In these times of yo-yo gas prices and growing environmental concerns in the auto industry, diesel fuel is starting to look more and more appealing. Several automakers have come up with clean diesel engines, like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz with BlueTEC. Gas-oil also seems to have a bright future.
In North America, Suzuki had yet to follow the trend. But now, things have changed. Well, sort of. The company recently invited Canadian auto journalists to test-drive a new diesel model that's currently available in Europe only, the Suzuki SX4 DDIS. For the event, two cars directly brought from France were put at our disposal.
An ordinary SX4
Physically, this French-sourced diesel variant shares plenty of similarities with the regularly-powered Canadian SX4. The headlights and taillights are different, but that's about it.
Outside, the car still looks like a small-size crossover, setting it apart from every other competitor. The unique, raised hatchback design makes it stand out from the crowd and endows it with a singular personality. The extensive glass area, meanwhile, makes the SX4 appear larger than it actually is, as if it was inflated from the inside.
Speaking of which, the SX4 DDIS boasts a nearly identical interior. Front passenger room is quite generous, and those sitting in the back won't find life too shabby either. There's also plenty of cargo room behind the rear seats, which can be folded down to easily double the volume of the area. Having said that, the seatbacks do not fold perfectly flat, depriving owners of added versatility.
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| Physically, this diesel variant shares plenty of similarities with the regularly-powered SX4. |
In North America, Suzuki had yet to follow the trend. But now, things have changed. Well, sort of. The company recently invited Canadian auto journalists to test-drive a new diesel model that's currently available in Europe only, the Suzuki SX4 DDIS. For the event, two cars directly brought from France were put at our disposal.
An ordinary SX4
Physically, this French-sourced diesel variant shares plenty of similarities with the regularly-powered Canadian SX4. The headlights and taillights are different, but that's about it.
Outside, the car still looks like a small-size crossover, setting it apart from every other competitor. The unique, raised hatchback design makes it stand out from the crowd and endows it with a singular personality. The extensive glass area, meanwhile, makes the SX4 appear larger than it actually is, as if it was inflated from the inside.
Speaking of which, the SX4 DDIS boasts a nearly identical interior. Front passenger room is quite generous, and those sitting in the back won't find life too shabby either. There's also plenty of cargo room behind the rear seats, which can be folded down to easily double the volume of the area. Having said that, the seatbacks do not fold perfectly flat, depriving owners of added versatility.
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| Front passenger room is quite generous. |