Vehicle Overview The 2007 Suzuki SX4 takes over for the Suzuki Aerio SX as the most affordable all-wheel-drive car sold in the U.S. It derives from an established overseas model, the Swift, and boasts a generous list of standard safety features.
Exterior Despite a roomy interior and good safety ratings, the quirky-looking Aerio SX four-door hatchback never caught on in the U.S. The SX4 is a less distinctive but more athletic looking little four-door, five-seat hatchback that should compete well with the current crop of subcompact and compact cars. Its 16-inch alloy wheels help the SX4 look like more than an econobox.
Interior The SX4’s interior improves somewhat over that of the Aerio, with more variation in the color pallet. The backseat is more than workable for an adult, both in headroom and legroom. The backseat is split, 60/40, and can be both folded flat and tumbled forward to free cargo space. Even with the backseat raised, the cargo volume is a respectable 9.5 cubic feet — 22 cubic feet with the seats folded.
Under the Hood The SX4 uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 143 horsepower. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual; a four-speed automatic is optional. All-wheel drive is standard with either gearbox. Suzuki estimates the gas mileage as 24/29 mpg (city/highway) with the manual transmission and 24/30 mpg with the automatic.
Safety The SX4’s safety feature complement includes four-wheel-disc antilock brakes; frontal, side impact and side curtain-type airbags; and, with the optional Premium package, an electronic stability system.
