2007 Suzuki SX4

Pros: AWD options, front end, interior finish.
Cons: Small interior, with 4 adults not much room for luggage or bags.

If you are looking for a reliable small car with AWD but can't afford a Subaru, the Suzuki SX4 is probably the right car for you. The front end looks great and the optional sound system is perfect for the college and young adult crowd. The options that you have with the AWD are very good.

When you get to the SX4's backend, that is when you notice that it really isn't all that big. Even though the backseat has 3 headrests you cannot realistically comfortably fit three adults back there. Even with four adults, there isn't much room for luggage and bags (imagine four women on a shopping trip).

I have a Honda Civic and it has more interior and cargo space. Although it doesn't have AWD, it does get better fuel economy while having the ability to carry more than the SX4.

Pros: Features and price.
Cons: Reliability, gas mileage, resale.

I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone. At 4000 miles the seat ripped. At 4500 the cheesy plastic piece that holds the floor mat broke ). At 5000 miles the catalytic converter went bad ( don't all cars need a new catalytic converter at 5000 miles? ). Took 2 months to get it fixed ( ended up going to another dealer after getting Suzuki of America involved which couldn't seem to resolve it any faster ). The rug took almost 4 months to get resolved. The gas mileage stinks. There is huge blind spots in the front windows due to the thick arches and the little glass windows are worthless for trying to see whats there when turning.

The dashboard and radio are hard to see in direct light due to the wonderful red color they made all the gauges and displays. American Suzuki Financial doesn't have a clue ( don't bother paying over your monthly the difference magically never gets applied to the principal even when indicating so ). I wish I had kept the Scion XB I traded in for this.

Pros: Handling, styling, features, AWD, price
Cons: Fuel economy, ride

We purchased this car about 6 months ago and have driven 5600 miles so far. The reason we purchased it was the price vs the good set of options provided, including auto climate control, cruise, power windows, fog lights, ESP, AWD and 6 cd radio. It is a pretty good value for the money, which was about $17K out the door.

Handling and power are very good. Ride is average to bouncy. Storage space is small, but the good thing is you can put one large item in the rear that would never fit in a normal sedan.

The one negative to me is the fuel economy, which averages about 24 overall. I would expect a better figure based on the small car size and manual transmission. The other thing is the high engine speed on the highway - about 3200 RPM at 70. Perhaps the two are related? Anyway, it seems we are always filling up the 10gal gas tank.

Overall we are quite happy with the car, as it is used mostly for around town driving and is very capable at that.

Pros: Mileage, Price, Styling
Cons: Dealership was awful!!

We replaced our Toyota RAV4 L AWD and we are not looking back. The RAV had a much harsher ride and worse gas mileage.

We purchased the SX4 Auto Sport. For the extra money you get the Fog Lights, 9 Speakers with subwoofer, SmartKey (Keep the key in your pocket), Steering-wheel-integrated audio controls, Air conditioning with automatic climate control system, Cruise control, Heated Mirrors, ESP including traction control system (TCS).

What a deal when you consider the pricing and the warranty. Also, today for the first time I saw another SX4 on the road after almost 2 months. What a joy not having the same car as everyone else on the road.

Pros: Loads of standard features; great value for the money.
Cons: MPG considerably less than EPA rating of 24/30. We're getting about 20 in the city.

We bought this SX4 because it was the lowest priced vehicle we could find that had 4WD and seated 4-5 people. We've had it about six weeks and so far no problems at all. The list of standard features is extensive and impressive, including 4 wheel disc brakes, a great radio, power windows and mirrors and locks. The car handles very well, rides great, and the seating height puts you somewhat above the crowd. It is tight, well put together and provides excellent value for the money. Even with the automatic transmission it still scoots right along. If it had a Toyota or Honda badge on it, it would be thousands more and you'd have to wait in line to buy it. The switchable 4WD works very well and engages almost instantly - very handy around my home in Rochester, NY in the winter.

Pros: Looks and drives well. Has AWD and ESP. Fits 5 people
Cons: Horrible gas mileage on hills

Our SX4 is now 3 months old. It still looks great, drives well, and has not fallen apart. Since it's the only small car now with AWD and ESP, 2 musts for me, it's purchase was a no brainer. It handles well and my wife loves it.
Now the bad news!! I live on a mountain road. It zips up and down with no problem, but the gas mileage is LESS THAN 20 MPG!!! It's a disgrace that a subcompact can't do better than that on mountain roads. Our 4D 4WD Tracker averages 25 MPG over the same roads. The SX4 gets 24 MPG on flat roads only.