Consumers advised to manage accounts online

By UK CreditCards.com

Credit card customers worried about paying their bills on time should manage their accounts online, Barclaycard suggested.

Amer Sajed, chief executive of the credit card provider, said that making payments via its mybarclaycard internet service was "easy" and would help many people "avoid the impact" of ongoing industrial action.

Localised strikes from the nation's postal workers have affected deliveries over recent weeks, with coordinated national action a possibility for the future. Reports have suggested that many credit card bills are being posted late as a consequence, potentially leading to customers forgetting to pay their monthly bill.

Card firms commonly charge people who do not make their minimum payments £12 a time. If all active cardholders who do not cover these costs by direct debit miss the deadline, a collective charge of over £150m will be levied.

Mr Sajed commented: "By managing their account online, customers can take control. "If customers do not have access to internet facilities, they can make a payment over the phone."

Retailers fined for missing card protection checks

By UK CreditCards.com

Banks are enforcing compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) by fining UK retailers hundreds of pounds.

Anthony Goord, owner of Peter Goord Travel, was hit by a bank charge of £600 after failing to fill in a questionnaire on his firm's credit card security practices, Travel Weekly reported.

PCI DSS was designed by credit card firms to protect customers by making sure that security standards among vendors are strong. In this way, financial fraud, including theft of credit card details, can be more effectively defended against.

Speaking to the news source, a spokesman for Barclaycard confirmed that the organisation has been actively encouraging the travel industry to comply with the standard since September 2008.

"The need to secure cardholder information and comply with the PCI DSS requirements will become increasingly important," he added.

PCI DSS expects retailers to update their status annually.

2009 Mitsubishi Pajero Sees Platinum Edition Package Return

MITSUBISHI AUSTRALIA has today announced the return of the Pajero Platinum Edition, featuring safety, function and minor styling updates.

The Pajero Platinum Edition, based on the GLX model, adds a reversing camera and front fog lamps to the big SUV’s existing safety features.

For styling tweaks, body-coloured door mirrors, integrated side steps with front mudguards, and a rear deflector join Platinum Edition signature badging and carpet mats.

The Pajero Platinum Edition features Mitsubishi’s Multi Communication System (MMCS) as standard, featuring GPS navigation and Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity.

Like the GLX upon which its based, the Platinum Edition is powered by either a 3.8 litre petrol engine or a 3.2 litre diesel, both of which can be had in manual and automatic guise.

Existing safety features include RISE body protection, ABS braking system with BA and EBD, electronic stability control and driver and passenger SRS airbags.

The 2009 Pajero Platinum Edition will be available from October, covered by Mitsubishi’s 10 year / 160,000 km non-transferrable drive-train warranty, five year / 130,000 km new vehicle warranty.

Electric Renault Fluence Around 3000 Euros Less Than Petrol Version: Better Place

BETTER PLACE CEO Shai Agassi said this week that the electric version of the Renault Fluence, which Better Place will sell from its own retail points, will sell for 3000 to 5000 euros ($5,075-$8450) less than the conventional petrol version.

Mr Agassi’s comments follow news that Renault and electric vehicle service provider Better Place have inked a deal that will see 100,000 electric Renaults offered in Denmark and Israel, two of Better Place’s strongest markets.

Speaking with German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, Mr Agassi said that although Renault has not yet settled on a price for the Fluence, the electric version will be significantly cheaper thanks to government incentives.

"Renault has not set prices yet, but the e-car will be 3,000 to 5,000 euros cheaper than the model with a gasoline engine," Shai Agassi told Auto Motor und Sport.

"Governments give incentives for electronic vehicles, that’s how we can sell the car at cheaper prices."

Buyers will save money not only because of the government incentives, but also because the expensive battery packs - potentially costing as much as $16,000 (around $2000 more than a Hyundai Getz) - will be leased by Fluence owners rather than bought.

Using a distance-based model, battery packs will be leased at around 250 euros per month for motorists covering up to 30,000km annually - about the same as the cost of running the equivalent petrol model.

Fluence owners will also be able to pay a flat rate of around 350 euros per month to cover unlimited kilometres.

Mr Agassi believes that the profit generated by the battery leasing programme will far exceed the cost to Better Place for each lithium-ion battery pack.

100,000 Fluence Sales By 2016

According to Better Place founder and CEO Shai Agassi, some 50 companies in Israel plan to add Better Place’s specialised Renaults to their fleets.

"We have pledges from 50 firms in Israel that plan to replace company cars with 35,000 electric cars starting in 2011," Mr Agassi told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

To meet what it expects to be a huge demand, Better Place has committed to purchasing 100,000 Renault Fluence cars, based on the concept revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show last week.

The Renault Fluence, an electric vehicle based on the same technology used in the Nissan LEAF, is expected to achieve a driving range of 160km before it must be recharged.

Better Place’s charging systems will allow the Fluence’s batteries to be fully charged in four to eight hours, or a ‘Quick Drop’ station can be used to swap in a full battery in under 5 minutes.

A quick charge can be accomplished in 20 minutes, returning 80 percent of the battery’s charge.

With charging and battery-swap infrastructure in place in both Israel and Denmark, Better Place expects to have 100,000 cars on the road by 2016.

The electric cars will be sold in Israel through Better Place’s own retail points and at certain Renault dealerships.

Better Place Australia, the local arm of Mr Agassi’s electric vehicle services company, recently announced a deal with the city of Canberra to establish a similar network in the nation’s capital.

2010 BMW X6 M And X5 M Australian Pricing Announced

BMW AUSTRALIA has announced pricing for its soon-to-be-released X6 M and X5 M, the X6 M available from December this year, the X5 M to go on sale in January 2010.

With the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG in their dual sights, the X6 M will be priced from $179,900 (plus on-road costs), while the more practical X5 M will cost $172,900 (plus).

Sitting at the top of the X6 range, the X6 M is powered by a 4.4 litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine - the same powerplant that propels the X5 M.

Peak power is a hefty 408kW in the X5 M, and torque tops 680Nm.

Despite its mass, the big X5 M can sprint from zero to 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds, and top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

Power output and 0-100km times for both cars better those of the Cayenne Turbo S and Mercedes ML 63 AMG, while their pricing puts them within striking distance of the Benz and significantly under the $275,000+ Porsche.

With the X6 range outselling the Cayenne earlier this year (so far 734 X6s have been delivered), BMW has high hopes that well-heeled buyers will respond positively to the presence of a new performance flagship in the line-up.

“Many X6 customers are entrepreneurs or self employed professionals with one or no kids, and new to the BMW brand,” Stavros Yallouridis, Head of BMW Australia said.

“They told us that traditional SUV styling was boring and normal coupes offered less versatility than the X6.

“Now with the arrival of the X6 M, we’re able to offer an M version which will tempt performance-oriented buyers considering an ML 63 AMG or Cayenne Turbo with benefits such as faster acceleration, less weight and better fuel consumption.”

2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Special Edition Announced

NEARING THE END of its lifecycle, a new Special Edition PT Cruiser has been wheeled out for Australia.

Available now, the 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Special Edition gets a new cross-hatched solid billet aluminium grille, new 17-inch SRT Design wheels, chromed body-side trim spears and a coat of ‘Brilliant Black’ paint.

Embossed Momentum seat fabric has been included for a performance-car feel, joining a leather-wrapped steering wheel with bright silver accents and a satin silver-finished instrument cluster with chrome rings.

As a finishing touch, premium floor mats are included with the Special Edition package.

Based on the 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Touring, the Special Edition is powered by a 2.4 litre petrol engine developing 105kW and 214Nm of torque, paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Standard features include power windows with auto-down function, 65/35 fold/tumble/removable rear seats, sliding armrest and storage, Chrysler signature analogue clock, compass, temperature display, air conditioning, heated front seats, floor mats, cruise control and leather-wrapped steering wheel.

A 368-watt Boston Acoustics premium sound system and power sunroof are standard.

The 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Special Edition starts at $29,990 for the five-speed manual or $31,990 for the four-speed automatic variant.

Fiat May Be Repositioned As High-End Brand In Australia

A PLAN TO TIE the ailing Fiat brand to its upmarket subsidiary Maserati is reportedly underway, as local importer Ateco Automotive scrambles to make the marque viable in Australia.

With Fiat’s Punto, Ritmo and 500 failing to gain traction in the Australian market, Ateco is apparently investigating cutting back part of Fiat’s dealer network and piggybacking the brand off Maserati.

The strategy would reduce costs associated with selling and maintaining the brand in Australia. Ateco’s Governing Director Neville Crichton reportedly believes it would generate a substantial synergy between Fiat and Maserati.

It is not without risk of course. Re-positioning Fiat as a more aspirational brand by selling it along the significantly upmarket Maserati range may not attract buyers who would not otherwise walk into a Fiat dealership.

And, with Maserati’s sales to August of this year down to 84 cars (compared to 162 cars the year before), showroom traffic may not be enough to get a meaningful turnaround of fortune for Fiat.

Ateco loses money on most Fiat vehicles that it imports, and is currently discussing with Fiat headquarters how to solve the brand’s profitability problem in Australia.

A Fiat/Maserati tie-up is just one option on the table. A decision on where to take Fiat in Australia is expected to be made by the end of this year.

2010 BMW X5 Facelift Spotted

A PROTOTYPE BMW X5 has been spied undergoing testing in Europe, its mildly-camouflaged bumpers and lamp clusters hinting at the popular SUV’s new look for 2010.

Larger chin intakes and a reshaped central intake are the main changes to the front bumper, while the rear bumper has been re-shaped to accommodate a pair of rhomboid tailpipes.

Although the general shape of the front and rear light clusters appears largely unchanged, new lenses and ‘jewelery’ will freshen up the X5’s appearance.

New alloy wheel designs are also likely.

Inside, besides a refreshed interior, the new model will certainly feature BMW’s revised iDrive controller.

Much of the X5’s current engine line-up is expected to carry over, but the 300kW twin-turbocharged 4.4 litre V8 from the BMW X6 xDrive50i may be added to the X5 range in some markets.

The facelifted 2010 BMW X5 is anticipated to make its debut at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. Timing for a local release has yet to be determined

Chrysler, Dodge And Jeep To Undergo Accelerated New Model Programme

SERGIO MARCHIONNE, CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, is pushing to have a handful of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models redesigned and on the market in the next 18 months - projects that would normally take two to three years.

The Chrysler Town & Country (Grand Voyager in Australia), Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot are all earmarked for immediate overhauls, joining the recently redesigned 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The move sits at odds with reports in July that the company would be unlikely to offer any new models in the next two years.

Along with the Grand Cherokee, an all-new Chrysler 300C is already in development, the project having started before Fiat became involved with the carmaker.

Reports in June suggested that Chrysler was then considering putting the 200C concept into production as a replacement for the Sebring.

The next-generation Dodge Avenger is expected to switch to a real-wheel-drive layout, using either a Fiat-built platform or the same LX platform underpinning the Dodge Charger.

Desperate to turn turn the image of its brands around as soon as possible, Chrysler’s new boss has reportedly told the carmaker’s engineering, design and product development departments to expect a lot of late nights over the next year.

The struggling US manufacturer, recently saved from almost certain oblivion by a new alliance with Italian carmaker Fiat, is expected to re-hire a number of key staff laid off during the company’s restructuring.

Bentley Mulsanne Coupe And Convertible Versions In The Works: Report

FOLLOWING THE LEAD of the Continental GT coupe, convertible and Flying Spur saloon, the all-new 2011 Bentley Mulsanne might be heading towards a similar model expansion.

According to British news site Auto Express, Bentley is working to replace the Arnage-based Brooklands coupe and Azure convertible with Mulsanne-bodied equivalents.

Succeeding the Arnage’s place in the Bentley line-up, it stands to reason that the Mulsanne line would be expanded to cover the voids left by the Brooklands and Azure.

Bentley announced in September last year that the Arnage and its variants will cease production in 2009, leaving the way clear for the Mulsanne and its possible variants to enter the brand’s line-up.

The question of whether coupe and convertible versions of the Mulsanne are on the cards may be some years away from an answer however, with production of the sedan not due to commence until early to mid 2010.

UK Manufacturer Modec: First Commercial Electric Van To Gain EU-wide Approval

IN A FIRST for a commercial electric vehicle, UK manufacturer Modec has secured Europe-wide approval for its all-electric Modec van.

This will allow Modec to sell its vehicles in all EU member states without the need for individual national approval.

With strong demand for the purpose-built electric van, the company is appointing distributors across Europe, with dealerships now appearing in The Netherlands, Ireland, France, Spain and Denmark.

"Expanding to European markets was part of the original business plan," Modec CEO Bill Gillespie said.

"Many international businesses recognise the benefits of zero-emission Modec vehicles and demand continues to grow."

The Modec van is designed from the ground up for operation in urban environments.

The Coventry-based specialist manufacturer began production in 2007 and now has more than 150 vehicles on the road.

Modec vehicles are purpose-designed around a large, removable battery cassette. This, according to the company, makes them "future proof", allowing customers to utilise different battery capacities and chemistries as technology evolves.

The current unit takes about eight hours to charge.

Modec offers two battery options: a 100km range pack utilising lithium-iron phosphate batteries, and a 160km range pack with sodium nickel chloride batteries.

A higher range lithium-iron phosphate pack is in development and will be available later in 2009.

Each vehicle is estimated to save more than nine tonnes of CO2 per year.

HSV Cruze To Be Based On Aus-Built Model, No Diesel Planned

WHILE HSV HAS decided not to offer the turbocharged Vauxhall Insignia VXR in Australia and to discontinue the imported Astra VXR, development of a Cruze-based performance model is well underway.

HSV’s Managing Director Phil Harding confirmed on Monday that the Clayton-based company was investigating adding a performance-tuned Cruze to its line-up, although he declined to offer any solid technical details on the forthcoming model.

TMR has learned that HSV’s Cruze will be based on the locally-built model that’s set to enter production at Holden’s South Australian plant in 2010.

The decision to move forward with a Cruze-based HSV model hinged on local production of the car, and work on the project only began after Holden announced late last year that Australian assembly of the car would go ahead.

It’s unclear at this stage whether HSV’s small car offering will be based on the sedan or hatchback version of the Cruze (both of which will be built in SA), but the sedan’s greater structural rigidity may see it get the nod.

A hatchback, however, would be a more direct replacement for the now-discontinued Astra VXR.

With the Cruze being built on General Motors’ versatile Delta II platform (which also underpins the new Astra in Europe), a variety of engine options exist for HSV’s model.

Neither Mr Harding nor HSV spokesperson Simon Frost would be drawn on precise specifications, but both confirmed that diesel engines are not being considered.

As the Delta-platformed Astra VXR utilises a turbocharged 2.0 litre inline four developing 177kW, there’s a great deal of power-making potential for the Cruze.

At this stage, the most powerful petrol engine used by the model is a naturally-aspirated 1.8 litre inline four-cylinder engine with 104kW of power and 176Nm of torque.

Suspension will be modified to improve handling, but it remains to be seen whether HSV sticks with the Cruze’s rear beam axle set-up or ditches it in favour of the Euro-market Astra’s independent rear suspension.

Styling will also be changed for HSV’s Cruze, with new bumpers, wheels and other detail changes signifying the car’s performance intent.

A launch date for the car has yet to be announced, but with local production of the Holden Cruze slated to begin in the third quarter of 2010, don’t expect to see more on HSV’s small car until well into next year.

Land Rover Defender To Be Succeeded By “Project Icon”

TIGHTENING EMISSIONS legislation is expected to sound the death knell for Land Rover’s iconic Defender off-roader within the next couple of years, and the company is reportedly hard at work on its replacement.

Codenamed Project Icon, the next-generation Defender will ditch its traditional aluminium body and ladder-frame chassis in favour of the Discovery’s steel T5 platform.

Independent suspension on all four wheels will also replace the Defender’s live-axle setup, the first time in the model’s 61-year history that such a suspension will be used.

The new Defender will continue to be offered in wagon, utility, crew-cab and cab-chassis variants, but there’s no indication what effect the move to a more road-friendly suspension layout will have for the Defender’s military applications.

Engine choices are not locked in at this stage, but current speculation says the Freelander’s 2.2 litre turbodiesel four or the Discovery’s 2.7 litre turbodiesel V6 may see service in the new Defender, which is expected to launch sometime in 2012.

2010 Holden Captiva 5: The Five-Seater Returns To The Captiva Range In December

THE FIVE-SEATER Holden Captiva is set to make its return to the Captiva line-up in early December, Holden has announced today.

Originally available in both five- and seven-seat variants, the Captiva range switched to an exclusively seven-seat layout earlier this year.

Now, to better compete with the Toyota Rav4, Nissan X-Trail and Honda CRV, the five-seater is on the way back.

“Captiva 5 is a compact SUV that will attract a different set of buyers than those who require the seven-seater,” Holden Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, John Elsworth said.

“It is sure to appeal to couples and families with its attractive European styling, well specified equipment level and competitive price point.”

The Captiva 5, like the Captiva 7, will be offered as a 2WD model paired with a five-speed manual transmission, or in AWD form with a five-speed automatic transmission.

Both models will offer the same features as the Captiva 7, including driver and front passenger airbags, side curtain airbags, Electronic Stability Control and Traction control.

Air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control and Front and Rear Park Assist are among the Captiva 5’s features.

The Holden Captiva seven-seater range will continue to be offered, available in SX, CX and LX trim.

Click here to read TMR’s review of the 2009 Holden Captiva LX Diesel.

Pricing

• Captiva 5 2WD (Manual) - $27,990
• Captiva 5 AWD (Automatic) - $30,990

Next-Gen Audi RS6 Swapping V10 For Boosted V8: Report

POWERED BY a twin-turbocharged version of the same 5.2 litre V10 found in the Lamborghini Gallardo, the current generation Audi RS6 (pictured) develops 433kW and a massive 650Nm of torque.

Reports circulating online this week suggest that Audi will continue the downsizing trend it began with the 2009 Audi S4, swapping the big V10 for a lighter, more efficient V8 in the next generation RS6.

As with the S4, dropping a pair of cylinders while maintaining power and performance levels with the use of turbo or supercharging, will help Audi meet tightening fuel-efficiency and emissions requirements around the world.

A new compact and lighter V8 powerplant will see the next-gen RS6 shedding the kilos, assisting in fuel-efficiency gains for the big saloon.

If Audi does make the switch, it won’t be alone. BMW is believed to be working on a twin-turbo V8 engine for the next-generation M5 - the RS6’s direct competitor - to replace the existing V10 powerplant.

Using the 4.4 litre twin turbo V8 from the current X5M and X6M, BMW engineers are expected to massage the engine to produce up to 450kW.

The current 5.0 litre V10-powered M5 develops 373kW, and the V8 in question already produces 413kW in the X5M and X6M.

2011 Range Rover LRX Confirmed For Production, Spied Testing In Europe

UNVEILED LAST YEAR at the Detroit Auto Show, the Range Rover LRX concept was something of a show-stopper. Land Rover has today confirmed that the LRX will go on sale in 2011.

Early reports had suggested that the new smaller ‘Rangie’ would appear on the market by June 2010, marking 40 years for the Range Rover brand.

Today’s announcement, despite the spy photos of a development ‘mule’ undergoing testing in Europe (images next page), puts the LRX release a year further out.

The disguised Freelander above, spotted on European roads this week and looking nothing like the production version is expected to look, is believed to be the test mule for the LRX.

From these images, it is not at all clear which design direction the LRX will take, and whether the chopped purposeful lines of the concept will make it into reality.

Land Rover says the new Range Rover will be the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the carmaker has ever offered.

Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover said: “Feedback from our customer research fully supports our belief that a production version of the LRX Concept would further raise the desirability of our brand and absolutely meet their expectations.”

Land Rover has not announced any specific technical details for the production version of the LRX, although a press release from the British luxury marque said that more details will be revealed next year.

Petrol, diesel and hybrid versions have been suggested, with the hybrid engine expected to be able to run in three modes: electric, petrol, and a petrol-electric hybrid mode.

Land Rover, in the meantime, has added stop-start and brake-energy regeneration technology to the 2010 Range Rover line-up.

“The new vehicle will be a natural extension to the Range Rover line-up, complementing the existing models and helping to define a new segment,” Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director said.

“It will be true to the concept and have many recognisable Range Rover design cues including the signature clamshell bonnet, the floating roof and the solid ‘wheel-at-each-corner’ stance.”

The LRX was conceived with new technologies in mind, including a lightweight design and a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel hybrid powertrain quoted as capable of achieving 4.7 l/100km on bio-diesel.

The Tata-owned British marque says that the three-door LRX will address the “needs of a changing world with a car that is very much a Land Rover, but a very different type of Land Rover”.

The concept LRX was shown based on a Land Rover Freelander chassis.

In Detroit Auto Show trim, it featured full-time four-wheel drive, Hill Descent Control and Land Rover’s Terrain Response to optimise traction on icy roads or grass, gravel and snow.

Victoria Police To Deploy Number Plate Recognition Technology Over Grand Final Weekend

NEW NUMBER PLATE RECOGNISING cameras will be set up across Melbourne this weekend in a Victoria Police crack-down on unlicensed drivers, unregistered vehicles and motorists with outstanding arrest warrants.

The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is capable of scanning up to 700 cars an hour and can cross-reference each plate with an online database in fractions of a second.

Vehicles of interest to the police can then be intercepted instantly and pulled over.

Victoria Police has already trialled the technology, as have police in Tasmania and Southern Australia. However, this weekend’s roll-out of the ANPR cameras will be the first wide-scale use of the system in Victoria.

It is also part of Victoria Police’s Operation Ardent III road safety blitz, which will see booze buses, speed cameras and an elevated police presence in Melbourne’s inner suburbs over the AFL Grand Final weekend.

Photo: Chris Keating.

Melbourne’s CBD, Maribyrnong, Stonnington, Port Phillip and Yarra will be targeted by Operation Ardent III from tonight through to Sunday, and booze buses will be camped around the MCG on Grand Final day.

“We know Grand Final day is a time for getting together with family and friends and having a few drinks during the footy,” said Police Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay.

“If you’re planning on drinking, don’t plan on driving, that’s the best way to stay out of trouble, because we won’t be listening to your excuses,” he said.

“We’re not hiding behind that fact that we’re dedicating additional mobile speed camera hours to policing the inner-city streets over AFL Grand Final weekend.

“We’re evening up the odds to take on speeding, drunk and unlicensed drivers and penalise those people accordingly.”

2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara DDiS Road Test Review

2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara DDiS Road Test Review

WE HAVE TESTED Suzuki’s Grand Vitara in several guises over the past six months, varying from the cheerful three-door with a petrol inline four to the luxury-spec five-door V6 Prestige.

However, one variant that had escaped the keenly-honed ‘nitpickery’ of TMR’s finest brains was the diesel-powered Grand Vitara DDiS - until now.

This model has been on sale in Australia since early 2008. In that time, it has earned high praise from more than a few motoring scribes… all fine and dandy, but what do we reckon?

First up, it’s easy to understand its appeal.

As a basic package, the Grand Vitara five-door offers a keenly-priced package for buyers looking for more utility than the average sedan, but who don’t want to move up to a full-size four-wheel-drive. Couple that with a 1.9 litre turbodiesel engine that’s easy on the juice, and the picture gets even brighter.

However, despite its obvious merits in fuel economy, there are a few areas where the diesel-drinking Grand Vitara falls a little flat. We’ll get to those in a moment, but first let’s see just how different the DDiS is from its petrol-powered stablemates.

Styling

Aside from a handful of DDiS badges, the Grand Vitara Diesel is virtually identical to the 2.4 and 3.2 litre petrol models.

In fact, the only real point of difference is the absence of foglights on the diesel, which are standard equipment on the Grand Vitara Prestige.

There are no special flourishes to denote the DDiS’s status as the only diesel in Suzuki Australia’s line-up, but that’s no big deal. The Grand Vitara is already a handsome car in standard form, if perhaps a little conservative.

Chunky wheelarches, bold creases and an absence of fussy detailing work in the Grand Vitara’s favour, and the result is a car that looks a lot larger that it actually is.

It’s a rugged, high-riding shape that appeals to both sexes, and although most Grand Vitara buyers won’t venture too far from the blacktop, there’s a promise of off-road adventure in the car’s shape.

Interior

Again, the interior of the DDiS isn’t all that different from other models in the Grand Vitara range. In fact, aside from a tachometer that redlines at 4500rpm, there is little to differentiate them.

The design (both aesthetic and ergonomic) of the Grand Vitara diesel’s interior is good, but an overabundance of hard easily-marked black plastic surfaces let it down.

The dashboard centre stack in particular feels a little cheap, and more tactile materials would be of real benefit here.

The driving position is comfortable though, and the rest of the seats are reasonably good in terms of leg and headroom.

The front seats are considerably more supportive than the rear bench, but the ability to recline the rear backrests is a plus.

Thanks to the high seating position, outward visibility is excellent. The Grand Vitara’s glasshouse is certainly large enough, with the thick-ish D-pillar and the top of the rear-mounted spare tyre the only things that might obstruct your vision.

In terms of luggage-carrying capability, the Grand Vitara is a versatile machine. With the rear seats in place, 398 litres of cargo can be carried without obscuring rearward vision.

Fold the backrests down, tumble the seats forward and 758 litres of room is freed up – 1386 litres if you pack your stuff higher than the window line.

Equipment And Features

The Grand Vitara DDiS is specced similarly to the 2.4 litre model. That means cruise control, power windows, climate control and a four-speaker MP3 compatible AM/FM CD tuner are standard-issue.

A leather-trimmed steering wheel with remote audio controls also makes the grade, and so does a trip computer and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels. A nice practical touch is the 12-volt power outlets dotted around the cabin.

Safety kit is comprehensive, and consists of stability control, traction control, ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist - all as standard.

Passive safety is taken care of by three-point safety belts on each seat (pretensioners are fitted to the front seats) and a full suite of front, side and curtain airbags.

Mechanical Package

The mechanical highlight of the DDiS is, of course, its diesel engine. A 1.9 litre turbodiesel unit with common-rail direct injection, it develops 95kW of power at 3750rpm, 300Nm of torque at just 2000rpm and redlines at 4500rpm.

It’s not a great deal of power, but it is a reasonable amount of torque and it gets the 1630kg wagon moving with relative ease.

The water-cooled Garrett turbocharger features a variable-geometry turbine housing, which gets the turbo spinning earlier and thus minimizes lag.

The intercooler is mounted behind the front bumper.

The 1.9 litre DDiS motor came in for some minor revisions in late 2008, which saw fuel economy improve by eight percent to 7.0 l/100km on the combined cycle.

The DDiS engine is available only with a five-speed manual transmission, with no auto offered. However, the dual-range, lockable AWD drivetrain that sits underneath the other Grand Vitara variants is also mated to the DDiS, and delivers a hefty serving of genuine off-road ability.

Three drive modes are available: four-wheel drive high range, four-wheel drive high range locked and four-wheel drive low range locked.

A neutral position disengages the transfer case allowing the car to be towed behind another vehicle (such as a motorhome), and all drive modes can be engaged with just a twist of a dash-mounted switch.

The Drive

For the Grand Vitara DDiS, we decided on a trip that we thought matched the car’s position in the market as a family-friendly high-riding wagon - an extended weekend jaunt along the south coast of Victoria.

The route involved a peak-hour slog through Melbourne’s inner suburbs, a sedate cruise along the Princes Highway, then some B-road legs and gravel-road excursions as we headed south - the kind of drive a holidaying family might take.

What became immediately apparent was that the DDiS feels so much more agricultural than the petrol Grand Vitara variants.

Suzuki says there’s improved sound deadening, but the rattle from the turbodiesel engine is plainly evident at idle and at speed, and the gearshift is almost truck-like in its feel.

First gear is a fairly short ratio (more suited to off-road duties), and you’re kept busy with gear-changes when accelerating away from traffic lights.

Boost starts to build from around 1700rpm, but if caught in the wrong gear progress can be sluggish. Power starts to taper off quickly from 3900rpm, and the 1.9 litre is well and truly out of puff by the time the 4500rpm redline rolls around.

However, that’s not to say it’s a frustrating drive – the car just needs a driver that understands its characteristics and can adapt to the relatively narrow powerband.

Keep the engine spinning in the meat of its torque curve and throttle response is good. Overtaking requires a little forethought, but the Grand Vitara’s 300Nm is certainly capable of throwing it forward when it needs to.

After spending a weekend touring Victoria’s coastal districts, the Grand Vitara was subjected to yet more heavy-traffic horror during the weekly grind. Despite all of this, average fuel consumption was just 6.7 l/100km – 0.3 l/100km less than Suzuki’s claimed figure.

Not too bad for a 1600kg wagon with the aerodynamic profile of a garden shed.

It handles quite well too. The iron-blocked diesel engine and its attendant turbo hardware doesn’t add enough weight to the nose of the Grand Vitara to noticeably affect handling.

It might not be the most suitable vehicle for attacking a mountain road, but it will certainly take whatever conditions get thrown at it in the hands of the average motorist.

Damper valving is firm on undulating country roads and gravel, but becomes more compliant on bumpy urban streets. Springrates are well matched to the Grand Vitara’s mass, and body roll – although present – isn’t excessive.

The permanent all-wheel drive system inspires confidence in the wet, and the traction control and stability control program does a good job of reining in wheelspin.

We didn’t venture too far off the beaten track in this car, but the locking centre differential, proper low-range gearing and comparatively good ground clearance means the Grand Vitara DDiS will go a lot further than most other soft-roaders can manage.

The Verdict

Looking for a fuel-efficient, sharply priced and well-equipped small-ish SUV to cart the family around? The Grand Vitara DDiS should be on your shortlist – if, that is, you don’t mind the sound of a diesel engine or having to manhandle a vaguely truck-ish gearshift.

An automatic transmission would solve the few major shortcomings of the DDiS and arguably broaden its appeal to buyers, but it would likely sacrifice fuel economy.

If you must have an automatic, the 2.4 litre and 3.2 litre petrol Grand Vitaras will do almost everything the DDiS can, albeit with a greater thirst for a more expensive fuel.

Buyers looking to get into some off-roading may also be enticed by the diesel over the petrols, as the greater torque output of the DDiS and the low range gearing makes it more suited to low-speed crawling.

At a retail price of $35,990, the 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara DDiS represents good buying, especially compared to European diesel competitors like the Volkswagen Tiguan. With a genuine low-range 4WD capability, it’s also better value than the Toyota RAV4.

It may not be quite as refined as some in the segment, but it’s tougher than the average ’soft-roader’. It’s not built for a life of fire-trails, but it’s definitely worth a look for those who want their SUV with occasional off-road capability.

LIKES:

• Great fuel economy
• Low-range 4WD
• Rugged build and compact style
• Good value pricing

DISLIKES:

• Noisy diesel engine
• Notchy gearbox
• Uneven ratio spread
• Hard plastic dash
• Side-hinged rear door can be an inconvenience in tight carparks.