Suzuki H-series V6 (H20A / H25A / H27A)

Suzuki's V6 — in the Grand Vitara and the XL7.

It is an unusual engine to find in a small four-wheel-drive, and that is most of its character: a smooth, unstressed V6 in a vehicle whose four-cylinder alternative is the more common choice, which makes parts and specialist knowledge thinner than the vehicle's popularity suggests.

Its recurring item is the timing chain and its guides on the higher-mileage examples, presenting as a rattle on start-up that lengthens over time. On a V6 the chain arrangement is more involved than on a four, so catching it as a noise genuinely matters here.

The H27A in the later Grand Vitara is the one most owners meet, and its other known item is the exhaust manifold cracking — which sounds like a top-end tick and is regularly chased inside the engine before anyone looks at the manifold.