As part of an upgrade of the popular Grand Vitara range, ESP is now a standard feature on the Prestige version. The upgrade also features a factory-fitted sunroof.

“Suzuki is committed to providing the highest levels of safety to its customers,” said Suzuki Australia Automotive General Manager Tony Devers.

“We have stayed true to the Suzuki philosophy of fantastic value for money by including ESP on the Grand Vitara Prestige without adding to the price.”

The inclusion of ESP bolsters an impressive list of safety features including driver and passenger airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and head protecting side curtain airbags, and ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).

“ESP headlines the next generation of vehicle safety systems, by actively intervening when it detects the vehicle is heading out of control and correcting the situation,” said Devers.

“Every driver is confronted at some time with critical driving situations such as a truck losing part of its load in front of you or slippery surfaces after heavy rainfall. Even at moderate speeds these situations can lead to the driver losing control."

“ESP prevents possible skidding from the start, by instantaneous interventions of the brakes and engine management.”

Devers explained the ESP system on the Grand Vitara Prestige utilised the ABS sensors already incorporated into the Grand Vitara range and added a steering angle and lateral acceleration sensor.

The system monitors each sensor every 25 milliseconds, keeping a watchful eye on the angle of the steering wheel and the lateral movement of the car.

When ESP recognises the vehicle is threatening to skid off course, it selectively applies braking pressure at each wheel and – if necessary – limits power delivery to ‘steer’ the vehicle into the desired direction.

The Prestige – available only with a 2.7-litre V6 and automatic transmission – boasts a raft of luxury features as standard, including cruise control, leather steering wheel, leather upholstery and leather door panel trims, 6 disc in-dash CD stereo with MP3 capabilities, speed sensing volume control as well as a 7 speaker sound system including subwoofer.

The bold and aggressive front face and sleek distinctive styling of the Grand Vitara exterior is further emphasised with the Prestige model, complete with low profile tyres, 17 inch alloy rims and fog lamps.

The Grand Vitara Prestige also features a keyless start function, allowing the driver to remotely unlock and start the engine with the push of a button. It was the first compact SUV in Australia offering this feature as standard equipment.

The 'Prestige' offers buyers a maximum output of 135 kW at 6,000 rpm, linked to a permanent 4 x 4 system which is easily switched between high and low range via a control on the instrument panel.

“With the addition of ESP and sunroof at no extra cost, the Grand Vitara 'Prestige' delivers a quality package in every aspect of its design, assembly and attention to engineering detail,” said Devers.

The Grand Vitara Prestige with ESP is on sale now and is priced from $36,990 (RRP).