2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara front

Suzuki celebrates its 20th anniversary in America with its best SUV yet. Sharing little with the underachiever it replaces, the new Grand Vitara features the XL-7's 2.7-liter DOHC V6 with 185 horsepower and rear-wheel-drive, with the optional upgrade to two different 4-wheel-drive systems, one of which contains four modes of operation. Both transmissions now contain five speeds and a multilink rear suspension replaces the primitive live axle. Construction is hybrid: unibody in basis but with a built-in ladder frame, which Suzuki claims combines the best of both worlds. 176 inches of length make it 11.5 longer than the last, and the wheelbase has grown from 97.6 to 103.9, explaining the more comfortable back seat. The interior feels quite expensive, and antilock brakes, traction and stability control, six air bags, automatic climate control, and an MP3-capable XM-ready stereo are just some of the standard features for Suzuki's new cute ute, which starts just under $20K.