. Suzuki S-Presso – 352
25. Toyota Corolla Quest – 327
26. Toyota Rumion – 319
27. Toyota Vitz – 312
28. Chery Tiggo 7 Pro – 289
29. Ford Everest – 245
30. Suzuki Jimny – 217
Suzuki has a total of 6 cars in the top 30 which proves that local buyers value good fuel consumption and bang for their buck. It is worth noting, however, that the Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser, of which the latter finds itself in the 11th position, are basically the same car, with a couple of pricing and spec differences. Remember the Vitara Brezza which was identical to the previous Toyota Urban cruiser? It has now been discontinued to make space for the Suzuki Fronx, a compact SUV which is expected later this year.
Search for nearly-new and used Suzuki Vitara Brezza models here
The previous-generation of Grand Vitara had a 2.4 petrol-engine and serious off-road prowess, and lovers of the Grand Vitaras of old are disappointed with the new 1.5-litre model - but when fuel prices are skyrocketing, who wants to keep filling up a gas-guzzler that burns a hole in your pocket? Not cash-strapped South Africans who already need to contend with sky-high interest rates and load-shedding, to name just two major problems we have to deal with.
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What makes the Grand Vitara a popular car?
It's a safe, spacious, convenient family car with a long list of comfort features. It's built for less-than-perfect road conditions, it's safe, it's fuel efficient, and it's reliable. It may not blow your hair back with its performance, but fuel savings at the pumps are preferable! And if you do want to go off-road, the top-spec model (pictured) offers selectable all-wheel-drive.
Search for new and used (1.5-litre) Suzuki Grand Vitaras here
Between the Grand Vitara and Urban Cruiser, which one should you buy?
There are many factors that influence this, but if money is the most important consideration, the most affordable car will be the Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XS manual which is priced at R329 400, while the Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GL Manual is priced at R339 900. The higher asking price does include a longer warranty and better service plan.
Other factors like where you live and the access to various dealer networks play a part as well. There are many more Toyota dealerships than there are Suzuki dealerships. And as for resale value, Toyotas seem to hang on to their value better - but it's still a personal choice. (Where I live, we don't have a Suzuki dealership in town.)
The pricing and warranty details for the different models are as follows:
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Entry-Level:
- Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XS Manual: R329,400
- Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GL Manual: R339,900
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Mid-Level:
- Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR Manual: R347,400
- Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR Automatic: R369,900
- Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GL Automatic: R359,900
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Top-Level:
- Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GLX Manual: R397,900
- Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GLX Automatic: R417,900
- Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 Hybrid GLX AllGrip: R529,900
Vehicle Warranty:
- Toyota Urban Cruiser: 3-year/100,000 km
- Suzuki Grand Vitara: 5-year/200,000 km
Service Plan:
- Toyota Urban Cruiser: 4 services/60,000 km
- Suzuki Grand Vitara: 6-year/90,000 km
