2009 Suzuki SX4
From small things, big things one day come
In today’s challenging economic environment, every little thing that helps you get ahead is worth consideration.
Little increments in economy, little savings here and there, little cars – they all are worth a shot at saving those pennies here and there. And as Ben Franklin so aptly put it so long ago “a penny saved is a penny earned”.
So it was befitting that one of the smallest cars in our market came into my hands featuring one of the most frugal fuel systems available in mass quantities in today’s automotive world. It allowed me to really test out my economical driving strategies and try to realize a bucket of savings (more on that at the end).
After years of development with Fiat, Suzuki introduced the SX4 five-door hatchback at the 2006 Geneva Auto Show; a sedan followed a year later. Originally intended solely for the European market, it ended up replacing Suzuki’s larger offerings in North America at a time when this market was still seeking out larger vehicles.
There’s no denying it’s a cute little bugger, thanks to design from Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign studio, probably the world’s most prestigious auto design houses, though many do compare it to a roller-skate (due to its wheel placements and profile shape). It’s an efficient overall design, too, allowing good perception of the car’s corners for placement in parking spaces, whether that happens in lots or alongside the flow of traffic on the street.
That’s helped by a high seating position that could be interpreted as “command of the road”, were the SX4 not so much lower than almost every other car on the road. A standard height-adjustable driver’s seat, large outside mirrors and large windows 360 aid visibility considerably.
The interior itself is comfortable enough for a family of four, though four adults can squeeze in without too much muss and fuss. The cargo area is big enough for a week’s worth of groceries but not much more. The parcel shelf can be removed to steal some cargo area from rearward visibility, though that isn’t as bad as it seems thanks to the aforementioned good 360 visibility.
Further, the rear seats fold forward and flip up against the front seats to more than double the cargo space, but the floor isn’t flat all the way to the front (which isn’t that big a deal, really). The manoeuvring of the seats is a bit of challenge, with all the releases and attachments (they have to be hook-strapped to the front headrests to prevent them from flipping back down and crushing whatever crushables may be back there).
Overall, though, it’s an efficient interior design for the single commuter (or maybe couple), and although it is simple and plasticky, it is not unattractive. The radio is even a workable series of buttons, switches and dials in contrast to the usual Suzuki miniature controls that should come standard with one of those +3.00 pharmacy-available reading glasses.
But none of this is new to the Canadian consumer. The new factor in this test report is the SX4’s 1.6-litre diesel direct injection diesel engine that is not yet available in Canada (look for an announcement in January 2009 at the Montreal International Auto Show or a month later at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto). The only differences between the SX4 to which we’re used and this diesel version, are the DDiS badges under the side markers on the front fenders. The European market gets a larger Fiat 1.9 diesel “four” but this is the one we’ll be offered.
It was a front-wheel drive car, and we don’t know if there will be an all-wheel drive version as there are with other SX4 hatchbacks (Suzuki has called them Crossovers and Fastbacks, but let’s be realistic about it …).
Diesel offers benefits in economy at a cost of performance. Our tester has a rated top speed of 175 km/h and goes from zero to 100 km/h in a reported 12.2 seconds (Canada geese negotiating vehicular traffic with their goslings are faster than that!). It probably didn’t help that our car’s five-speed manual was geared so tall, but it is what it is and this car is all about economy.
These days, diesel fuel is about as expensive as premium gasoline, so you’re going to pay more to fill’er up. At today’s prices in Ontario, it would cost $36.50 to fill up the SX4’s 50-litre tank with regular gasoline, and $48 to fill it up with regular diesel (although you should use the premium stuff for the added environment-saving and engine-pampering benefits).
At a reasonable real-world average of 8.5-litres per 100 km (I averaged 9.1 in an all-wheel drive model some eight months back), I’d travel about 588 km on a full tank of gasoline. Averaging 4.5 in the diesel model, I’d travel 1,111 km.
So, doing the math, I’d be spending about six cents per km in the gasoline SX4, but only about four cents in the diesel model. Over the course of the Canadian average yearly 20,000 km, that’s a savings of over $377 ($1,241.50 in gasoline; $864.09 for diesel)
What would you buy for $377?
Summary:
Strong Points
Weak Points
- - attractive exterior
- - outstanding economy
- - easy to park
- - great visibility
- - tight interior
- - very sluggish off the line
Editors Rating:
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