If my experience driving around Chicago is any indicator, there's quite a market for small, sporty-looking hatchbacks. Most of them are heavily modified used cars, and against this benchmark the SX4 performs quite well, if for no other reason than it has up-to-date safety equipment.
It's when the SX4 is compared with other new offerings that it suffers. Is it as crisp, poised and refined as the segment leaders? Nope. And while it's fun to drive on twisty roads, it's not the most fun. The SX4 doesn't look like many other cars on the road, and the SportBack version is well-differentiated from its siblings. For some people, that plus good handling will be enough. I'm not convinced, though, that I wouldn't be happier in day-to-day use with something different.
Plain (Petite) Jane
Shop the competition, and the first thing you'll notice about the SX4 is its
diminutive size. A family friend who owns a Honda Fit said my test car looked
tiny. Technically, it isn't: The SX4 has ...
Safety
Beyond offering a strong-yet-weight-optimized structure, the unibody with
built-in ladder frame contributes to collision protection in the Suzuki Grand
Vitara. The reinforced cabin has the added s ...
Supplemental Restraint System (air bags)
Supplemental Restraint System (air bags)
WARNING:
This section of the owner’s manual
describes the protection provided by
your SUZUKI’s SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM (air bags).
Pleas ...