videcormeum

Suzuki Aerio SX (base) w/ 4-speed Automatic

MSRP: $16,490
Retail: $18,051

Side note: Many dealers sell them for much, much less. Regarding the “Retail” price – the dealer I visited is ridiculous, but it’s the only one in the area. They add a $1000 “market adjustment” to the sticker of each SX on their lot. Also while I was at the dealership a “sales manager” spoke w/ me and after a few minutes of the regular sales hustle he flat out asked me “do you have a button I could push to make a sale today?” … I replied that I didn’t have such a button though I knew others probably did. He walked away after that without saying anything else. What a great way to garner potential future business … I also noticed that he was constantly harping on his sales people. It’s not an environment I’d be interested in working in; super high pressure all around – for both the clients and salespeople. No thanks.

Anyway, on to the review.

Pros: Above average build/materials quality, fantastic air conditioning, adequately manual-adjustable seats and fantastic seating position, decent ride/suspension.

Cons: Rear drum brakes (when will they learn …), anemic powerplant, poor shift logic w/ the 4 speed, overboosted steering, poorly isolated/noisy cabin, not enough rear cargo room for a vehicle this size (only 12.9 cu ft w/ the seats up).

The Walk Around:

Since I didn’t have much to do today and since I’ve had a thing about the Aerio SX for some time now (since it debuted here in 2002, actually) I finally decided that it was time to go see if my interest was well placed or if this wagon was worthless. It doesn’t get much press and the reviews I’ve read haven’t been very thorough. So I’m going to try and fill in the gaps.

Most of you are not in the market for a vehicle like this, but since there seems to have been interest in compact/ultra compact vehicles recently (Yaris, Fit, etc.) on the boards, I feel it’s timely.

Exterior:
I found that all the exterior panels fit together well without a great deal of variance in fitment among panels on a single vehicle or among the sample of 5 SX’s on the lot. Gaps between panels are a little bigger than on some vehicles, but the gaps are uniform all around. This is a stylish, if not downright attractive, small wagon. I like the quirky Japanese styling and think that the design works really well overall. The Aerio SX has a great deal more presence in person than it does in photos and I grew to like even the quirkiest element of the car – the front end – in fairly short order. I especially like the contrast on the rear hatch created by the black appliqué under the rear window and extending down past the hatch lever – it looks pretty neat. The 15 inch alloys wearing 195/55 R15 tires compliment the exterior well. The side view mirrors fold (manually) which is a nice touch and can sometimes come in handy when parking in a really tight spot. The Aerio SX has a discrete roof-mounted antenna. The doors have a reasonably solid feel to them and shut with an encouraging if not pleasing sound.

Interior:
The interior fit and finish and materials were above average in my opinion. After looking at a Kia Spectra5 wagon which sells for about the same price there’s a clear and discernable difference between the two vehicles. I’ve yet to have a chance to comb over the Honda Fit but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the interior design + the fit and finish and materials quality combined in the Aerio SX trumps anything else out there for the same money (~ $16,000). The cloth used on the seats is of fairly high quality. Front seat seating position is good and the adjustable seats work to enable drivers to configure a suitable position. Rear seat room was surprisingly good. Extremely tall invidividuals may find their knees up against the front seats when they are slid all the way back. Overall ergonomics are pretty good – nothing particularly fancy, noticeable or disruptive in the cabin. The power side mirrors use a joystick and L-R switch on the power accessories console above the power window and lock buttons – where it should be. The gauges were easily readable and the center-dash mounted info display unit could be easily read at a glance and was not distractive. However, the shift lever was in an awkward place for me (pretty low to the floor) and I think that might really bother a taller person (I’m just over 5 ft tall). Safety features were good all around – ABS, dual stage front airbags, side airbags, all standard and an IIHS rating of “G” (good) in the frontal-offset crash test.

Below are some photos of the vehicle I test-drove. Following the photos is my take on the driving characteristics of the car.

Front:


Corner Signals:


Rear:


Open Hatch:


Dash:


Rear Seats:


Gauges:


Let’s Go for a Drive:


Driving Impressions:

The first thing I noticed when I got in this vehicle and cranked it up is just how fast it managed to cool off. This particular vehicle had been in the sun all day and was cooking when I got in but cooled off significantly within a minute or so which I thought was incredible; it’s got a great A/C system. Putting the car in gear and cranking the wheel I noticed how numb and detached the steering was; overboosted. After a quick stop for gas (you can see the sales guy filling it up in the first pic) we were on our way down a country road. The suspension on the Aerio is tuned primarily for cruising. And even though this wagon handles the corners confidently without much fuss, it’s certainly not something I’d autocross right out of the box. While the overall ride is nice, I noticed a lot of wind and noise coming from the tires especially over moderate high frequency bumps (that is, recurring in a stretch of road – as from tree roots growing under asphault) – more than I expected to hear given how quiet the car is idling. The Aerio doesn’t control noise very well which is a shame because aside from outside noise seeping in, there isn’t much noise emanating from the cabin – I heard no squeaks or rattles during the 20 minutes I had the car. I even turned the air off and found some bumps just to see if I heard anything coming loose – nothing. I then tried out the engine. What a letdown. Possibly the deal-breaker. The Aerio SX only weighs 2750 lbs but it feels more like 3500 lbs. With 155 hp (@ 5400 rpm) and 152 lb-ft torque (@ 3000 rpm) this car should be quite a bit quicker. Various road tests have resulted in 0-60 times around 8.5 seconds w/ the automatic transmission which I discovered was a big part of the performance problem. The transmission’s shift logic is straight from 1975. It’s easy to confuse and refuses to downshift until … well, it must call Suzuki Japan, press one, and then wait for instructions because it honestly takes forever. Driving the car, an amusing image popped into my mind: it was of a person who has had their stomach stapled, lost 300 lbs, but still doesn’t know that they can run and even when they do it’s slow and awkward. EPA Estimated mileage is 25 city/31 hwy which isn't all that impressive given the lackluster performance.

BTW – when I mentioned the lackluster performance to the sales manager (remember from above?) he said that the car does 60mph in “about 7 seconds” and that he didn’t know what I was talking about …

The Verdict: I think it’s a good value with an above-average interior (for the segment), but the drivetrain does not seem to be competitive with the alternatives available today.

M.

mmarshall

Nice job, videcormeum....well-written. I like some of your " originality " there.
Nice pictures. I see Suzuki finally got rid of that awful triangle-shaped digital speedometer and put in some decent gauges and controls.
If you think the base FWD version with automatic was a little sluggish, just imagine what the AWD automatic, with its extra weight and drag, is like.

( This, BTW, is the only Suzuki-designed regular car left in the U.S market: the Grand Vitara is a joint GM design used by Suzuki, Chevy, and Pontiac, and the Reno, Verona, and Forenza are all three Korean-Daewoo designs built for Suzuki ).

videcormeum

Thanks. Yeah, this is the only Suzuki I'd consider buying. 100% of the parts are from Japan and it's assembled at Suzuki's Kosai, Japan facility.

It'd have to be the right price though. Much over $17,000 and there are much better vehicles that you can start to look at. The base SX is a good value between $15,000 and $16,000. The car I tested didn't have the "premium package" which adds fogs, 7-speaker sound system (replaces the 6 speaker system) w/ six-disc in-dash CD changer, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The SX w/ premium package would be a steal at or below $16,000.

Oh, I forgot to mention in my review that the A/C unit came w/ climate control; it wasn't digital though - temp selections can be made using a dial ranging from 65 to 85 degrees. Still a nice feature at this price.

One more thing - Suzuki's warranty program is much better than Honda's or Toyota's IF you can find a good dealer to service the vehicle for you should you have problems. Suzuki's dealer network is pretty weak.

M.

mmarshall

Although AWD may not be a big concern in your mild SC winters ( it helps in rain, too ), the AWD version of the Aerio is the currently the only vehicle in the U.S. market than can compete with the Subaru Impreza by offering AWD in the $18,000-to-$19,000 category. In fact, pricewise, it undercuts the base Impreza slightly, but Subaru's AWD systems are more proven and are less complex mechanically. The Aerio's system, unlike Subaru's, has to be fitted to a transverse-engine, necessating more bevel gears.
AWD versions of the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe, also in this size class, are offered, but run a little more than either the Aerio or the Impreza.

Do you have a son or daughter going off to school? An Aerio is a good commuter or first-time entry-level car for them, and it carries a good warranty. Or are you just considering an inexpensive, reliable, gas-sipper?

videcormeum

No, in fact, I'm still in school myself - I'll graduate next year.

Right now I'm driving a 2001 Nissan Sentra SE auto w/ audio/sunroof package (big mistake b/c sunroof = KIA).

Eventually I'll need something else and I'm always looking and have a lot of fun looking because I love cars.

When I choose and buy my next car I don't intend to finance the purchase - so the vehicle will have to be relatively cheap - at or below $17,000. Right now, even though I have yet to drive it, the Honda Fit is at the top of my short list of potential future vehicles.

I'm looking primarily at hatches because I have to fit a wheelchair in the rear of the car and it's easier to get a chair in and out of the cargo space in a hatch than it is in and out of a trunk.

M.

mmarshall

If you have a 2001 Sentra now, after several years, I can understand you wanting something else. Unless you have the SE-R model, a Sentra is pretty much unsophisticated basic transportaton...and by 2001 its reliability had started to slide over previous model. But...having said that, even the base Sentra was not a bad car, especially as a commuter. It was a much better machine than, say, a Chevy Cavalier or Pontiac Sunbird....or the 90's vintage Hyundai Accent.


Anyhow....on a unrelated note.......I wish you the best of luck, friend, and though I don't know your condition, I hope the day comes when you won't need that wheelchair. That's my prayer for you.