Used 2011 Suzuki SX4

This would seem to be the year for the all-wheel drive hatch, with MINI (Countryman), Nissan (JUKE) and – to a less visible extent – Mitsubishi (Outlander Sport) all introducing smallish 5-doors with either standard or available all-wheel drive. It’s worth noting that Suzuki was here first, with the introduction – in the fall of 2006 – with its SX4 Crossover. And that was preceded by Suzuki’s all-wheel drive Aerio, which died a quick death at the hands of those insisting on at least some sense of design proportion in their automotive choices. The Crossover has been – for four of its five years – singularly competent and vastly overlooked. Its reduced profile, however, shouldn’t minimize its essential goodness. Also of note: While the import-oriented public awaits Fiat’s 500, the Suzuki Crossover is marketing in Europe under both Suzuki and Fiat banners!

Compact proportions (98-inch wheelbase, 163-inch overall length) and tight turning radius afford the 2011 Suzuki Crossover excellent in-town maneuverability, while competent suspension tuning eases the motions over-the-road. That said, don’t buy the Crossover for corner carving; the company’s Sport (sedan) and SportBack (5-door) provide far more entertainment in the twisties. The Crossover remains capable, however, in any environment, and with standard all-wheel drive can be a lifesaver in the wet or snow. Those thinking "off-road" should remember that, while capable, the Suzuki’s all-wheel drive doesn’t offer a low range; best to leave the boulder hopping to your mountain bike or hiking shoes.

At the time of its introduction as a 2007 model, the SX4 Crossover’s interior was – at least in Suzuki showrooms – an absolute revelation. Five years later it remains a satisfactory solution at an under-$20K price point, but the affordable segment has moved on, with a significant number of players now plying these economic waters. To its credit, the Crossover’s instrument panel and centerstack are well organized, seats are supportive and rear seat cushions aren’t compromised by the short wheelbase – but rear legroom is. Cargo capacity is good with the rear seat up (16.0 cubic feet) and very generous when folded (43.0 cubic feet). Park your bike inside! The best thing for urban dwellers is the expansive glass – at least when you hit something you can get a clear view of the accident.

The SX4 Crossover is now in its fifth model year, with nary a word as to a successor. Thankfully, the Crossover’s two-box proportions are still fresh, and there’s absolutely no argument with the execution. A generous greenhouse provides both great visibility and – inside – comfortable hip points, while short overhangs front and rear make parking easy and give you a better-than-even chance of escaping damage when navigating a logging trail. With all that’s good, the limited number of color choices seems crazy in a world where you never seem to see the same color of Kia Soul or MINI Cooper more than once.

Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (i-AWD)
What’s not to like about "intelligent"? Standard all-wheel drive at this price point is exclusive to Suzuki. And they sweeten the deal with a system that will typically operate with the economy of a front-driver. With one button you can automatically transfer up to 50 percent of available power to the rear wheels when ground control calls for it. Finally, the "Lock" mode provides 50/50 front/rear torque distribution for optimal traction in snow and mud. All this is available with but a modest weight penalty when compared to the front-wheel drive (only) SportBack.

Italian Design
They won’t spell it out in the sales literature or on the showroom, but the Crossover’s 5-door architecture was penned by Italy’s ItalDesign. As such, it constitutes a breath of fresh air when compared to most offerings from its Japanese or Korean competition. And it appears to be a shape capable of wearing well, in part because of the low volume of sales (we can’t grow tired of it if we rarely see it), and in part because of its very clean execution.

In making all-wheel drive standard, Suzuki could be forgiven if a few other comfort/convenience items were moved to optional. Happily, that hasn’t been the case; a full array of power assists, keyless remote entry, A/C, AM/FM/CD and power windows/locks constitute a well-laden car at any price point. Safety geeks – and who isn’t? – will appreciate the aforementioned airbag count, in combination with active safety adds such as electronic stability program and an anti-lock brake system with electronic force distribution. Good stuff – and a lot of it.

Buying Suzuki’s Crossover is more than a little like traveling back through time to the dawn of the import era: In short, regardless of how you might want it, this is how they build it. The Technology Package, the only significant grouping of options, nets you a leather-wrapped steering wheel (with audio controls), navigation, heated seats, alloy wheels and fog lamps. Total outlay for this package is just over $1,100 – in some showrooms the alloy wheels or navigation would cost you that much – or more.

Suzuki’s new-in-2010 2.0-liter four provided a slight improvement in power (to 150) and torque, while adding a much-needed element of smoothness and a small bump in fuel efficiency. We were less pleased with the move from a 5-speed manual to the current 6-speed. What had been one of the best gear linkages in a front-or-all-wheel-driver moved back to – at best – midpack; it simply lacks the precision of its predecessor. For those preferring to opt out of a clutch, however, the Crossover’s new-in-2010 continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a huge improvement when compared to the 4-speed auto which preceded it. Neither provides real grunt, but the CVT constitutes a vast improvement in both operation and economy.

2.0-liter in-line 4
150 horsepower @ 6200 rpm (manual)
148 horsepower @ 6000 rpm (CVT)
140 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/30 (AWD, manual), 23/29 (AWD, CVT)