Car Holic – Car List

Here's something a bit different: a compact car for under 25 grand that's also got the rugged character of an AWD. It looks different, sounds different, and even feels a bit different. Suzuki's latest endeavour, the SX4, is a bold move by the company but one that seems to be paying off already. The car has proven to be a popular new model in Europe and when prices start at below $25,000 for a small car with AWD and the sorts of extras normally reserved for cars breaking into prestige markets, it's easy to see why. In the recent past Suzuki has discovered great success with its small car, the Swift, thanks its compact size, rewarding driving dynamics, and toy-car looks that appeal in the same way to the Mini Coopers'. Indeed, the Swift has been warmly received by critics and new car buyers alike. Yet the SX4 is not quite as easy to pigeonhole as the Swift; it's a small car, but slightly larger than its cheeky sibling, and it's an AWD vehicle. So is it a compact city car or a soft-roader? Well, neither. Built in Japan, the SX4 is a sports cross-over vehicle which combines a little of both while adding its own secret herbs and spices. Its closest competitor would be the Subaru Impreza, but even this connection is drawing a long bow. However the car will be categorised, one thing is clear - Suzuki knows how to build a solid small car, because the SX4 does a lot of things soundly and only a few things poorly. It's remarkably well equipped - it gets a keyless proximity security system, six airbags, climate control, while alloy wheels and fog lights give it a snappy appearance - and is powered by a zippy 2.0-litre engine that can be equipped with either manual or automatic gearboxes.