Who is the Suzuki SX4 for?
At first glance, you'll see its smaller sporty wagon design with roof racks for bikes and kayaks so you know it's made for the person (or family) who love the outdoors and going away on holiday. It's a wagon, so the extra luggage space is a big benefit.
The SX4 model that we're looking at today is equipped with the clever iAWD system.
The design
The SX4 has a smart-looking wagon design with nice curves, but it has a rugged side.
Suzuki expects that owners of this vehicle will venture off-road at some point. That means getting a little dirty and rough so it is equipped with a special all-wheel-drive system to add more grip, stability and overall control, and with its punchy 2-litre engine you can blast through tough terrain.
Suzuki has also applied a hard-rubber trim to prevent stone chips from marking the paint in the wheel arches and sills, which is an excellent feature if you live on a gravel road.
The SX4 is comfortable to get in and out of due to a high A-pillar (door frame) and elevated seating.
The Suzuki SX4 is built strong from the ground up. It's not as ''blinged out'' as some of its competitors, but what it lacks in flashiness it makes up for in build quality.
The mechanics
One feature I really like about the Suzuki SX4 is that it has a clever all-wheel-drive system which allows you to choose when you want the 4WD mode. This is a benefit as you can use only 2WD in summer and save a bit on fuel costs.
There are three modes:
2WD mode: If you're driving in normal road conditions switch to this mode and save fuel.
Auto mode: This is good for wet roads or off-road activity. If the SX4 detects your wheels are going to slip it will quickly switch into 4WD mode so you get full traction.
Lock mode: The SX4 will stay in 4WD mode until it gets to 60kmh and then smoothly shift into 2WD.
The SX4 comes in manual and automatic form. The automatic is a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), which means that you get a very smooth transmission and better fuel economy. The LTD models come with paddle-shift controls on the steering wheel, which means you can make good use of the 6-speed CVT transmission.
The boot space is two-tiered so if you need extra space just flip the boot floor up and you've got more room to play around with.
The drive
The Suzuki SX4 is built for travelling so comfort is key. It sticks to the road very well and with a 2-litre engine it has good power if you need it.
I've been on the open road with it and it's great fun plus it is loaded with the standard safety features: six airbags and Electronic Stability Program to detect slip. It's also great for driving around town because of its smaller design.
There is good visibility from all areas. The high A-pillars mean larger windows and the side mirrors are very large, giving good vision all round.
The LTD series also comes equipped with GPS and Bluetooth.
Summary:
The SX4 is a great car to drive around town and with its extra luggage space is perfect for carrying your gear. You'll notice the benefits when travelling longer distances or going off-road with the clever iAWD system and rugged bodywork.
Why not take the SX4 for a spin and see why it's our second-biggest seller behind the Swift? Drop in to Gilmour Motors (across from the Oval), and see me or Vince and we can show you the SX4 before sending you on a test drive.