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2008 Suzuki SX4 Crossover Touring Package Road Test

The demand for compact crossover vehicles in the automotive market is

Suzuki crosses its off-roading expertise with its compact car know-how in the SX4. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

bigger than it's ever been. I mean, where else can you get car-like handling and fuel economy with SUV-like cargo volume and comfort? It's a win-win situation for buyers, especially those on a budget. Suzuki's winning answer to this demand is the SX4 Crossover, a vehicle that's pretty much alone in its segment. It's slightly bigger than the average subcompact hatchback, like a Fit or Yaris, but it's smaller than a Corolla or Civic, which makes it unique.

And while it's tall shape and abbreviated end-to-end dimensions look as if it will certainly cramp your style, step inside and it's comfort city. That lofty cabin height grants heaps of headroom and legroom in the front, not to mention the rear which fits 2 to 3 adults comfortably (of course, depending on size.) Plus, there is still room left over for 16.2 cubic feet of cargo when the seats are up. That's not too shabby for a car with the wheelbase length of 98.4 inches. Whether it's a trip down the street to the store, or a trek across town, the nicely appointed cloth-upholstered interior also contributes to the overall comfort level of the car. What's also comforting are the small windows situated in front of the A-pillars. They open the car up a bit, not only to let more light in but also to aid visibility. It's nice to have that extra sight-line, especially when pulling into tight parking spots or parallel parking.

It's more powerful than most of its competitors, and it has standard AWD too. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

The SX4 is noticeably peppy in its nature. Powering the 5-door Crossover is a 2.0-liter, 16-valve, DOHC four-cylinder that produces 143 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 136 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. This engine was actually carried over from the bigger vehicle which it replaces, the Aerio. Ok, so it's not the most powerful four-cylinder out there, but even with the optional 4-speed automatic transmission it still delivered ample power for all the city and highway driving I did. I would have liked to get a feel for the 5-speed manual transmission in order to harness all 143 horses, but was definitely thankful for the more user friendly throttle-brake configuration in stop-and-go traffic.

What's also peppy is the styling, which mimics styling cues from its European Swift sibling, and offers a cute and curvaceous exterior and laid-back but functional interior layout. The simplistic and straight-forward cabin configuration really leaves no room for confusion. The buttons and gauges are clearly labeled, well-organized and tightly finished. But while everything works

The interior ambiance is better than you'd expect with a very slick center console and well-organized controls. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

so nicely together, I would have liked to see more zing in the interior, perhaps through some blue backlighting for the gauges or some more color/chrome accents, just to make it even peppier. This said, it probably has more metal brightwork than any other subcompact and the quality of most plastic surfaces is pretty good.

As mentioned earlier, the compact crossover, in general, exhibits car-like handling with SUV like comfort. I've covered the comfort part but not the car-like handling ... Linked to all SX4's is Suzuki's i-AWD power delivery system, and it can be controlled with the press of a button. Unless otherwise changed, the compact crossover stays in 2WD to optimize fuel economy and dry weather performance, but for extra traction in slippery situations it has the option of switching over to AWD Auto or AWD Lock. When in AWD Lock, the power distribution changes between 30- to 50-percent between the rear wheels, whether at idle or going up to a speed of 36 mph. Plus, the P205/60R16 tires with 16-inch aluminum wheels (a standard feature on all model trims) further adds to traction whether in 2WD or AWD mode. And they look cool!

Driving the SX4 is enjoyable. It's so easy to control but hard to lose control in. Being lower than a traditional crossover helps give it a low center of gravity and less body roll than you might expect from a vehicle in this

Suzuki calls it i-AWD, the segment's unique switchable all-wheel drive system. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

category. In fact, I'd go so far to say it drives just like a car. With such features as electronic stability program (ESP), traction control system (TCS) and 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS and EBD, it's confidence inspiring to toss it into tight turns without a worry about how it comes out on the other side. It came out conqueror. And if for some reason it didn't, such safety amenities like driver and passenger front and seat-mounted airbags, side impact beams, and front/rear side curtain airbags would kick into play.

So, the SX4 drives well, has lots of cargo and passenger room, and boasts an estimated fuel consumption of 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, but it also has a few extras up its sleeve. Included with the Touring Package trim is a set of 'luxury' features including SmartPass proximity sensing keyless entry and start, a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with audio controls, power doors and windows, fog lights, automatic climate control, cruise control, side skirts, two tone silver roof rails, and the list goes on. But my favorite feature was the pumpin' stereo system. The 6-disc in-dash CD changer with AM/FM radio plus MP3 and WMA capability came with 8 speakers, a sub woofer and speed sensing volume controls. That's not bad for a car that rocks even without the radio on! All the bells and whistles will, however, cost a pretty penny more than the base model SX4 that prices out at an MSRP of $15,270 (plus destination and delivery.) The Touring Package trim has an MSRP of $16,870, which may seem a bit much but, in retrospect, is still less than most compact SUVs.

Overall, the 2008 Suzuki SX4 Crossover Touring Package is a great package. It's all-new, features loads of goodies and is a treat to drive. It's my favorite Suzuki thus far.

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