Ron Perry’s Opinion of the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara’s Quality:
The 2006 Grand Vitara’s build quality is good with the exception of a few minor items. One has to be the use of the rubber substance on the door panel pulls. Fingernails leave scratches and an appearance of premature wear. The shifter also needs improvement because dropping the lever from Park to Drive and back up to Reverse feels too spongy. Outside, body seams and gaps were pretty consistent with the exception of the spoiler over the rear window. There was a half-inch gap on the left side and a standard gap on the right. This could be due to the swinging door but designers should have taken that into account and compensated for it. The difference really looks awful. Still, there aren’t any major quality issues and that shows Suzuki is making strides in its effort to improve its products.

Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion of the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara’s Quality:
Like any Japanese engineered and assembled Suzuki product, the Grand Vitara features tight build quality and solid switchgear. Materials, though significantly upgraded over the previous-generation Grand Vitara, are only up to class standards rather than exceeding them. The leather feels soft, but thin, giving the impression that it would be vulnerable to sharp objects – or even a dog’s nails. Soft-touch areas, such as the steering wheel, center armrest, and upper door panels, are thinly padded, imparting a feel of cheapness. The headliner is fuzzy, low-grade material rather than the woven mesh fabric that has become popular. The result is a cabin that looks good, but doesn’t feel like it will wear well over time.

Thom Blackett’s Opinion of the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara’s Quality:
This is a good time to remember the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara’s merits: off-road capability, a long list of standard features, and an unbeatable powertrain warranty. It’s the job of those few points to counter all the negative comments that can be spewed about this vehicle’s quality. First, there are a handful of positives to note, like the matching plastic grains, soft leather on the steering wheel, padded armrests and window sills and, well, that’s pretty much it. Unfortunately, the list of complaints is longer and focuses on the crappy leather upholstery, faux woodgrain that looks horribly cheap, irregular gaps around the pillars, a flimsy headliner, and numerous plastic panels in the cargo area and throughout the cabin that exhibit too much flex. The exterior of our test truck featured large and inconsistent gaps around the hood, headlights, and tailgate; a rear driver’s side door that didn’t sit flush with the quarter panel; and roof rack end caps that popped off easily.

By coincidence, I had the opportunity to drive a 2006 Toyota RAV4 on the same off-road course as the Grand Vitara and discovered that the RAV rolled away solid and quiet, whereas the Suzuki returned to the pavement with a cacophony of annoying rattles.