2004 Suzuki Vitara Review
Price Estimate: $1,499 - $2,521
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Price & Payment
Appraise My 2004 Suzuki VitaraEdmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Truck-based body-on-frame construction means off-road capability.
Cons
- Meager cargo space, cramped rear seats, lacks refinement.
What’s new
The Vitara two-door has been dropped. The Vitara four-door is upgraded with a V6 engine and comes with charcoal-colored bumpers and mud guards, a newly designed soft spare tire cover and new exterior colors.
Edmunds says
The small SUV segment is full of very capable vehicles, and although the Vitara can rock-crawl with the best of them, it gets left behind in nearly every other respect.
For sale near Ashburn, VA
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$190/mo for Vitara LX
Vitara LX
vs
$156/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
Reliability
The 2004 Suzuki Vitara has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 1 recall. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Recalls
1 recall foundChecking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
- Recall Number:
- 04V427000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- 99-ER
- Manufactured from:
- 2003-07-01 to 2003-09-30
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 172093
- Defect Description:
- ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, UNDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BELOW -25 DEGREES CELSIUS, MOISTURE CAN FREEZE IN THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. AS A RESULT, FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE MAY INCREASE AT THE TIME OF ENGINE START UP, CAUSING FUEL LOSS AT THE FUEL PIPE/FUEL HOSE CONNECTION.
- Defect Consequence:
- FUEL LOSS IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
- Corrective Action:
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, THE FUEL DELIVER HOSE AND REPLACE THE HOSE CLAMP WITH AN IMPROVED CLAMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.
Warranty
3 years / 36,000 miles Basic Warranty- Basic Warranty
- 3 years / 36,000 miles
- Drivetrain Warranty
- 7 years / 100,000 miles
- Rust Warranty
- 3 years / 36,000 miles
- Roadside assistance Warranty
- 3 years / 36,000 miles
Suzuki Vitara Reviews
Owner Reviews
5(44%)
4(50%)
3(6%)
2(0%)
1(0%)
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
My Third One
4.38 out of 5 starsWOldaker, 07/04/2003
2002 Suzuki Vitara JLX 4WD 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
This is the 3rd 4wd Suzuki I have
owned. irst was a Samauri,then Side
Kick. and the last one the Vitara.
After owning the "dangerous" Samuari :=)
I knew I would probabably never drive
anther brand though would opt for more
comforts. It was time for my wife to
get a new vehicle so she ended up with
the Vitara. My Sidekick only has 170000
miles and is not ready to go yet. … My
wife teaches at 2 colleges 50+ miles
from each other and I wanted to have a
reliable, durable and safe vehicle for
her in any weather or situation. That
sums up the Suzuki Vitara.
Love My Vitara
4.5 out of 5 starsluvmycar, 02/16/2007
2004 Suzuki Vitara LX Rwd 4dr SUV (2.5L 6cyl 5M)
This is a great "little SUV!" It's compact enough to fit into any compact space and it's soooo fun to drive. It's a little jerky but I think that's the charm of it plus mine is manual so it's extra fun and animated! I have only had it for a year, but I haven't had ANY problems mechanical, electrical or otherwise. I drove across the country with it and it is still in superb condition. … It has been very reliable! I am absolutely in LOVE with my Vitara, I recommend this vehicle to anyone who wants their cars to be reliable with personality (not in a bad way).
Love my 'Zuki
4.25 out of 5 starsLaura, 11/19/2006
2003 Suzuki Vitara Rwd 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
My Suzuki Vitara has been wonderful. It handles easily, is truly economical to drive, and doesn't embarrass the kids. Too bad Suzuki discontinued the model, or I'd be trading it in for a newer one. It also has a pretty decent sound system in it, which I found to be a plus as soon as I started taking longer road trips. It even has nice safety features.
A Genuine Mini 4-Wheeler
4.5 out of 5 starsArmy Veteran, 07/29/2002
2002 Suzuki Vitara JLX 4WD 2dr Soft Top SUV (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
The vehicle has been a pleasant
surprise in comparison with the Jeep
Wrangler. Unlike some competitors it
has a 4WD Hi/4WD Lo transfer case, and
is based on a true "truck" body. It has
less than half the turning radius of a
Jeep Wrangler. The rack-and-pinion
steering has a more precise feel. I
also got the advertised 25 mpg mileage,
which is 40% better than the Jeep. … The
torquy 16-valve DOHC 2 liter four
breathes freely at top end. Too bad
Jeep doesn't make this little 4-wheeler!
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2004 Suzuki Vitara, so we've included reviews for other years of the Vitara since its last redesign.
2004 Vitara Highlights
| Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $16,999 |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | Gas |
| Combined MPG | 18 MPG |
| Cost to Drive | $190/month |
| Seating | 5 seats |
| Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 23.4 cu.ft. |
rear wheel drive | |
| Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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