Geneva Preview: Suzuki releases official shots of SX4 sedan
click above image to view a pair of high-res shots showing the Suzuki SX4 Sedan
Early next month, Suzuki will be showing off the sedan version of its SX4 mini-SUV at the Geneva Motor Show. Pictures of the new four-door have been released, and we can see that it's hardly different from the car spied on public roads back in September. The SX4 sedan will be front-wheel drive only, unlike the SX4 on sale now. International versions will be powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder making 107 hp, though models destined for the U.S. market will likely get a more potent powerplant. Motor Authority is reporting we may get a V6, but we find packing a V6 in that tiny package to be highly unlikely. We expect Suzuki to use the same 143-hp, 2.0L four-cylinder currently used in the SX4. There will reportedly also be an SX4 Sedan Sport Concept on display in Geneva with a 2.0L motor and 17-inch wheels.
Suzuki's been on a roll lately, having reached its goal last year of 100,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. thanks to some pretty popular SUVs. Its lineup, however, still has stinkers that need to be replaced. The SX4 Sedan will help make the automaker's entry level offerings more enticing. Though the tiny Aerio does have some fans, we'd take the more robust SX4 lineup anyday.
[Source: Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ellerton 2:56PM (2/16/2007)
*yawn*
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BLS 1:37PM (2/16/2007)
The Aerio had a couple things going for it.
1. Cheapest car with available AWD.
2. 'Star in a reasonably priced car'.
But I would take an SX4 any day over an Aerio.
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Tony 1:47PM (2/16/2007)
Looks like a Corolla.
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Eric Elinow 3:16PM (2/16/2007)
Well, while it was the reasonably priced car for Top Gear on BBC2, the Chevrolet Lacetti saloon (a.k.a Suzuki Forenza in the US) has replaced it, given that it is a faster, more nimble vehicle, by several seconds a lap on the aforementioned show and also reasonably priced.
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ebm14 4:01PM (2/16/2007)
John Neff,
You guy already posted pictures of this car in your gallery area (grill is slightly different and the US Spec car is made in Japan) and I think Suzuki should add AWD standard for the US market, otherwise it will be a Corolla clone.
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/china-changan-suzuki-sx4/118660/
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Juan 1:58PM (2/16/2007)
Mini-SUV? Looks like a car, to me. And that's ok. Not everything needs to be compared to SUVs.
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Jason 1:59PM (2/16/2007)
I don't love it, but I do like it. Certainly more personality then a Corolla.
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Tim 11:51PM (2/16/2007)
Edmund's had these pictures months ago. I like it Has a nice "character" line. Handsome in a small way.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=118791
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CaliberSRT4 2:27PM (2/16/2007)
Isn't this the same size as a yaris and not a corolla?
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Omer 11:15PM (2/16/2007)
without the AWD it loses all its charm in my opinion.
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Drewboy 2:57PM (2/16/2007)
This is probably going to be my wife's next car, in hatch form. It looks like a pretty nice vehicle!
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Aaron Bluestone 3:20PM (2/16/2007)
it's got a side window in front of the front doors.... how stupid and ugly.
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BLS 3:27PM (2/16/2007)
#9. Doesn't the 2006 motor trend COTY also have a stupid window in front of the doors, there is another Japanese car that has that I believe it is some sort of 'green' car made by a huge manufaturer.
in other words that design element is actually pretty common.
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Thomas 3:34PM (2/16/2007)
Good looking little car ....
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NoNameDenton 4:54PM (2/16/2007)
That is one of the nicest Suzuki cars I have seen, maybe it will boost their sales, too bad it is fwd instead of the 3 way awd on the mini-suv version
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Phil 6:23PM (2/16/2007)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!
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Jeff Banks 9:28PM (2/16/2007)
Great looking, more exciting compacts than Honda, Toyota or Nissan. More power, all-wheel drive and cool styling...all hampered by the fact that most of their cars can barely pull 25mpg city driving.
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Bob-omb 11:29AM (2/17/2007)
No, BLS, this "stupid window in front of the doors" is mammoth on the SX4. And it angles down. It's a huge distraction in the design element and I have no clue why it's there.
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Ebuyer_303 2:10PM (2/21/2007)
All the styling of both the SX4 hatchback and the SX4 new sedan is from an Italian design firm, none other than Italdesign. The side wing window seems to be en-vogue currently with Italian designers, thus you will see this included in sereral newer models from various Japanese and European car brands that defer their exterior styling designs to the Italian firm.
Judging from all the interest and fanfare already heeded to the new SX4, it doesn't seem to be distracting from sales or like-ability of these new cars.
One thing for sure.... we have all the reason to expect that Suzuki will price this car extremely competatively when compared to the other "big 3" Japanese offerings in the same catagory. Both the previous model Suzuki Aerio and well as the SX4 Hatch are well known for their great value for the money, coming fully loaded with standard features that all the other car companies charge you a premium for.
This coupled with the fact that Suzuki offers their terrific 7 Year, 100'000 Mile Powertrain Warranty makes it well worth comparing to any of the competition. Keep in mind too that other companies that claim a "10 year, 100k" warranty also charge you a deductable everytime you go to use that warranty. This ofcourse to discourage you from ever using it. And the 10 years, 100k only applies to you, the original owner. If you go to sell that car, well that is where the warranty ends! It only covers the orginal buyer. (unless sold to a family member)
Suzuki didn't include any of that nonsense with their warranty. 7yrs, 100k means exactly that. No deductable if you have to have warranty work done! And when you go to sell a Suzuki car, The New Owner Is Still Covered By The Full Term Of The Warranty!
Think about it. If you were going to buy a 3 year old vehicle, and you had a choice of 2 cars that were very comparable, but one would have a voided warranty as soon as you purchase it, where-as the other one would still be covered by the Original Manufacturor Warranty for another 4 years.... which one would you buy???? Pretty much a no brainer I think.
Now what Suzuki really needs to do is start dumping the cars they are currently selling which are really just Korean re-badges. Those would be the Reno and the Forenza. They are sold as Suzuki's, however, they are truely Korean Daewoo cars that GM-Chevy decided to dump on Suzuki to market for them.
When Suzuki finally brings the new Swift and Swift Sport to the USA and Canada, they will indeed have reason to discontinue the korean re-badges.
According to one Suzuki insider, the reasoning behind Suzuki's decision to sell those cars under the Suzuki badge in the first place was purely a logistics move. That is, Suzuki was in a weak position in the USA when it came to their dealer network. True Suzuki dealers where few and far between. And the dealers that sold Suzuki cars as a side thought but were not EXCLUSIVELY a Suzuki dealer, treated the suzuki division like a poor bastard child that no one wanted to acknowledge or give the level of customer support that Suzuki wanted for it's brand name.
But here is the problem. How was Suzuki ever supposed to expand their Dealer Network when they only had SUV's and one car to sell? We're talking ofcourse about the Vitara, XL7, and the Aerio. That's just simply too slim of pickings to interest auto dealers to invest in an outright fully independant Suzuki Dealership.
And this ofcourse, didn't fall in-line with Suzuki's plan to greatly increase the sales of their brand name in the USA.
If only they had 2 or 3 more cars they could sell, enough to incentivise car dealers to jump on the Suzuki Dealership network.
But alas, Suzuki didn't have 2 or 3 more car models that Americans and Canadians would go for, that is, compact and midsized vehicles.
Enter GM and the buyout of Daewoo motors.......
After GM aquired Daewoo motors of Korea, many decisions were made as to what to do with the various models of cars of Daewoo design.
GM Chevy devision decided they only wanted to bring over one of those car designs to sell under their brand name to sell in the USA. That being the current CHEVY AVEO. They felt it would fit in nicely with Chevy's current offerings and not compete with any of their existing cars. Indeed, it did nicely fill in a void in the Chevy line-up at the time since Chevy didnt have any sub-compact gas misers.
The other korean models however, they decided not to bring over, since they were in the midst of launcing a new car of their own, the Chevy Cobalt.
So then the question was..... what to do with the other 3 models of Daewoo design that Chevy didn't want to risk bringing over in the chance that they might compete for sales of their existing models.......
At the time Chevy (GM) had a 20% stake in Suzuki Motors of Japan. The two companies had already been co-operating extensively with several models all the way back to the 1980's.
So here both Suzuki and GM saw the perfect solution!
Bring these other Daewoo cars to the USA, but not under the Chevy brand. Instead, market them under the Suzuki brand, thus giving Suzuki exactly what it needed to accomplish it's ultimate goal of having enough offerings to expand their dealer network accross North America, increase the Suzuki brand recognition beyond motorcycles, and provide the base necessary for Suzuki to eventually develope their own line up of Suzuki made vehicles, ranging from sub-compact gas misers, to compact all weather crossover vehicles, to sedans and SUV's.
And the result???
For the past 5 years Suzuki is the only Japanese brand in the USA posting double and triple digit increases in sales. And for several years now, also being the fastest growing asian dealer network in the USA.
Bottom line? The plan worked.
So in reality... to see the SX4 sedan coming to fruition and even ahead of schedule, is a clear sign that Suzuki is on an un-stopable roll.
Two of their most recent offerings have been receiving Best Car of the Year awards all over the world beating out everything that the likes of toyota, honda, nissan as well as others offered in the same catagory/price. Namely, the new Swift and SX4.
Many are now saying they are the car company to keep an eye on as their star is rising.
Soon to be released by Suzuki is the SX4 WRX, which will give subie's and mitsu's a run for their money. Literally! Since this aproximated 320HP beast will be expected to sell for between $8000 to $10'000 less than the competition.
Also expected to be a huge success will be the Swift Sport that will soon hit our shores.
If there was one thing I could see Suzuk doing better at this point would be replacing the 5 speed manual in their cars for 6 speeds.
I guess we will see.
~.~
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mick_an_ick23 6:02PM (2/24/2007)
I think that car is going to sell really well in the USA. Like that other guy was saying Suzuki's price and warranty beats most of the competition.
What most people forget to do when they are comparing cars is comparting equipment levels. There are some cars that sell for near the same price but either they have a smaller engine, or less standard equipment, or not as good a warranty.
As soon as these cars arrive in the USA my g/f is gonna get one!
Check this out, Suzuki just beat all the competition including Honda, Lexus, toyota, etc for "Car Manufacturor of the year"
Here's the link: http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/news/23-02-07_5
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