Rally ho
It looks the same but Suzuki’s new SX4 is a whole lot more exciting than the model it replaces. The big news is the adoption of new six-speed manual and six-speed continuously variable style transmissions that deliver better performance and fuel economy. It’s also safer, with electronic stability control and six airbags now standard on all models, except the basic two-wheel-drive hatch. Rear disc brakes are also now standard on the sedan.
Since the SX4 sedan and hatch was introduced in 2007, it’s fair to say it has failed to emulate the success of the Swift, which has really struck a chord with buyers. SX4 competes in the most diverse and hotly contested section of the market small passenger cars, where Corolla is king. There’s no question that’s where the sedan belongs, but you could argue the all-wheel-drive hatch is more of an off-roader, so it’s not surprising that’s how the company is marketing the car.
We wouldn’t be venturing too far off-road but it is certainly a handy device on dirt and gravel roads, as we discovered playing rally driver in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. With the all-wheel-drive set to auto and the continuously variable transmission (CTV) switched to manual mode, we were able to negotiate corner after corner without getting too far out of shape. It helps of course that the SX4 was the basis for Suzuki’s World Rally Car before it pulled out of competition in 2009.
The sedan, on the other hand, available in two-wheel-drive form only, is likely to appeal to older buyers looking to downsize from a larger car. It offers a surprisingly refined ride with one of the biggest boots in the business — bigger, in fact, than a Commodore. Both the sedan and hatch are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 112kW of power and 190Nm of torque, marginally more and higher in the rev range than before. Changes inside the car include the addition of AUX input for MP3 players as well as back-lit steering wheel controls and a new instrument cluster with an integrated digital display.
SUZUKI SX4
Fuel consumption 8.9 litres/100km
Dealer Garry Crick Maroochydore 5450 3300, Nambour 5441 9500, Noosaville 5440 3600
Story: Chris Riley, from Issue 617, March 11th 2010.
It looks the same but Suzuki’s new SX4 is a whole lot more exciting than the model it replaces. The big news is the adoption of new six-speed manual and six-speed continuously variable style transmissions that deliver better performance and fuel economy. It’s also safer, with electronic stability control and six airbags now standard on all models, except the basic two-wheel-drive hatch. Rear disc brakes are also now standard on the sedan.
Since the SX4 sedan and hatch was introduced in 2007, it’s fair to say it has failed to emulate the success of the Swift, which has really struck a chord with buyers. SX4 competes in the most diverse and hotly contested section of the market small passenger cars, where Corolla is king. There’s no question that’s where the sedan belongs, but you could argue the all-wheel-drive hatch is more of an off-roader, so it’s not surprising that’s how the company is marketing the car.
We wouldn’t be venturing too far off-road but it is certainly a handy device on dirt and gravel roads, as we discovered playing rally driver in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. With the all-wheel-drive set to auto and the continuously variable transmission (CTV) switched to manual mode, we were able to negotiate corner after corner without getting too far out of shape. It helps of course that the SX4 was the basis for Suzuki’s World Rally Car before it pulled out of competition in 2009.
The sedan, on the other hand, available in two-wheel-drive form only, is likely to appeal to older buyers looking to downsize from a larger car. It offers a surprisingly refined ride with one of the biggest boots in the business — bigger, in fact, than a Commodore. Both the sedan and hatch are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 112kW of power and 190Nm of torque, marginally more and higher in the rev range than before. Changes inside the car include the addition of AUX input for MP3 players as well as back-lit steering wheel controls and a new instrument cluster with an integrated digital display.
SUZUKI SX4
Fuel consumption 8.9 litres/100km
Dealer Garry Crick Maroochydore 5450 3300, Nambour 5441 9500, Noosaville 5440 3600
Story: Chris Riley, from Issue 617, March 11th 2010.
