The SX4 is an interesting little car that often gets lost in the shuffle of the rapidly-shifting subcompact market.  Like its predecessor the Aerio, it showed up to the growing compact crossover party packing a fuel-efficient drivetrain, all-wheel drive, a versatile five-door body and outstanding reliability, but somehow managed not to make it onto the best-seller lists with this unique combination.  Is this car a forgotten gem, or the answer to a question nobody asked?


A week spent with a five-door SX4 suggests strongly that the former is probably the case.  The SX4 is available as a four-door sedan, called the Sport, and a five-door hatchback dubbed Crossover.  The five-door is naturally the more useful of the two, offering a decent-sized cargo area, but in either form the SX4 is one of those magical vehicles that seems happy to do just about anything you ask of it.
Thanks to a strongly raked front end, a high-roofed body and short wheelbase, the SX4 resembles nothing so much as a handsomely carved wedge of cheese.  Suzuki got design assistance from the legendary Italdesign design firm.  I’m always a big fan of subtle touches like triangular “porthole” windows between the doors and windshield, and they keep the SX4 from fading completely into the background.  The styling is confident without being aggressive, and gives the impression of being an honest, affable companion.
That impression is borne out nicely after even a short drive in the SX4.  The 2.0 liter all-aluminum four-cylinder engine produces a modest 143 horsepower, but a broad powerband and high torque for the engine’s size mean that it’s more than adequate to the task of scooting the SX4 along at a good clip.  With the standard five-speed manual transmission, Suzuki’s little do-all is actually reasonably fun to drive.  It’s no sports car (though the SX4 has some rally-racing experience), but the average commuter will get along with it just fine, and the two-wheel drive’s 22/30 fuel economy is easy on the wallet as well.   A four-speed automatic is available for drivers who don’t like to do the shifting themselves.  Suzuki’s three-mode all-wheel drive is offered.  The system can be operated in front-wheel drive, automatic all-wheel drive or locked all-wheel drive modes.  The SX4 doesn’t have an off-roading gear, but the decent ground clearance and capable AWD system should serve it through bad weather and minor dirt-road adventures.
The SX4’s MacPherson strut front, torsion-beam rear suspension is a simple layout, but it drives well.  This is in part thanks to the relatively light 2855-pound curb weight that gives it decent road feel, a step above the average economy car.  You won’t feel that Suzuki has gone cheap on the rest of the underpinnings, either; four-wheel disc brakes and ESP stability control are standard equipment.
One place where the SX4 does show its sub-$20,000 price point is the interior.  This is a car that’s comfortable enough–and that’s it.  The quality of the plastics inside is decent and it’s spacious considering the small exterior footprint, but it’s clearly not luxury-car grade.  That said, Suzuki has done a good job of keeping things friendly and easy to use.  It’s laid out nicely, and a tall hip point makes the front seats more chairlike and comfortable than those of the average subcompact.  Rear-seat legroom is also generous.  The handy dash-top cubby becomes a hiding place for the available SuzukiTRIP navigation system.  Provided by Garmin, TRIP stands for “Travel, Real-time Traffic, Information and Play.”  The flip-up unit features a 4.3 inch touch screen display and comes preloaded with points of potential interest to Suzuki’s young, active-lifestyle customers, including music venues, road-trip attractions and good surfing spots in addition to the usual restaurant, gas station and ATM info.   It’s also removable, unlike most permanently-mounted factory systems.  The SX4 is one of the only cars in its class to offer navigation, and it’s actually standard equipment in two-wheel drive Crossover models.  Fold the rear seats, and the SX4 will swallow up to 54 cubic feet of cargo, making it a serious rival to some small SUVs.  Keyless entry, heated seats and automatic climate control are also available.
In addition to being a capable and comfortable do-all, the SX4 also has the distinction of being the least-expensive all-wheel drive vehicle on the market.   Starting price for the SX4 Crossover is just $15,939 for the front-wheel drive model.  All-wheel drive comes in at $16,049.

Specifications:  All specs are for the 2009 Suzuki SX4
Length:  162.8 in.
Width:  69.1 in.
Height:      63.2 in.
Wheelbase:  98.4 in.
Curb weight:   2855 lb.
Cargo space:   54.0 cu.ft (seats folded); 16.0 cu.ft. (seats up)
Base price:  $16,089
Price as tested:  $16,373
Engine:   2.0 liter DOHC inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain:   five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Horsepower:  143 @ 5800
Torque:  136 @ 3500
Fuel capacity:  13.2 gal.
Est. mileage:   22/29