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2006 Suzuki Forenza Wagon
First and foremost let me just say that while this is not my type of vehicle, I will say that in this day and age of small wagons, Forenza's foray into the fray pretty much holds its own.The Forenza Wagon is Suzuki’s new compact wagon that joins the Forenza sedan that debuted for 2004. Like the sedan, the Forenza Wagon, while not necessarily sexy, it is intended to, and does, offer value-conscious shoppers a high level of standard features, a first-rate warranty, and more passenger and cargo room than a lot of its competitors. Some new features for the 2006 model includes; a new front fascia design featuring a new grille similar to other Suzuki models, new flush wheel covers and an upgraded emissions system for more efficient diagnostic capability.
The Forenza Wagon is come in a well-equipped base version or the premium which includes fog lights, new 15-inch alloy wheels along with a remote keyless entry, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, and cruise control. Not bad for under $16,000.
The Forenza is styled in Italy by Pininfarina, manufactured in Korea by Daewoo, and sold in the US by Suzuki, how’s that for having an international heritage? The Forenza Wagon and Sedan pretty much fill out Suzuki's model lineup. Suzuki touts the Forenza as a practical compact wagon for a young family which as I alluded to earlier is a growing market segment. When Pininfarina does the work, one can hardly go wrong and the exterior is not half bad looking at all. The interior is roomy, with sufficient legroom in the front and rear passenger seating areas. The 60/40 split rear seats fold down, but unfortunately not completely, but does afford a bit of additional cargo space. A retracting cargo cover keeps the rear compartment contents hidden when the seats are up.
The seats are covered in a velour fabric and although they're not bolstered very well, the fabric at least keeps passengers from sliding around. Fit and finish levels are surprisingly much better than I would have expected in this price range, which is a big plus, with interior plastics and trim that are not at all cheesy. Round A/C and heat vents are reminiscent of the Audi TT, but they sport plastic bezels rather than aluminum.The audio system has surprisingly good sound, with clear treble and decent bass response. Tweeters mounted near the door handles improve stereo imaging, and the steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls are very suitably located. Another surprise on the interior is leather covering the steering wheel and transmission shift lever.
A 2 liter inline-4 cylinder mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission powers the Forenza wagon, however the engine is a bit noisy under acceleration, but very tolerable at cruising speeds on the highways. To maximize performance and economy from this power plant, the 5-speed manual to me is pretty essential. That said however, the Forenza EX is only available with an automatic. The Forenza Wagon while pleasant to drive, will never be mistaken for a natty handling vehicle as it is definitely set up for comfort over handling.
Fortunately, the suspension is not too soft, so the Forenza doesn't float and wallow over bumps so it’s not really too big a deal and all in all it probably works out better for the Forenza buyer. All in all, the Forenza Wagon offers an excellent value in its class with a well balanced combination of equipment, decent styling, and quality interior materials make this Suzuki a viable competitor in the small wagon segment. So, if this is the type of vehicle you’ve been thinking about, I’d suggest you check out the Forenza Wagon by Suzuki. You may be surprised, I know I was.