Suzuki SX4 in the Market
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.
See also:
Basic Power
This year's four-cylinder engine gains some guts — it makes 150 horsepower,
up from last year's 143 — and it works through either a stick shift or a new
continuously variable automatic transmi ...
Luggage Restraint Loops (if equipped)
Luggage Restraint Loops (if equipped)
Four luggage restraint loops are provided
on the luggage compartment floor. An
optional rubber net can be hooked to these
loops to help keep cargo from movi ...
What It All Means
The steering has a nice weight, meaning it's not overly power-assisted to the
point of being twitchy on the highway, nor does it require too much effort at
slow speeds. It's also precise, meaning ...