Okay, maybe calling the Suzuki SX4 and SX4 Sport dynamic is a bit of a stretch, but I will tell you that I was very pleasantly surprised at how nice these cars were. I had them back to back and while I can’t say much about the styling, I can say a lot about how nice they really are.
The SX4 Sport is Suzuki’s all-new sedan version of the compact sport X-over (crossover) five-door hatchback that joins the lineup for 2008. The SX4 name is derived from Sport X-over for 4 seasons; ya gotta love the naming process, and is only available with front-wheel drive. The body and chassis of the SX4 was developed from the Suzuki Swift that earned many awards in Europe and Asia. I’m told SX4 was designed to capture the style and presence of an SUV in a compact, efficient package.
The SX4 Sedan comes in a Base, Convenience Package and Touring I and II trims, and my tester came with the convenience package and had an automatic transmission and stickered at $16,370 and with virtually no adds. It does come standard with some pretty nice features like ABS, a host of airbags, Tire Pressure monitoring, Cruise Control, Rear Defogger and a lot more that may be optional on a lot of competitors.
One thing that struck me immediately in the sedan was how quick this car is off the line. Power is supplied by an In-line 16 valve Dual OverHead Cam 4 cylinder engine that generates 143 horsepower and 136 lb-ft of torque, both enough to make this car feel quick with the 5-speed transmission but so-so with the automatic. There is plenty of room up front but it is a small car so taller than average rear seat passengers could be a bit crowded.
Driving the SX4 is a bit monotonous for my taste but this car wasn’t built to thrill, it was built to get from point A to point B efficiently in some degree of comfort without costing a lot to drive. While getting over 30 mpg on the highway isn’t too bad, it is somewhat disappointing. Other than that, the little sedan works just fine. The interior is actually pretty quiet for an entry level compact and I was pretty impressed with the ergonomics. The seating is very comfortable and visibility is good, even out the front due to small windows behind the A-pillar and in front of the door4.
I’m happy to say that my time in the sedan was backed up by a week in the SX4 Crossover Touring II AWD version, and truth be told, it’s a very surprising little runabout. This car has virtually the same equipment as the sedan I drove save this come with the standard transmission and the Touring II package which changed the paradigm dramatically. I happened to have had a new Jag XJ Vanden Plas to test the same week I had the Crossover SX4 and I was not really looking forward to spending a lot of time in the Suzuki. Sorry, but I think Suzuki will forgive me. That said, I was really surprised to find that the Crossover actually has a bit of a fun quotient.
The car seemed much quicker with the manual transmission, the Touring package and All-Wheel-Drive makes the car much more taut, and even athletic to some degree, but non-the-less nimble. The speed-sensitive steering is responsive without being too light and the combination of 16-inch wheels and front and rear stabilizers make the SX4 Crossover, dare I say it, sporty.
All in all I think that Suzuki brings some strong competition to the likes of Toyota’s Yaris and the Honda Fit. The 100,000 mile, zero deductible and transferable powertrain warranty is certainly a plus.
Specifications:
Engine:
2.0 liter I-4 143hp @ 5800
136lb-ft torque @ 3500
Price:
Sedan $16,370, SX4 Crossover $16,870 as tested
EPA Est. Sedan 23/31, Crossover 21/28
Base Warranty 36 months 36,000 miles
100,000 mile Powertrain
Suzuki’s Dynamic Duo