Safety
The Grand Vitara received the highest-possible overall score, Good, in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal-offset crash testing. It received the second-best score, Acceptable, in side-impact and roof-strength tests, but earned just a Marginal for its protection against whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.
Standard safety features include antilock brakes, side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curtain airbags for both rows of seats, and an electronic stability system. Check out the Standard Equipment & Specs page for a full list of safety features.
See also:
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
• When climbing steep hills, the car may
begin to slow down and show a lack of
power. If this happens, you should shift
to a lower gear so that the engine will
again be opera ...
Engine Block Heater (if equipped)
Engine Block Heater (if equipped)
The engine block heater will help you start
the engine more easily in very cold
weather (–18°C (0°F) or below). To use the
engine block heater:
1) Turn off ...
On-Road
In everyday driving, the Equator rides and handles the way a midsize pickup
should. It's smoother than a full-size and easier to park, but without V-8
power. All the test units were 4x4s; we hoppe ...