For Suzuki SX4, price is on point

The 2008 Suzuki SX4 sedan with the Convenience package costs $16,370. Quite a good price for quite a good car. Included in that price is automatic air conditioning, an audio system that can accommodate an MP3 player and 17-inch alloy wheels. Plus a 100,000-mile warranty and a year’s roadside assistance

Although the materials in the interior couldn’t be described as class leading in terms of quality, they’re better than anything found in Suzuki cars up to now. The four-speed auto transmission seems a bit old-school these days, but it works well enough. Its 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine drives the front wheels and develops 143 horsepower and 136 pounds-feet of torque, which is fine for most day-to-day situations: home to work to shops to home. It gets to 60 mph eventually (Suzuki doesn’t bother giving performance data, so there’s a sign) and claimed fuel consumption figures are 23 and 31 mpg, city and highway.

It has perfectly adequate rear head- and legroom and a decent-sized trunk. General visibility and the seating position is fine; the switchgear feels fairly substantial. It probably won’t impress any potential life partners (unless they’re kinky about parsimony) and experienced drivers will find it short on road-going thrills. But the 2008 Suzuki SX4 sedan with the Convenience package costs $16,370.

-- Colin Ryan

Comments

[Michael in LA]

My wife and I sat in this car for sometime at the LA Auto Show last November. Like Colin, I was impressed with value for money - it's a lot of car for the price.

Mind you, this car is going to spend it's lifetime as a grocery getter and rush hour freeway commute-mobile. So all of the "boy racer" worries about 0 to 60 times and lack of a 5 speed automatic transmission are wasted ones. When the tax refund and "economy booster" checks arrive, we'll be at the Suzuki dealer picking one up. I was sold...

[Ben]

Suzuki have poor gas mileage. The 23/32 mpg is not competitive with Toyota. Look at the Yaris, it has 30/40 real world mpg. I would not get a Suzuki unless they get their mpg up.

[Rob]

Your comparison is not an "apples to apples" one. The Yaris has an engine 25% smaller that the Suzuki, has almost 40 less horsepower, and is 8 inches shorter - in it's most expensive trim vs a standard Suzuki. The SX4 should be compared to a Corolla. Given that its design cues are taken from the Camry, the Corolla is misconceived as being larger than it actually is. The Yaris is a true econobox by design.