2009 Suzuki SX4: Nice

The SX4 (esp. the sedan) looks good from any angle that you can't see that ridiculous dashboard window in front of the mirror thing. That one styling element ruins the look of the whole car for me. Otherwise, the SX4 sedan looks better than a Corolla, Cobalt, or Civic and as nice as the 3.

Have you guys figured out how to get more than 24mpg with it yet?

Its a nice looking little car - certainly nicer then Versa/Yaris/Fit, imo. I don't mind the color though I'd never chose it myself.

I have a question:

How's Visibility?

Here's my question: why is this dog being compared to a MINI? I see how in many cases it might have more utility, but even then, they really do not seem to be the same class of vehicle.

Also, I still do not get the point of AWD in a vehicle like this. TIRES TIRES TIRES. If winter tires won't get me there in a 2WD car, I do not want to be out driving a road car in those conditions.

some states need more than just tires tires tires, especially states where they are used to getting dumped on with snow so NOTHING shuts down or closes. so you still have to get to work in a semi blizzard. plus the AWD broadens its appeal to those who are looking for a small crossover and think the rav-4 and cr-v are a little too big and not fun. or if youre like me and you think subarus are over rated and over priced for what you DONT get on the standard features list... the sx4 is an excellent alternative!!

I am still not convinced, though. I put performance winter tires on a Speed3 this last winter, and I was not stopped by anything. I live in the Chicago area and regularly travel to Minnesota all months of the year. Sure, there are times when it might be more reassuring to have a vehicle that could put power to all wheels, but I just see AWD as a compromise. You are giving up performance and mileage for something that might help you a handful of times a year.

At the same time, AWD (typically paired with all-season tires) implies that tires do not need to be changed, which actually results in a more dangerous vehicle for snow driving. Frankly, I think the ability to stop the vehicle on ice is the most important consideration for winter driving. If you cannot stop, you do not have control.

I will grant you that I would rather have people driving this Suzuki than any SUV or other larger AWD vehicle, as this is a perfectly appropriate size for a lot of purposes. I would like to see someone try to live with this in an area where snow tires are apparently not enough, though, to see if it really makes a difference. I would think the low ground clearance combined with the small engine would be a limiting factor, but I suppose it still does have better clearance than most cars.

When I lived in the Mid-West, you're completely right that tires were enough. The land is pretty much flat and even when I got lazy and didn't put winter tires on in Minnesota I did OK. Where I was in MN also rarely got more than 6 inches at a time. While it snowed very frequently, the storms weren't that bad.

In other areas of the country (like where I am in the Northeast), there's almost NO flat land, lots of hills, and when it rarely snows, it tends to be a foot plus, so tires (I had them last winter) didn't really do that much, not nearly as useful as I felt they were in MN.

YMMV...

I think the SX4 is one of the best kept secrets on the market. My Spouse and I purchased a 2007 SX4 hatchback (5-sp man., AWD, JLX trim) approx. 2.5 years ago. She uses this as a daily driver and so far we have had over 60,000km (37,000 miles) of trouble free operation.

Likes
- Zero reliability problems. (2.5 years, over 60,000km/37,000 miles)
- The chassis has a very solid/substantial feel. Think more like a VW Golf or Subaru Imprezza than a Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris.
- I know AWD is not a necessity but it has been very useful here in Ottawa, Canada. With 4 snow tires this thing is virtually unstoppable in the winter.
- Attractive styling and good interior for an economy car. The interior has also held up very well for us.
- Small footprint makes this a very maneuverable daily driver.
- Hatchback design has lots of utility and cargo room.
- High roofline with lots of glass gives the car an open airy feel.
- Raised seating position similar to a traditional SUV makes entry/exit very easy.
- Comfortable quiet highway cruiser.
Dislikes
- Fuel economy has not been great compared with similar sized FWD cars on the market.
- Small fuel tank leads to frequent stops at the gas station.
- The car would be much better with another 20-30hp.
- The manual shifter is not up to the same standards that I have experienced in Honda products.
- The design of the A pillar and triangle shaped side windows creates a bad blind spot for drivers of a certain height.
- In our 2007 model, the turn signals are virtually inaudible. I know this seems like a small issue but it is always embarrassing to discover you have been inadvertently driving down the highway with your turn signal on.

Alot of folks have noted the poor fuel economy of this car when compared to the Honda Fit. I also wish the fuel economy was better but I think the SX4 is more comparable with a Imprezza, Golf, Matrix AWD, or Mazda 3 than a Fit.

Speaking of which, BTW, I own a '09 BMW 135I, which I crazy love, but a our old house in RI that needs lots of TLC plus a newly pregnant wife means she is rightly demanding we get a car more child and home improvement friendly than the 135I, so I'm going to sell it.

I wanted to replace it with something not all that much bigger than the 135 (due to driveway and garage constraints). I was thinking of:

- SX4
- Fit
- Mazda 5
- Rogue
- Audi A3

I'd actually prefer to go a used CPO route as well...

Any ideas from anyone on how the SX4 compares to all the above? While I'd like to have AWD, I'm a bit scared off by the MPG of the SX4. My driving is almost all city stop-and-go, so my real world milage tends to be at the bottom of any given range, and I'm wondering if I should go Fit for that reason. For utility, is the Fit as good as the SX4? I noted the Fit's seats fold flat, which the SX4's don't...

"Here's my question: why is this dog being compared to a MINI? I see how in many cases it might have more utility, but even then, they really do not seem to be the same class of vehicle."

Its only being compared due to Suzuki marketing - wishful thinking at best :P

"Also, I still do not get the point of AWD in a vehicle like this. TIRES TIRES TIRES. If winter tires won't get me there in a 2WD car, I do not want to be out driving a road car in those conditions."

I grew up in a small town in Ontario and you're right ... to a point.

You can get by with just good snow tires and a good dose of skill and common sense.

However if you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow, nothing beats a good AWD for winter safety.

My Subaru Legacy is better with all seasons then my front wheel drive Buick was with snow tires.

It doesn't understeer or oversteer around corners and if you need to merge with traffic, it just goes while the Buick would crawl forward spinning it's tires while cars beared down on me.

If you live somewhere that doesn't get snow, then you're wasting money getting AWD on a low powered car. Get the 2WD version and it will be cheaper, faster and get better mileage.

It will also be more reliable in the long run as there is no AWD system to wear out.

Thanks for the patient replies to my rants. :)

iari,
I'd get either a Mazda3 hatch or a Forester. Both are highly rated, comfortable cars and each gets decent MPG for the power/money. The 3 is quick with the 2.3L engine, too....I won't compare it to the 135 directly, but driving the 3 will remind you of your BMW, and a 2 year old one will be a steal. The Forester 2.5X Premium is a good value - for around $24k you can get AWD, a quiet interior, one of the best 4cylinders in the market, aux input, a huge panoramic sunroof, alloys, illuminated cupholders, CD changer, etc. My mom has one and it is unstoppable in the snow.

I like the SX4, but I'd never buy one when the 3 is an alternative.

Also, I'd check out the Elantra Touring. Boring styling aside, it has a high quality interior, lots of standard features/room, and now you can get one for either $16,300 or get $250 per month for 6 months from Hyundai just for buying one. MSRP is $18k.

Rally it!

AWD will always return less fuel economy than 2WD due to the increased drivetrain loss.

AWD w/ all-season tires < 2WD w/ snow tires < AWD w/ snow tires

@iari:

Any reason you couldn't swap the 135i for a 328xi (awd) wagon?

If that won't work, then I'll second zoomzoom22's recomendation of a Forester, though I'd spring for the XT model.