I test drive the Suzuki SX4!

Suzuki SX4 4x4

So I've heard a lot about SUV's and lately "Crossovers" and they've always sounded like a great idea. A car you can drive around normally (without bankrupting yourself in fuel costs) during the week, then get a bit wild and go off the beaten path on the weekends. Sounds fantastic right? Well It did to me so when I was given the Suzuki SX4 to review I was very excited. This was going to be fun!

First Impressions:

Suzuki sx4 cute ass

Its a lot smaller then I thought, it's basically my Fiesta... on stilts. I hope this vehicle is aimed at the female market because I can't really see it suiting the guys I know that need 4x4 vehicles. It is lovely inside, very comfortable, it has all the gadgets on the steering wheel, electric windows and all those cool new additions that are becoming standard features. It has a little button next to the gear lever to change from the weekday 2x4 car into the weekend 4x4 wild thing. Crossovers....the Jekyl and Hyde's of the car industry. Sadly I never did meet the Mr Hyde side of the SX4 as the gentleman who delivered her didn't seem to keen on us taking it off road.

Interior:

All the gadgets

I must say this car is very comfortable, which I wasn't expecting. The large wide seats don't LOOK comfortable, but they are..incredibly. The short gear lever was also a pleasant surprise and a feature I thoroughly enjoyed. It made changing gears very easy and smooth and added a certain excitement to the whole experience. The height of the vehicle certainly adds to the comfort.

Exterior:

That lovely red

When I first saw pictures of the SX4 I wasn't very impressed. It was cute enough but I thought the front end was rather dull and the rear end cute. It's a different story once I saw the car for the first time. I think colour  plays a huge part. The vehicle I was sent was in a gorgeous "Nail polish" red. In the SX4...white looks boring, red looks great. Another reason I feel its a chicks car.

Engine:

It had one.


Ok no seriously. It has a 2L , if you'd like more info on that go here. At first I was not very happy with the power. I was quite disappointed with how little it seemed to have for a 2L but by the end of the week I realised that the vehicle is so easy to drive that it doesn't feel like its trying, but the speedo is climbing even though it feels like the car barely broke a sweat. It is certainly no speed racer but that's not what it was designed to do. To be honest, I prefer my 1.4 Fiesta, it feels like its kicking ass and taking names, but that's my opinion.

about the same size as my Fiesta

General driving etc:

tiny boot

So I am not entirely sure what market this vehicle is targeted at. It is a very small hatch back that can go off road but has the price tag of some much larger sedans. I thought it might be "soccer moms" but that boot would only fit one child's sport kit and barely. Plus you couldn't really fit a months groceries in there either. I've seen a lot of rich older ladies in them but only the regular 2x4 variant...which just seems pointless. For the R247900,00 price tag on the 2x4, there are so many other, in my opinion, better options. Like the new Ford Fiesta, you could get the top of the range with all the trimmings for the same price as the entry level 2x4 SX4.....but that's just me. It is a sturdy, strong and reliable car and its fun to drive. I would recommend the 4x4 variant because for a little over 20 grand more, its a lot more fun.

The other crossovers that compete with the SX4 are the VW Cross Polo starting at R 224 800,00 , or the Chevrolet Captiva 2.2D AWD LTZ at a hefty R 443 000,00

Don't forget to check out Ciro's review of the SX4 on our site.

I've got it!!!! Horsey Mums! It's strong enough to pull a horsebox, can tackle the fields you usually have to park in and can fit a saddle in the boot. So if you are a working lady during the week but spend your weekends outdoors, the SX4 is a fantastic option and a lovely car to drive.