Suzuki SX4: High Value Sedan

While best known in the North American market for motorcycles, Suzuki is no newcomer to the auto business. With a car manufacturing history dating back to 1955 that actually precedes Honda, Suzuki now produces over 2.5 million cars annually worldwide. The 1955 Suzulight, Suzuki's first car, was a front-wheel-drive, four-door sedan powered by a 360cc 2-stroke engine with rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel independent suspension.

By any measure, the Suzuki SX4 Sport is a stylish car that's easy on the eye. Proportions and lines are appealing and it delivers with a sculpted look that is sporty without resorting to massive wings and oversized body accents. The SX4 Sport model adds an understated lower body kit that accentuates the sedan's athletic look. The platform is offered in both the four-door SX4 Sedan and as a four-door hatchback SX4 Crossover with available all-wheel-drive.

You can't complain about the price of admission with this sedan's base MSRP just $14,339. The Sport model, which adds four wheel disc brakes and 17 inch alloy wheels with 50 series performance tires, is a great deal starting at $14,999. One surprise is a hefty $1,100 for the four-speed automatic. Even if you load on all the factory options, the sticker should still fall below $19 grand.

For 2009, the SX4 becomes the first car in America under $16,000 with a factory navigation system. This was accomplished with an innovative, flip-up center dash mounted pod that houses a 4.3-inch Garmin portable GPS unit. The beauty of the design is that the portable GPS is removable so it can be used in other vehicles, plus it can be updated if newer models become available. Suzuki TRIP (Travel, Real-time traffic, Information, and Play) adds Navteq mapping software and Bluetooth hands-free calling capability that can receive and audibly announce text messages.

The SX4's interior is quite spacious given the car's exterior dimensions. The SX4 sedan is a five passengers vehicle and you can indeed squeeze five adults in the cabin with little complaint. The driver sits relatively low in the vehicle and is surrounded by a low doorsill height and a lot of glass, adding to the sense of roominess. Visibility is quite good in all quadrants.

The SX4 is powered by a double overhead cam, 16-valve 2.0-liter four-cylinder that delivers respectable performance thanks to 143 horsepower and 136 lbs-ft of torque. There's enough punch to accelerate from 0-60 mph in just over 10 seconds. Drivability is quite good. The 2.0-liter's torque peak is just 3,500 rpm, so it's not necessary to buzz the four-cylinder up to red line to stay in the sweet spot of the power curve. The five-speed manual transmission is more fun, but according to 2008 EPA estimates the four-speed automatic will deliver an extra mile per gallon in both the city and highway driving cycles.

Fuel economy is somewhat less than expected from a car in this class. EPA numbers are 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway with the four-speed automatic transmission and 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway for the manual transmission. We averaged 28.3 mpg with our automatic equipped test car. How do those numbers stack-up against the competition? With automatics, the Honda Civic rates 25/36 (city/hwy), the Nissan Sentra 25/33, and the Toyota Corolla 26/36 mpg. The SX4's fuel tank holds 13.2 gallons of gas, so highway range is respectable.

With a base curb weight of 2,745 pounds, the SX4 Sport is nimble and easy to drive. The chassis exhibits a solid, confident feel. With the Sport's 50-series performance tires and factory tuned KYB gas shocks, the SX4 Sport can be hustled right along without complaint. Overall ride quality is a bit firmer than most compacts, but it never feels overly harsh.

One of the best reasons to consider the SX4 is Suzuki's fully transferable, zero deductible 100,000 mile/7-year powertrain warranty. Peace-of-mind and bang-for-the buck make the SX4 Sport a serious contender in the compact segment.

The Good: Stylish and fun to drive, great warranty
The Bad: Fuel Economy less than expected
The Rating: The Rating: 6.5 (out of 10)