The new car is the Japanese company’s third new global car following hot on the heels of the impressive and well-priced Grand Vitara and Swift (2006 Semperit Irish Car of the Year). Featuring Suzuki’s handsomely designed front end, SX4 is a cross-over vehicle designed to appeal to those who want an outdoor lifestyle look without the usual huge asking price and running costs. The ingredients are all there - a nice high driving position and a chunky exterior. There are subtle exterior design features that will raise a smile. I particularly like the A pillar treatment that features fly windows you can actually see out of from the driver’s seat.
Inside the SX4 is more spacious than most superminis, and there is seating for five (at a push). The instruments and dash have Swift’s DNA, and while there is a lot of plastic on display, it is not of the nasty variety.
Suzuki knows most people will never take their pride and joy off road and therefore is manufacturing a two-wheel drive only entry-level version. Available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, this will be the big seller in Ireland. Four-wheel drive versions feature 190mm of ground clearance, while two-wheel drive versions manage to sit taller than most small hatchbacks.
In total there are three engines available; two petrol engines (1.5-litre/98bhp & 1.6-litre/106bhp AWD) and a 1.9 diesel (118bhp AWD). I tested the 1.6 all-wheel drive version in Paris recently and put the car through its paces in mixed driving conditions. On the open road the SX4 felt solid and delivered a ‘feel’ bigger than the compact dimensions suggest.
Underneath AWD versions is the i-AWD (intelligent All Wheel Drive) system. It features an electronic coupling device to offer three ways of delivering power to the wheels. The four-wheel drive system is designed for moderate off-road use and is switchable. In ‘Auto’ mode the four-wheel drive system powers the front wheels only unless front wheel traction is lost; in that case all four wheels get power. You can ‘lock’ the AWD setup to give maximum traction up to 60km/h, above that the system switches back to normal AWD automatic mode.
Due to launch in Ireland in September, the SX4 will appeal to the young and young at heart. Prices will start at €17,500 for the two-wheel drive 1.5-litre GL model, while €18,995 will deliver a 1.5 in GLX specification that features the full off-road body kit that gives the car a certain ruggedness. Suzuki Ireland says it will watch the market carefully to see if it should bring four-wheel drive versions here, but in all likelihood the 1.6-litre AWD (€21,000) will be offered. In partnership with Fiat, Suzuki offers a very torquey (280nm) 1.9-litre ‘DDiS’ diesel AWD SX4, but sadly our ridiculously high VRT will probably mean it won’t be brought to Ireland.
With a score of four out of five in Euro NCAP crash tests, the SX4 is sturdy too. The Suzuki SX4 is an impressive little car with plenty of attitude; I like it!
Michael Sheridan
