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:
The Name
Kizashi! There's something about recent Japanese car names — or at least
names from Japanese car companies — that inspire us to bellow them. It started
with Toyota: Venza! Now it's Suzuki: Kiz ...
Performance and Functionality
The new Suzuki-developed 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine produces 166
horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of peak torque, delivering EPA fuel economy estimates
of up to 19 mpg/city and 26 mpg/highway. Avail ...
The Inside
Though the SX4's interior was on par with the competition a few years ago,
Suzuki has since been leapfrogged. There are some highs: My test car's backlit
gauges and silver dashboard accents looked ...