High on style
Fortunately for us car buyers, there's a lot of interesting choices in the compact car category. Yet among them, there aren't many wagons to choose from. Still, most people want to ride in style, and when one sticks out from the crowd, it can potentially meet with success.
It's a question of taste, of course, but I find the new SX4 to be quite a looker. Its wraparound headlights and sloping rear end make for a cute car.
Modest but competent powertrain
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter engine that develops 143 horsepower, less than the Aerio five-door it replaces, but still plenty powerful. It's a little noisy at full throttle, but gets the job done. I tried out two both the manual and the automatic; the manual works well, the clutch is not too firm, and the shift lever is fairly precise.
The automatic, however, isn't as satisfying. The car is sluggish off the line, but once you get to the second and third gears, the pace picks up. There are only four speeds in the autobox, and I would've preferred five. The Grand Vitara has a five-speed automatic; can't Suzuki drop it in the SX4?
Fuel consumption isn't on par with the rest of its competitors. Averages of 10.6 L/100 km for the manual and 11.0 for the automatic are higher than in the Matrix, the HHR and the Focus ZXW, but let's not forget that this particular version has all-wheel drive, which adds weight and friction to the driveline.
Good handling
Speaking of which, the system is pretty easy to use. A center console-mounted switch allows you to keep it in front-drive mode, and you can also choose 'AUTO', which sends power to the rear wheels when it detects wheel slippage. If you think you're going to get stuck, though, you can flip the switch again and choose 'LOCK', which activates full-time all-wheel drive. The system works fluidly; switching from one mode to another doesn't cause any driveline lash.
Fortunately for us car buyers, there's a lot of interesting choices in the compact car category. Yet among them, there aren't many wagons to choose from. Still, most people want to ride in style, and when one sticks out from the crowd, it can potentially meet with success.
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| The SX4 look is original and refreshing. |
It's a question of taste, of course, but I find the new SX4 to be quite a looker. Its wraparound headlights and sloping rear end make for a cute car.
Modest but competent powertrain
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter engine that develops 143 horsepower, less than the Aerio five-door it replaces, but still plenty powerful. It's a little noisy at full throttle, but gets the job done. I tried out two both the manual and the automatic; the manual works well, the clutch is not too firm, and the shift lever is fairly precise.
The automatic, however, isn't as satisfying. The car is sluggish off the line, but once you get to the second and third gears, the pace picks up. There are only four speeds in the autobox, and I would've preferred five. The Grand Vitara has a five-speed automatic; can't Suzuki drop it in the SX4?
Fuel consumption isn't on par with the rest of its competitors. Averages of 10.6 L/100 km for the manual and 11.0 for the automatic are higher than in the Matrix, the HHR and the Focus ZXW, but let's not forget that this particular version has all-wheel drive, which adds weight and friction to the driveline.
Good handling
Speaking of which, the system is pretty easy to use. A center console-mounted switch allows you to keep it in front-drive mode, and you can also choose 'AUTO', which sends power to the rear wheels when it detects wheel slippage. If you think you're going to get stuck, though, you can flip the switch again and choose 'LOCK', which activates full-time all-wheel drive. The system works fluidly; switching from one mode to another doesn't cause any driveline lash.
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| This particular model has all-wheel drive. |