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our test drives or view them all

Suzuki SX4 1.6i SZ4 manual

COME on Suzuki – sort yourselves out!

When I picked up my test drive Suzuki SX4 five-door hatch, I spotted its SZ4 on the leading edge of the driver’s door and assumed I’d got a four-wheel-drive model.

Wrong!

It didn’t take me long to work out that despite the “4” in the SZ model designation being produced in bright red, this was a common or garden front drive SX4.

You can tell by the way it drives – and the lack of any “4x4” switchgear inside!

I felt cheated – and a wee bit embarrassed. How long have I been doing this? Nearly 40 years and still a manufacturer can catch me out.

To get the exceptionally handy 4x4 SX4 you have to buy the SZ5 model – so a “5” designates FOUR-wheel-drive and “4” designates TWO-wheel-drive?

It’s not logical, captain!

Be that as it may, I persevered with the “cooking” SX4 and abandoned pre-arranged plans to cross a farmer pal’s wet and muddy Moray field – for obvious reasons.

It would have been good to try the SZ5 4x4 version simply because many north motorists will be considering affordable all-wheel-drive cars like this after experiencing the snowbound winter that affected us all.

The new 4x4 SZ5 is due soon, but will not in showrooms until June. Costing around £14,235, it’s not a bad price for a well-built and potentially reliable little all-wheel-driver.

And if you prefer diesel, a new two-litre Fiat-based DDiS SZ5 4x4 will follow this autumn to replace the current 1.9-litre turbodiesel.

But to add to badging confusion, Suzuki calls the SX4 SZ5 4x4 the i-AWD. That stands for Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive and it comes with a triple-mode traction system using electric control coupling to make operation foolproof.

That means the driver can easily select automatic 4x4, lock the system or revert to front-wheel-drive at the flick of a switch between the front seats.

Having never driven it, of course, it sounds to me that most owners would simply leave it in automatic mode because even here no torque will be passed to the rear wheels unless slippage is detected. That’s not only practical but also simple, safe and sensible.

But back to my SX4.

At £12,255 on the road this two-wheel-drive SZ4 version is significantly cheaper than the SZ5 4x4 model.

It will suit buyers looking for a roomy five-door that’s easy to drive and run, and comes from a manufacturer for whom reliability is a byword.

If you don’t consider 4x4 is necessary for your needs – and that’s a moot point because many 4x4 owners got stuck this winter –the SZ4 may be for you.

Let’s face it, traction in marginal snow is not just about which wheels are driven – it’s also about skill.

I couldn’t help but smile in heavy snow as a Volvo XC70 driver with 4x4 technology spun himself into the side of the road by using too much power, while a housewife in a front drive diesel Audi A3 sailed past him.

The difference was not so much about traction, it was more about the better driving skill of the lady in the Audi!

Suzuki’s decision to badge the SX4 confusingly in the way it has is a trim level thing. The base model is an SZ3 with the same 119bhp 1.6-litre petrol injection engine and front-wheel-drive system fitted to my SZ4. The SZ5 badge is retained exclusively for the 4x4.

Compared to the SZ3 the test car has keyless start, automatic air conditioning, a centre dashboard speaker, handy driver’s footrest, front fogs, and 16-inch alloys.

It’s an attractive package that adds just £615 to the price of an SZ3 – and like all SX4s, it comes from ABS and front and side curtain airbags.

I found the SZ4 very well-equipped, though I was disappointed yet again to find a manufacturer who does not even specify electronic stability control as an option. Shame.

The revised 1.6-litre engine is a great improvement on the old unit. Power has jumped by 13bhp and the torque flow is smoother.

The engine seems perkier than its 13 extra horses suggests, but it becomes a bit thrashy when extended.

However, the new smoothness of the 1.6-litre Suzuki petrol would indicate that it would be a good match for the automatic transmission option on the SZ4 that costs £1,025.

Acceleration is good – especially through the gears. Even with a load up, I was able to hustle this sharp-handling five-seater down the A86 and A82 to Fort William and back with ease.

It’s no sports hatch, but the SZ4 feels good on the road and is very light to drive. Noise levels are acceptable and it rides well on its 16-inch alloys and 60-section tyres.

Where the design shines is in its use of passenger space. Both front and back occupants have good support – but I am not a fan of the “silver lamé” finish on the seats.

Visibility is fine from the driver’s position in all but the three-quarter ahead views. The massive A-pillars seriously obscure the sightline at junctions, and you have to crane your neck to get a safe view.

The boot area is quite small but will swallow a reasonable family load of 270 litres. But fold the split rear seats and flip them forward and it opens up this tall car’s rear end with a capacity of more than 1,000 litres – good enough for that occasional jumbo load we all have to consider from time to time. The tailgate is usefully large and wide.

The SX4 is a “collaboration car”. That means it’s a shared development – this time with Fiat which builds the same car as the Sedici.

It is not a product of Japan either, but is put together in a modern Hungarian car plant. But you would have to look very hard indeed to detect any failure in the car’s assembly. It’s meticulous.

Take a close look at this European Suzuki and it’s every inch a car from a meticulous car-building dynasty that prides itself on high quality, lightweight construction.

The latest SX4 is a significant advance on the previous model. The 1.6-litre petrol engine delivers the most obvious improvement – more power, smoother, 10 per cent more economical and 13 per cent cleaner.

But the rest of the car has matured as well – it’s a pretty good package that comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty and is man enough to tow 1.3 tonnes.

It’s just a pity about Suzuki’s decision to change the badging and confuse the likes of me!

Rating: 7/10

FINAL THOUGHT: The SZ4 is a bit of a cheat. The badge with its prominent “4” in bright red gives the impression that it’s a 4x4 model, but it’s not. This is an ordinary front drive SX4 – to get four-wheel-drive you need to buy an SZ5! It’s all very confusing – but the SX4 is still a good lightweight family hatch that should also be ultra-reliable.

Suzuki SX4 1.6i SZ4 manual

• Price: £12,255
• Capacity: 1586cc
• Power: 119bhp
• 0-62mph: 10.7 seconds
• Maximum speed: 115mph
• Economy: Combined 45.6mpg; Urban 35.8mpg
• CO2 emissions: 143g/km
• ESP: Not Available
• Insurance: Group 6