Suzuki Australia wants seven-seat Grand Vitara

Andrew Moore, the general manager of Suzuki Australia, says that the importer would warmly welcome a new Grand Vitara, especially if it comes with seven seats.

But Moore also revealed that the current model still has plenty of life left in it.

"We've got Grand Vitara in Australia for the rest of this year and beyond, because we've got the Euro 5 [emissions standard-compatible] engine," he said, while speaking with motoring.com.au during the launch of the new Ignis this week.

"There's nothing confirmed," Moore replied, when asked about the prospects of a successor to the current model Grand Vitara.

"It's something a lot of markets are talking about; we're not the only ones."

If Moore and his local management team have any say in the complexion of the new Grand Vitara, it will be roughly the same length as the current model – 4.5 metres – but will offer a third-row seat to raise seating capacity from five to seven.

"In any medium SUV, if you have a seven-seat option you're going to increase your [sales] volume by 15, 20 per cent," he explained.

But with the hardcore Grand Vitara selling over 1600 vehicles in 2016, despite being an old design now, even another five-seater would be embraced by the local distributor.

"I'd rather have a medium SUV with five seats than no medium SUV. Seven seats is something we've requested, and we want 4.5 metres [length] so it's big enough."

One thing about a new Grand Vitara, however, it's unlikely to retain a separate chassis. Moore believes the logical direction for Grand Vitara in future would be an all-new design based on a stretched version of the Vitara monocoque.

"Vitara's a great platform for it, for the looks perspective… so we're pushing very heavily for a medium SUV."

What that means for the Grand Vitara's off-road ability in future is uncertain, but Mitsubishi's Pajero is a precedent proving monocoques and off-road competence can go hand in hand.