GFerg

2009 Suzuki SX4 getting nav system as standard equipment

-J-P-L-

Impressive. There are still a good amount of LUXURY cars that have it as only an option.

Automakers do rip off the consumers in the Nav dept. Generally it's at least a $2k option and probably costs the automaker only a few hundred to add at most.

This will certainly bring needed attention to Suzuki. The SX4 really isn't a bad car anyway.

LexFather

This is actually a fantastic lil car and this will only add to its appeal. Great job Suzuki!

LexusChris

iTrader: (1)

Looks better than the Yaris too, I say it's a winner.

UDel

Good job Suzuki for making the NAV standard instead of ripping people off with it being a 2K+ option. That would certainly help sway my decision if choosing between a similiar car just like it that does not have NAV standard. NAV systems are no longer really that luxurious as they can be had in econo cars and portable systems that can be put in different cars can be had for $175-$300. If I was buying a new car I just can't justify wasting 2K or more on the NAV system option I will hardly ever use just because it looks cool or some other silly reason. If I need a NAV system then I will just get a much less expensive portable unit that I can put in any car I choose to drive instead of a way overpriced option being built into one car that can't be removed.

Maybe luxury automakers will get the message after Suzuki and most likely more less expensive cars/makes offer NAV standard that they seem a little petty making people pay for an extra 2K or more for an option that really should only costs about $200 to $400 and should be standard considering the cost of their expensive vehicles. Luxury is not being screwed over and having to keep ticking boxes and paying extra for a bunch of things that should be standard at that price range and are often standard on non luxury cars costing much less. It is odd to me that some people think that paying extra for a bunch of options that should be standard is somehow luxury or what is great about luxury cars. I can't believe some luxury makes have the nerve to charge extra for leather, metallic paint, HIDs, heated seats, heated mirrors, CD changers, etc when many other less expensive vehicles have this stuff standard and many inexpensive family sedans offer most of those features at no extra cost or that really expensive luxury flagships like S classes, A8, 7 series, LS460, etc still have NAV as an option you have to pay thousands extra for.

TwiBlueG35

It is a good thing for the consumers, only if Suzuki doesn't raise up the MSRP of the car by $1500 in order to make up the cost of integrating this navigation system.

Vladi

These are the best news I've heard in a while. This will definitely make manufacturers like Mitsubishi, Subaru, Nissan to think about their future strategies and than hopefully they will force Toyota and Honda to think trough too.

-J-P-L-

The SX4 is the next class up (Corolla, Civic, ect..). Although, the SX4 offers more for the money in the same fashion as Hyundai.

It is a good car that will be overlooked because of the "Suzuki" badge glued to it. That's why this standard Nav will be a great attention grabber.

LexFather

Well I guess before I accuse luxury makers of anything, do the majority of people really want it? I am Not sure. I was one of the people that thought it was a gimmick but I do see myself buying cars with NAV from now on.

A lot of people still don't want it and would rather a choice.

Will there be a "change" of what equipment is standard in a car? Possibly. Sort of how A/C and Power everything is standard in most cars today. Maybe NAV will slowly be added to that list.

-J-P-L-

I guess it would depend on the standard/base price of the car. If automakers stop ripping people off with the cost of the Nav option, then I think most people would prefer to have it standard even if they barely use it.
But the price of the car shouldn't be offset by more than $400 or so.

Also, a Nav unit shouldn't take manual controls away (climate/audio). This is one of the things that bug me the most. Some cars, for example, only let you control climate fan speed through the nav screen which takes more steps to complete.

LexFather

Yeah thats the thing, all Nav units are not created equal. They are better in some brands than in others. I doubt a universal NAV will ever be brought to market.

I believe this NAV unit in the Suzuki is basically a Garmin system you can buy in the store. They just have it installed in the car (cannot be removed).

UDel

If I am paying over 35K for a luxury car especially one over 50K then yes I certainly want and think it should be standard whether I use it much or not. I am pretty sure most people when buying an expensive luxury car want it standard and would rather not have to pay over 2K for it and most are forced to with big luxury flagship cars because it is so rare to find one that does not have the NAV option. Sure I think a NAV system would be nice in my car though I will rarely use it but I am certainly not going to waste 2K or more on one that should really only cost 2 or 3 hundred extra just to have it. If I am paying 2K for a NAV system or even 1K it better also play DVD movies, receive tv/satelite signals, receive email, receive weather updates, traffic updates, diagnose codes in the car, have service interval info, allow easy hookup of a PS3 or Xbox so passengers can be entertained.

Car manufactures have to spend alot of extra money and resources to design and engineer different dashes, electronics, buttons, and switches for NAV/non NAV models where they could save a bunch of money and just make NAV standard so they don't have 2 different designs. I would not mind paying an extra 2 or 3 hundred for this but that is about it. I guess since they overcharge so much on NAV systems in their cars they somehow worked the numbers where they still make a profit even if they have to spend a bunch of money/resources designing and integrating two different dashes. Once more and more less expensive cars have NAV standard or only a 2 or 3 hundred dollar option customers are going to complain more about NAV being 2K or more extra and many may just say they know they are getting ripped off and not get it.

mmarshall

Agreed. The SX4 carved its niche in the auto market by offering AWD (and even a FWD/AWD cutoff switch) for a dirt cheap price....15-16K to start, undercutting even the bargain Subaru Impreza....and the Impreza has permanent AWD you can't disconnect. If Suzuki jacks the price up because of this, it will have lost some of its competitative advantage.

Now, Suzuki needs to come up with an answer to why AWD is not offered in the SX4 sedan...only the hatchback? The Suzuki reps at the D.C. auto show, when I asked them that, were clueless.

dunnojack

back in the day, cd players cost $200 extra. now they're standard.
now it's time for the navigation to be standard.

this just looks like a simple $200 portable unit bolted into a dash compartment.

-J-P-L-

It does indeed look like a cheap insert but more like a $400 aftermarket unit. $200 models all have small 3.5 inch screens while this one is much larger.

Only expensive cars have fully integrated/encased nav screens. Check out a Civic with Nav and it is clearly just a square Nav inserted into a square whole in the dash.