Suzuki Forum - Suzuki Enthusiast Forums

I'm planning on buying a new subcompact SUV in the next 2 or 3 months. One of the vehicles I'm researching is the Grand Vitara (Toyota's RAV4 & Hyundai's Santa Fe are other options, although I might expand that list...). I have a few questions about the 4-Mode 4WD, which is quite intriguing to me.

My questions are...

1 - Is there a difference between "4H" and "4H-Lock" in terms ofhow well the vehicle does in snow, slush, and ice?

2 - Can a driver switch between "4H" and "4H-Lock" on dry pavement while driving at freeway speeds?

3 - Can you even drive in "4H-Lock" on dry pavement at freeway speeds (50 to 75mph)? Of course I realize that "4H" is prefered on dry pavement, but I'm curious if damage to the powertrain would occur from driving in "4H-Lock" on dry pavement.

Whatusually happens to me while driving to the mountains to go skiing is that road conditions change. The worst case situation is that the pavement in a sun exposed area is perfectly dry, and when the road goes around a corner into a shady area, the road will be covered with ice. Switching between "4H" and "4H-LOCK" on the fly really isn't a very good option.I would preferto shift the vehicle into "4H-LOCK" while driving in the mountains, regardless of the road conditions (dry, wet, snow covered, ice, slush, etc.) Answers to my questions above will help me understand better what I can do with the GV while driving mountain roads.

Thank youfor your time and help. Of course if any of the 2006 and 2007 GV owners have any experiences to share relative to my questions above, I would appreciate being able to read them.

Dave