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2010 Suzuki SX4

Suzuki SX4

When Suzuki re-entered the South African market, the question most often raised was, “But how long will they stay?” Happily, that was 7 000 units ago and the Japanese manufacturer has no plans of going anywhere. In fact, if their Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) is any indication, things are only getting better. In terms of sales, 96 per cent reported that they were happy, and 95 per cent stated their services were up to scratch. Not bad going. We reviewed the SX4 in our February 2009 issue and FHM attended the official launch of the 2010 model on 16 February. Changes include some cosmetic ones (such as the grille, new alloy wheels, seat upholstery and instrument cluster), as well as a brand-new powerplant in the form of a two-litre engine. This is mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed CVT auto gearbox. An all-wheel drive top-of-the-range variant is also available.

In terms of the CVT, we found that the engine didn’t feel quite as nippy as we had expected. In addition, the box kept hunting for gears. We opted to use the paddle shift and found that this worked rather well, but it was still nowhere near as potent as other two-litre engines we’ve encountered before (despite the fairly decent kilowatt and torque output). Also, the gearing was such that, at 100km/h, it wasn’t happy in either fifth or sixth – the former had the revs climbing a bit, and the latter felt sluggish. The manual variant fared better, with a bit more nippiness being prevalent, but still nothing to brag about. The gear ratios were better than the auto’s and once you got it going, the manual cruised along nicely. We feel that conquering long distances in the SX4 would be a pleasant enough experience. Unfortunately, both cars exhibited some rev run-on; something that dogged the previous version, although this time it’s nowhere near as bad.

Suzuki SX4

On the plus side, the car comes with a lot of extras as standard (cruise control, electric windows, armrests for both front seats etc). Also, there was little to no body roll, and the SX4 cornered remarkably well. Braking was also top notch. Inside, the Suzuki was very spacious (front and back). We still feel that the interior comes off too plasticky, and at this price, expect a bit more. Not that the build quality was suspect – the AWD model proved that. We took this baby on some unseemly dirt road, filled with potholes and lose gravel as well as mud traps, and not a rattle or squeak was to be heard. An innocuous looking switch transforms the 2WD to all-wheel, and one could instantly feel the steering stiffen up. In all honesty, the AWD was remarkable – it just loved bundu bashing! It even has transmission lock and ESP. The suspension provided brilliant ride comfort, and you could go anywhere with absolute confidence. The AWD is a winner, and should be a serious consideration for anyone looking to do a lot of outdoor activity, without breaking the bank.

Suzuki SX4