http://www.suzukisx4.com/

Here's some BIG AWD news in a small package. I didn't know it was coming......read it last night in CAR and DRIVER. This car has the potential to yank Subaru's domination of the inexpensive AWD market right out from under it and give the Impreza fits....and, yes, I say that as Subaru fan myself. ( Imprezas start at 18-19K and the AWD Suzuki Aerio around 18K ). The AWD Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe ( 20-21K ) is being dropped.
Suzuki has not offically announced pricing yet, but sources say it will start around $15,000-$16,000 or so...for standard AWD. And that will include a AWD cutoff switch to keep the car in FWD mode only for fuel economy when you don't need the extra traction.....like on dry pavement.
Of course, the Impreza and Aerio have been in production a while and have proved their durability. This is a new and unproven car, but it looks like an enormous bargain....let's hope that Suzuki didn't skimp too much on material quality and costs to get a multi-adjustable AWD car at this price. My guess, though I don't know this for a fact, is that, like the Suzuki Verona / Reno / Forenza, it is Daewoo Korean-designed and built to keep costs down.

Needless to say, you better believe I will review and write up this car the moment it becomes available.

 

oh goody......

 

SX4 is an Swift based small "suv", built in Europe with Fiat as an partner. In US, it will be marketed as hatchback. It is basically Yaris competitor turned into small SUV.

It is designed and built by Suzuki.

 

Thanks. According to CAR and DRIVER ( the article is apparantly not on the web site yet...I'll post it if I see it ) the hatchback will be introduced first with the sedan to follow.
I'll feel much better about it, quality-wise, if it is built by Suzuki rather than Fiat.
The SX4 name goes back to the old AMC Eagle SX4 of the early 1980's that ws based on the AMC Gremlin...remember that? ( The regular AMC Eagle was based on the Hornet / Concord ) I guess they can legally use the designation now that AMC is no longer in existance.
You describe it as a " small SUV ", but it seems to be much more of a regular small car with car-based AWD then a small SUV per se. When think of a " small SUV " it is more along the lines of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV, Hyundai Tuscon, Mitsubishi Outlander, etc.... maybe the Subaru Forester at the smallest.

 

Even with the low power ratings you think it is going to compete with Subaru?

 

Here is a review by Laurance Yap from about two weeks ago:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=972403874481

Note that dollar amounts quoted are CDN dollars which are almost equivalent to US dollars nowadays. But cars are more expensive in Canada anyway, so don't use these numbers to compare prices in the US


Article:
SX4 to fix already good Aerio this fall
New Suzuki combines sporty sedan and SUV

Build quality higher and materials richer
Sep. 2, 2006. 01:00 AM
LAURANCE YAP


It's a good-looking hatchback, says Laurance Yap, with a low hood that blends into a high, arcing roof with big windows for a great view out. Suzuki puts a $16,000 base price on the SX4.


The Suzuki Aerio always seemed uniquely suited to the Canadian market.

It was available as a hatchback and sedan, which made it practical for our daily lives, especially able to haul things with ease thanks to the large opening at the back and a rear set of seats that would fold easily to the floor.

It had a powerful engine for its class, making it a surprisingly good car to cover long distances.

And the availability of all-wheel-drive made it good for our winters: lots of grip, but with a surprising amount of tail-out capability if you were in a more playful mood.

Given its competitive pricing and unique blend of capabilities, I thought Suzuki should have sold squillions of Aerios; instead it merely sold lots.

The SX4 compact, which will replace the Aerio in the Canadian market this fall, does all of the same things well and fixes pretty much all of Aerio's shortcomings, perceived or real.

First, the styling. Given our own market's preference for hatchbacks, as well as growing acceptance of the format in the States, the SX4 is no longer available as a sedan.

A good-looking hatch it is, too, with a low hood that blends into an arcing roof with big windows for a great view out.

More important, Suzuki's designers have gotten the stance right: the new compact no longer looks like a fat guy standing on his tiptoes; large wheels (15-inchers on the base model and 16-inch five-spoke alloys on uplevel JLX) give the SX4 a planted, stable look.

The detailing combines elements of sporty sedans and SUVs in a surprisingly convincing manner: there's a deep front air dam flanked by a pair of fog lights, but there's also some nicely integrated body cladding along the sides for a tougher look.

In detailing, if not in overall shape or execution, the SX4 kind of reminds me of the Audi Allroad, another car with a raised ride height that managed to look sporty and rugged at the same time.

Inside, if the Suzuki doesn't quite measure up to Audi levels of quality (few do anyway), it can be forgiven given its $16,000 base price (the mid-level JX starts at $18,195 and the all-wheel-drive JLX starts at $21,495 with automatic climate control, a six-disc CD player, subwoofer and other equipment).

But relative to its competitors in the same price class, the SX4 does have one of the nicest interiors. Build quality is excellent, with tight gaps between all of the various plastic and fabric panels and a truly solid feel that cars in this price range sometimes lack.

The materials used are also richer than you would expect: soft-touch plastic on the dash, a durable-looking but supple technical cloth on the seats and leather on the steering wheel and shift ****.

Small touches of metal throughout the cabin add an upscale touch, as do the sharply-lit instruments marked with clean, sophisticated graphics.


Thanks to the big glass and a dashboard design that shrinks away from you, the view outwards is terrific. You can see clearly where the car ends and the controls make it easy to manoeuvre through tight urban streets and underground parking lots. On potholed downtown boulevards, the SX4's high-riding suspension and big tires meant it rode smoothly.

Indeed, between the smooth ride, a surprising lack of wind noise and a smooth-running engine, this is a very refined car.


The 2.0-litre engine produces 143 horsepower and 136 lb.-ft. of torque, which is adequate for most situations but requires downshifts to pass freeway traffic.

Hills have the optional four-speed automatic transmission hunting between its gears and under full throttle, the engine can be pretty loud — if still surprisingly smooth.

The rest of the SX4 wants to drive in the same fairly relaxed manner that the powerplant prefers.

The suspension — MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam in the rear — generates a surprising amount of grip along with the Bridgestone Turanzas, but the body leans a fair bit and the steering isn't very communicative.

The brakes — front discs and rear drums on the base car, all-wheel-discs on the JX and JLX, all with ABS as standard — are strong but the pedal feels kind of mushy.

Use the SX4 as an urban commuter, you'll scarcely notice these slight flaws, but Suzuki is pitching the car at "weekend warriors" who leave the city on weekends to pursue adventure in the mountains; drive the twists and turns on the way to a campsite or a cottage and the car can feel a bit numb and heavy.

A feeling of heft — perhaps, one should say, of substance — permeates the SX4. It has a really substantial, high-quality feel reinforced not only by the materials used in the interior and the overall refinement, but in the way it's constructed.

The doors slam with authority and small details are well thought-out, like the bottle holders in the doors and the full-size head resraints that emerge from the top of the rear seats when needed.

Comfort for a small car is excellent, with plenty of headroom, decent legroom in the back and theatre-seating that gives rear passengers a good view.

The back seats fold up and out of the way, but they're pretty awkward to work: you fold down the seatbacks with a lever, then pull up on a fabric loop to unlatch the seat base; you get them to stay upright by strapping them to the seat in front.

What makes the Suzuki stand out relative to its competition is its new three-mode all-wheel-drive system.

When set to automatic, it monitors throttle, wheel speed and other parameters to determine just how much power (up to 50 per cent of the total torque) to send to the rear wheels. You can also push a switch to lock it for low speeds (distributing 30 per cent of the power to the rear) or switch off the rear axle altogether and cruise for fuel economy in 2WD mode.

No other system in this price class offers this flexibility at such a low price.

A mid-level JX model lists at under $20,000 including such amenities as air conditioning, six airbags, ABS, remote keyless entry, heated mirrors, side skirts and roof rails.

At under $16,000, the base model comes only as a front-driver but includes all the same safety gear, power windows, locks and mirrors and a trip computer but does without air conditioning and rear-wheel disc brakes; the uplevel JLX features steering-wheel audio controls, silver roof rails and other equipment.

Having sold 8,813 cars in Canada in 2005, Suzuki is hoping to grow its annual sales to over 20,000 cars by the time 2009 rolls around.

The SX4 plays an important role in that growth as it's destined to be the company's volume leader.

With its impressive packaging, high level of feature content and especially its available all-wheel-drive system, it should bring a lot of new buyers to the Suzuki brand.

 

Did the conversion to Mexican pesos, and would still be out of the price range of comparative vehicles...given that they will tack on even more down here afterwards.

Still, since we have Suzuki down here, would love to see how it fares.

 

143 hp + AWD drivetrain losses is gonna be fun, even more fun when you turn on the A/C

 

Thanks, Hameed. A good article. I still plan to review the car myself, though. I want to see for myself how well this car stacks up against entry-level Subaru AWD's.

 

I don't think this car is meant to be much fun

Seems like a VERY PRACTICAL "A-B" vehicle which is all weather worthy. The market needs more of these.

Lets hope the Suzuki is reliable, and if it comes with standard safety options such as side impact airbags (head + torso).

mmarshall, I'm waiting for your writeup!!!

EDIT***
I just skimmed the article and wow, if this car is as "good" as Mr. Yap describes it... the entry level car market should watch out!!! Standard 3-way AWD, 6 airbags etc for $16k cad? That is a deal!!!

 

While I can't speak from experience yet with this car, you seem to be forgetting three things, though. First, it is small and light, and yes, even though the AWD adds weight and drag just like all AWD systems, those AWD components themselves......differentials, extra drive shafts, transfer case, etc.....are going to be small and light as well, thus minimizing the power penalty. Second, this car, unlike most car-based AWD systems, will have a dash switch to turn off the AWD and run it on only the front wheels when you don't want ( or need ) the extra traction. In 2WD mode the heavier AWD components will still be there and add weight, but not the drag. Third, given the car's design and weight, 143 HP may not turn it into a drag racer, but it should be able to get out of its own way, even with A/C.

 

Aha. THAT might be the catch, if there is one. We'll see how the pricing, marketing, and equipment levels go when the U.S. versions are introduced.