Any thoughts on Suzuki SX4?

[mkaresh]

Owners seem to love them. Good forums: http://www.sx4club.com and http://www.suzuki-forms.com.

I've got a couple dozen signed up to participate in my reliability research at truedelta.com so far. Might have initial results in August. So far the raw data from ten owners looks promising. They're very new, but no repairs reported yet.

 

[moribundman]

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Sidekick 4x4 - Rental in Costa Rica back in '99. Held up well for the #@$%! we put it through.

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I wish! The ones I drove were the previous version. I forget the local (Tunesian) model name. It started with a "V" or a "C," but it was a Suzuki SJ4 from Europcar. I had rented that because it was small and I wanted something nimble. The 10 km walk through the desert to the next phone was not planned.

 

[Winston]

Seems like a tiny car with mediocre gas mileage.

 

[oilnoob425]

i think subaru impreza 2.5 will be a little more expensive but way better choice. especially now when they about to introduce completly new, redesigned imreza. so old one will probably go on sale with some good incentives. i think.

that suzuki looks like ugly and underpowered car with bad shape for aerodynamics, poor gas milege and it's awd system unlike subaru's isn't that crackrd up to be. it's acctually pretty lame.

impreza is a better choice, and that's what i would buy in your place, imho.

 

[oilnoob425]

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Is the Suzuki a true AWD in the sense that all 4 wheels get power at all times? Or does it use the system where one wheel has to slip before it engages?

I know Subaru has true AWD.

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not all subarus. the low priced ones with AT have the same part time awd you described above. suzuki have the same system regardless of tranny type, though. so subaru impreza with manual still looks like a better choice because it still got proper awd with 50/50 torque split. so there.

 

[Dowser]

Hello! My first post here...I'm a visitor from the SX4 forum that mkaresh listed in his post. I bought my Suzuki SX4 in late December. It now has over 8,000 miles on it. I am very much impressed with the car. Great value! I was looking for a 4 or 5 seater with decent gas mileage, and AWD for driving on a certain snowbound road in winter. I never thought I would get a car that handled so well on twisty mountain roads. There is also more room inside than you might expect. Now that it is broken-in, I regularly beat the EPA estimated mpg. With the 5 speed manual trans, I regularly get above 30 mpg out on the road.

 

[c502cid]

Dowser, waht is your city mileage? Been downtown Bakersfield to Woolgrowers lately?

 

[Dowser]

My city mileage is anywhere from 25 down to 21. It all depends on how much fun I want to have. 143 HP in the SX4 is a kick in the pants for me compared to the '91 GMC Sonoma I had before (with a de-tuned 2.8 V6).
Yes, The Woolgrowers...my favorite basque restaurant ever. I really don't like to eat much of that pickled cow's tongue, but I enjoy grossing-out my daughters. If anybody ever travels to Bakersfield, CA, they need to eat at a basque restaurant (such as The Woolgrowers). In the basque culture, it is a shame for one of their guests to go away hungry.

 

[PRND3L]

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Good question. The Suzuki site lists it as: "3-Mode intelligent all-wheel-drive system (i-AWD)". I'm assuming that means you have a front wheel drive only mode, a full time AWD mode and an automatic (wheel slip induced) AWD mode. That would be a sweet setup if that's the case.

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That's the case. A lot of goodies standard on this car too.

 

[smokey1]

why not purchase an 2007 COROLLA w/ : 4 speed auto that's equipped w/ 1.) A.B.S. 2.) V.S.C. ( Vehicle Stability Control ) 3.) Traction Control 4.) Side Passenger Impact Air Bags and Curtain Air Bags along with many other features that retails for about $19,100 , but being an '07 you should be able to get one for around $17,500 ( give or take few 100 dollars ) . My faince' had an XB w/ traction control , vehicle stability control w/ all seasons in winter and was passing 4 wheel drive ( all wheel drive ) S.U.V.s and Pick up Trucks in a dust of snow . Traded in the XB for a PRIUS w/ same features and more in FEBRUARY and drove it w/ all season tires w/o and issue as well . Amazing technology the V.S.C. and Traction Control ( only if insurance companies give discounts for those ) .

 

[smokey1]

oops , fiance' , sorry for all other mistakes , hit wrong key before making corrections .

 

[badtlc]

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why not purchase an 2007 COROLLA w/ : 4 speed auto that's equipped w/ 1.) A.B.S. 2.) V.S.C. ( Vehicle Stability Control ) 3.) Traction Control 4.) Side Passenger Impact Air Bags and Curtain Air Bags along with many other features that retails for about $19,100 , but being an '07 you should be able to get one for around $17,500 ( give or take few 100 dollars ) . My faince' had an XB w/ traction control , vehicle stability control w/ all seasons in winter and was passing 4 wheel drive ( all wheel drive ) S.U.V.s and Pick up Trucks in a dust of snow . Traded in the XB for a PRIUS w/ same features and more in FEBRUARY and drove it w/ all season tires w/o and issue as well . Amazing technology the V.S.C. and Traction Control ( only if insurance companies give discounts for those ) .

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That doesnt really mean much except maybe your fiance is an unsafe driver in inclimate weather.

 

[smokey1]

what ? !!! NO

. She is vey safe driver , sometimes too conservative . The all whell drive vehicles she passed were in ditches or stuck on hills and had to go around them to continue on to or from work . I've driven these cars myself in poor weather and made me a beleiver of VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL and TRACTION CONTROL , as well as ANTI LOCK BRAKES . People are so set in their ways .

 

[smokey1]

oops , all wheel drive .

 

[BGK]

I've read enough horror stories related to problems with Subaru's and their opposed 4 cylinder engines to stay away from them. Suzuki's should be fine as long as you take care of them.