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 DISNEYLAND,
Paris - I’ve never driven a Suzuki before. It’s a brand that
doesn’t have much of an impact in Britain, which tells you a lot
about the real “strength” of TV as a marketing device.
Every week on BBC TV’s Top Gear, some minor celebrity tears
around the track and is interviewed by Jeremy Clarkson, but the
fact that each time it’s in a Suzuki Liana just gets right by
you. After a while it just becomes the “reasonably priced car”
and is totally anonymous. And despite the fact that Top Gear is
supposed to be watched by more than one billion people every
week – I even saw it on cable TV last month in Scottsdale,
Arizona – Suzuki doesn’t seem to sell all that many cars.
But I’m becoming a bit more aware of the brand now and I’ve
starting taking note very time I see one. There are bunches of
Grand Vitaras and Jimnys around the Worthing area here on the
South coast of England.
The most notable Suzuki though is the pretty little Swift, which
looks remarkably like the BMW Mini, and which costs about
£10,000 (¤14,500) less. The Wagon R is a minimalist, very
serious mini-MPV.
Japanese as Toyota
I even assumed, because of its low profile, that Suzuki must
be some kind of South Korean company, but it’s as Japanese as
Toyota, and if the latest survey in Auto Express is anything to
go by, its cars are tough, and on the way up.
 “One
of this year’s big climbers (in the Auto Express satisfaction
index), Suzuki (number 23 out of 37) is making its way up the
manufacturers chart. However, owners are still not totally
satisfied, placing it near the bottom for both comfort and ride
quality. The new Swift and capable next-generation Grand Vitara
should help maintain its push up the ranking,” said Auto
Express, a weekly magazine based in England.
Suzuki has another new model to add to its line-up – the SX4 –
and it’s not only new, but Suzuki says it has invented a
completely new segment, the mini Sport Utility Vehicle.
Made in Hungary, with the Swift
The SX4 is a 5-door hatchback, a bit bigger than a Ford
Fiesta, and comes in Outdoor, or Urban trim, with all-wheel
drive on the Outdoor versions. The SX4 is based on the Swift,
and made in the same factory in Hungary. The Swift is attractive
and interesting, but the world’s first mini 4x4 is
disappointingly bland. There is a hint of the Swift when you
look at the back of the vehicle, but there is little else about
the design that could be confused with exciting. The body area
just behind the front wheel up towards the front doors looks
weird and misshapen, as do the rear corners with the glass
wrap-around. It really does look dumpy.
 The
Outdoor version has bigger wheels with wheel arch and side
protection mouldings, protection for the under-body and high
ground clearance. The Urban version is more like a regular car
with smaller wheels. Prices start at around £10,000 (¤14,500)
and go up to £13,750 (¤19,900). Suzuki was proud of the 4x4
capability, but said that only about 10 per cent of the SX4s
will be sold with all wheel drive.
Fiat involved
The car’s steering was a bit vague, but the SX4 drives well
enough, with a capable gearbox. The interior trim was
impressive, with well-designed and built dashboard. Space for
the driver seemed a bit hemmed in. With the rear seats folded
down, storage space didn’t approach Honda Jazz Standards.
The best engine available is a 1.9 litre diesel, provided by
Fiat, which is also participating in this SX4 project. The Fiat
version is called the Sedici, and Fiat’s role was to integrate
the diesel engine into the car. This is a fantastic diesel
engine, but wouldn’t it have been better to use Fiat’s talents
as a designer as well? Fiat doesn’t have a great reputation for
screwing cars together well, but Suzuki does, and, thankfully it
will be manufacturing all the cars. If Fiat had designed the
body, the result might have generated a bit of the “Wow” factor,
sadly lacking in the SX4 I’m sorry to say.
Suzuki’s i-AWD
There are 1.6 litre and 1.5 litre petrol engines. The diesel
gets a six-speed manual gearbox, while the petrol motors are
paired with 5-speed manuals. If you opt for 4x4 power –
available with the 1.6 litre petrol and 1.9 litre diesel- you
get Suzuki’s i-AWD, which is a switchable three-mode 4x4 package
with a computerised system allowing four-wheel drive when
needed, and four-wheel drive lock when you know you are about to
go off-road. As soon as you go over 37 mph-60 km/h the computer
switches to regular four-wheel drive.
The SX4 launch, centred on the Disneyland centre outside Paris,
didn’t include any off-roading, so its mud-plugging merits
remain to be discovered. The test route meandered through the
champagne country towards Rheims, and we must have crossed the
Marne River about a dozen times. Why is the Marne full to
overflowing, while everything is drying up here in the south,
less than 300 miles away?
Slip under the radar
 Maybe
this little 4x4 will get some mileage out of the campaign by
environmental fascist groups like Greenpeace and Friends of the
Earth to bankrupt legitimate companies like Land Rover and Jeep
for daring to produce vehicles which people want. While the
likes of self-righteous bore and environmental maniac Jonathan
Porrit, and swivel-eyed mental case George Monbiot are pointing
their fingers at Range Rovers and Land Cruisers, mini Chelsea
tractors like the SX4 may slip under radar.
Suzuki SX4 Outdoor
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Engine:
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1.9 litre diesel
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Power:
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88 bhp
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Gearbox:
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5-speed automatic
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Drive:
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all-wheels
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Acceleration:
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0-62 mph-100 km/h 11.2 seconds
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Top Speed:
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180 km/h-112 mph
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Fuel Consumption:
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claimed combined 42.8 mpg 6.6 l/km
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CO2 Emissions:
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174 g/km
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Length:
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4,100 mm
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Width:
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1,755
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Height:
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1,605
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Weight:
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1,790 kg
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Suspension front:
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MacPherson strut/torsion beam
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Price:
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from £12,500-¤18,000 - on sale in April
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Competition:
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Fiat Panda 4x4
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Would I buy one?
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No.
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Rating:
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*** out of 5
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For:
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neat idea, well made, needs to be priced low to go
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Against:
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dumpy looks, questionable concept
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