2007 Suzuki SX4 Road Tests

The SX4 is indeed reasonably sporty, when equipped with a manual transmission. It offers versatility and even looks like a stylish mini-SUV. We'd classify it as cute. Finally, it's good for all seasons as it comes standard with an effective all-wheel-drive system.

A number of all-new models brings excitement to the subcompact segment. The Suzuki SX4 competes directly with the new Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, and Chevrolet Aveo. Yet the SX4 comes with all-wheel drive and it looks, drives and feels different from these other cars.

Safety features include six airbags: front driver and passenger airbags, driver and passenger side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags, all standard. Four-wheel ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and seatbelt pretensioners come standard.

Standard features include air conditioning, power windows, locks and mirrors, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with four speakers, tilt steering wheel, 16-inch alloy wheels and black roof rails.

The SX4 Sport adds electronic stability control and traction control, auto temperature control, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, premium audio with six-disc CD changer and nine speakers including subwoofer, silver-color roof rails and SmartPass keyless entry and start system.

It seems strange to talk about the SX4 in the same breath as an SUV, but it is exactly how Suzuki describes it in the U.S. To be fair it describes it as a crossover, which is accurate in that it has a tailgate, fold down rear seats for added cargo space and all-wheel-drive. In Europe, where the car was designed and has been well received, it's described as a hatchback. Nothing wrong with that in Europe where hatchbacks are considered smart and practical.

One of the most unusual design cues is the unusually large quarter panel in the front door windows. Another is the wraparound glass at the rear behind the C-pillars, which are placed well forward of the tailgate. These design features give the car a distinct look.

The SX4 has a large windshield that slopes down to a hood that has a nicely curved front edge that wraps around the large one-piece headlight/turn signal units which are in turn nicely integrated into the sheetmetal. The curve of bodywork from the front of the distinctive front fenders extends down to the lower lip of the front bumper with its large air intake.

All in all, we found the design of the SX4 to be very pleasing. It does not look too small and despite its high roof line it has a sleek and modern stance.

Tip the 60/40 split rear seats up all the way and there's a generous 38 cubic feet of cargo space, with a flat floor all the way to the hinges on the front underside edge of the seat bottoms. Getting stuff in and out is a breeze thanks to a full-width one-piece tailgate.

Considering the overall size of the car, rear-seat leg room is pretty good, more than sufficient for a six-footer. Put in perspective it's the same as in the much larger Mercedes-Benz E-Class but not quite as generous as in the similar size Nissan Versa. Ingress and egress is fine as the rear wheels are so near the rear end that the wheelwell does not intrude much.

Moving to the front you'll find a pleasant cockpit with well placed climate control knobs mounted high up, just below the sound system, which is on a level with the center of the steering wheel. No gimmicks; everything is well placed and the brushed aluminum trim seems to be well finished. The car has decent cupholders and large map pockets in the front and rear doors.

Three gauges fill the instrument pod, located in front of the steering wheel. Again no gimmicky central mounted pod like you will find in the Toyota Yaris. The large speedometer is mounted in the central position slightly overlapping the smaller tachometer.

As an aside all modern rally cars use all-wheel-drive and Suzuki has announced it will enter the spectacularly fast World Rally Championship in 2008 with a high performance specially built version of the SX4. Although the company will not say officially, it does appear promising that there will be a production version of this car probably named the Suzuki SX4 SWT (Suzuki Works Techno).

Subaru's WRX and Mitsubishi's Evo, both WRC-based road cars, have been hot tickets with car enthusiasts for several years. Suzuki already enjoys a strong following with bike enthusiasts so it makes sense for the company to follow in Subaru and Mitsubishi's footsteps down the rally performance road.

This is a roundabout way of saying that the SX4 has the basic ingredients for a solid performance car. In its stock trim it offers the most powerful engine in its class. It has a wide track for great handling and it seems to have a solid body. The downside is it tips the scales with a slight weight penalty, which means it is not much faster than its competitors and its fuel consumption is not quite as good.

The all-wheel-drive system is called i-AWD and operates in three modes via a console-mounted switch. The 2WD mode is for maximum fuel economy on dry pavement, the AWD Auto mode controls the drive power distribution ratio to the rear wheels from zero to 50 percent, depending on available traction while the AWD Lock mode is designed to facilitate traction in case of snow or mud. When in the lock mode, power is distributed to the rear wheels in the range of 30 percent to 50 percent. When the vehicle reaches 36 mph in AWD Lock mode, the system automatically switches to AWD Auto mode.

Honestly we don't see the point in the 2WD mode as the fuel savings have to be minimal and it means the driving feel changes when you switch to or from the automatic mode. It seems much more sensible to have the benefits available at all times so that in an emergency situation one has all four wheels doing the work. The lock mode is useful for really adverse conditions at slow speeds.

We found the car fun to drive with a manual transmission. It could do with a sixth gear as we found ourselves wanting to up shift several times as we drove the car on straight highways and freeways. Around the twisty bits, however, just shifting through the gate between second, third and fourth gear was fine.

We only tried an automatic for a short distance and the shifting seemed smooth. The SX4 with achieves a slightly better EPA-estimated fuel economy rating with an automatic than it does with the manual.

The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering feels fine with virtually no sign of torque steer. It might not be quite crisp enough for a racer but it's far from being sloppy. We never had the chance to try the brakes in a panic but have no reason to doubt they work fine especially as ABS and electronic brake-force distribution are included on all models.

Overall handling is competent thanks, as much as anything, to the long wheelbase and wide track as well as the AWD system. Those who like a soft cushy ride might find it a little too stiff for their liking. Those who want a sports car like ride will want to install stiffer springs and stronger shocks. The Sport model does not include any suspension changes. Nonetheless the SX4 does appear to provide a good base for making a truly sporty small car a la WRX or Evo.

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent John Rettie test drove the Suzuki SX4 near San Diego.