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.
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 ...
Over the Ice & Through the Snow
A white Christmas gave me plenty of opportunities to test the all-wheel
drive, and the Kizashi proved to be a competent snowmobile. Now, the Kizashi has
a feature that's rare among cars with all-w ...
Front Fog Light Switch (if equipped)
Front Fog Light Switch (if equipped)
The front fog light comes on when the fog
light switch is pushed in with:
• the lighting switch turned to the third
position and the beams set to the low
...