2009 Suzuki SX4 Sport New Car Review
The 2009 Suzuki SX4 comes in base sedan, Sport sedan and Hatchback Crossover. This review will deal with the Sport Sedan.
The 2009 Suzuki SX4 Sport sedan holds the honour of being the cheapest car on the market in the US with a standard navigation system this year. Not only that but it is a surprisingly cool little four-door that manages to perform well, include a long list of standard features, and still be on the road for well under $20,000. Although Suzuki has yet to build a big name for itself here in the States beyond motorcycles, they are wildly popular throughout Asia for their price and versatility, and could well be set to do the same in the US if these models are anything to go by.
2009 Suzuki Sx4 Sport Performance
The SX4 Sport comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 143hp and 136lb-ft of torque. For this lightweight sedan it is plenty of power for city driving, and not bad even in highway driving, although in overtaking situations you may find yourself wanting a bit more oomph to pass comfortably. The optional four-speed manual transmission is acceptable and to its credit does shift down quickly for extra power, but for our money the standard five-speed manual gives a bit more power when it is needed and a more rewarding driving experience.
The sports-tuned suspension gives a great sense of fun as you wizz around corners and thump over road imperfections. This is most certainly no sports car, nor do you expect it to be for the price, but it holds its ground and performs even better with the optional larger tires. There is some body roll around corners, but the braking is strong and steering is well-weighted.
Fuel economy stands at 22/30mpg city/highway on the automatic transmission and 22/29mpg on manual which is not brilliant for a small car - the average compact car manages at least 32mpg in predominantly highway driving.
2009 Suzuki Sx4 Sport Interior and Features
The SX4 Sport is a bit like Dr Who's Tardis, being much bigger on the inside that the outside would have you guess. It is a tall car, and makes full use of this with high seats that give a commanding view of the road and still plenty of headroom for even the tallest amongst us. The front seats are surprisingly comfortable for a budget car, and even the rear seats have plenty of head room although less legroom and the narrow rear seat means that it is really only good for two adults or three children. Cargo space is impressive at 15cubic feet, on par with bigger sedans, and the rear seats now split fold 60/40 to give more room when required.
Interior finish is appropriate to a budget car, with lots of hard plastic but a good quality of finish without oodles of plastic flash (those annoying bits of plastic that are left over when the mouldings do not quite join up).
The big news for 2009 is of course the standard navigation system which is a master touch from Suzuki to attract the punters towards the SX4 Sport. It is referred to as the TRIP (Travel, Real-time traffic, Information and Play) and is actually portable with a flip-up 4.3 inch screen and integrates Bluetooth, MP3 player and MSN. Being portable, it can be removed from the vehicle and used in another car before being clipped back into place which is very cool, but may attract thefts like the removable CD players when they first came out.
Standard features on the SX4 Sport, apart from the navigation system, include 17inch wheels, cloth upholstery, full power features, air conditioning, CD player with MP3, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and keyless entry. The Touring Package adds to that automatic climate control, keyless starting, upgraded sound system, traction control and heated power mirrors. The Technology Package enhances the navigation system, cruise control and foglights.
2009 Suzuki Sx4 Sport Safety
The SX4 Sport did well in government crash testing, scoring four stars in front crash situations and five stars in drivers side incidents. Standard features include six airbags at the front, front side and side curtain, as well as front and rear side impact strengthened door beams and ABS. On the Touring Package stability control and traction control are also offered.
- Front, front side and side curtain airbags
- ABS
- Strengthened door beams
Overall the 2009 Suzuki SX4 Sport is a great little car that offers a lot of performance, comfort, space and features for a small price. The addition of the standard navigation system is a brilliant idea to attract younger buyers looking for technology features at a budget price and should do a lot to promote the image of Suzuki in the US.