Suzuki's best flavour
For 2005, Suzuki refreshed their compact car offering on the Canadian market. The Aerio came into the picture in 2002, replacing the un-appreciated Esteem. At the time, Suzuki desperately needed a breath of fresh air in its line-up. So, with a powerful 2.0L engine, reasonable pricing, available hatchback models and all-wheel-drive, the Aerio came to town and quickly made the few Suzuki dealers forget about their troubles for a little while. To keep the package fresh, Suzuki changed or bettered something every year: horsepower increases, new wheels, new engine and, this year, a facelift. The price range for all Aerios is between 18 995$ and 23 995$. The version I tested was a Fastback SX AWD that retails for 23 995$.
Exterior styling
Quirky is the best way to describe the look and style of the Aerio. I must admit that the first time I laid eyes on this car, the words "Japanese animation" came to mind. The front facia gives off a Ninja aura because of the styling of the headlights combined with the fog lights and the deep air dam (I guess I have watched too many cartoons in my youth). The steel used for the door shells is a little thin; every time I would close the door, the noise resembled that of a loose sheet of metal being shaken.
Overall shape is very boxy. By far, I prefer the look of the Fastback over the saloon because the extended roof reaching for the hatch smoothes out the angular lines that are a little too prominent. Although paint application was marred with orange peel, the panel assembly was better than fair.
Interior styling
The new dash is much more conventional and will please more potential buyers than the old digital gauge cluster. Ergonomics are spot on and all controls work in a proper manner. If anything, the knobs felt nicely weighted and looked like they belonged in a more expensive car. I for one, preferred the old dash; I thought it was idiosyncratic and worked well with the rest of the car. The plastics used are on par for a car in this category and the same can be said about the way it is put together. The front seats are comfortable and provide a sufficient amount of support. Front and rear seat legroom and headroom are generous. I would have also retained the old seat material: it looked like faux-alcantara and suede and it was grippier than the smooth cloth now offered. The aluminium interior accents are in good taste but there may be a little too much of it around the radio and vents.
The trunk area is very well finished and organized. There are cubby holes on both sides and a large storage with a cargo organizer beneath the floor. Cargo space is plenty with the seats up and, obviously, better with the rear seats folded flat.
Visibility is quite good in every direction. The high roofline and low window sills allow for large windows everywhere. Even the small triangular shaped front corner windows, which are useless, add to the feeling of airiness.
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Exterior styling
Quirky is the best way to describe the look and style of the Aerio. I must admit that the first time I laid eyes on this car, the words "Japanese animation" came to mind. The front facia gives off a Ninja aura because of the styling of the headlights combined with the fog lights and the deep air dam (I guess I have watched too many cartoons in my youth). The steel used for the door shells is a little thin; every time I would close the door, the noise resembled that of a loose sheet of metal being shaken.
Overall shape is very boxy. By far, I prefer the look of the Fastback over the saloon because the extended roof reaching for the hatch smoothes out the angular lines that are a little too prominent. Although paint application was marred with orange peel, the panel assembly was better than fair.
Interior styling
The new dash is much more conventional and will please more potential buyers than the old digital gauge cluster. Ergonomics are spot on and all controls work in a proper manner. If anything, the knobs felt nicely weighted and looked like they belonged in a more expensive car. I for one, preferred the old dash; I thought it was idiosyncratic and worked well with the rest of the car. The plastics used are on par for a car in this category and the same can be said about the way it is put together. The front seats are comfortable and provide a sufficient amount of support. Front and rear seat legroom and headroom are generous. I would have also retained the old seat material: it looked like faux-alcantara and suede and it was grippier than the smooth cloth now offered. The aluminium interior accents are in good taste but there may be a little too much of it around the radio and vents.
 |
Visibility is quite good in every direction. The high roofline and low window sills allow for large windows everywhere. Even the small triangular shaped front corner windows, which are useless, add to the feeling of airiness.