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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday October 24, 2007 - 33 Suzuki is on a roll Continued from Page 29 a focused lot who have checked the specs of the Suzuki and its main competitors and are looking for the most value for the least amount of money. For instance, the 2.0-litre twin-cam, fourcylinder engine in the SX4 puts out 143 hp and 136 lb/ft of torque - that is more than Civic or Corolla. Likewise Suzuki claims class leading interior space (2.94 cu m or 104 cu ft) with theatre-style seating that can accommodate five adults. The trunk at 439 litres (15.5 cu ft) closes in on mid-size sedans for volume. The base model starts at $17,195 with the automatic at $18,295. The Sport starts at $18,995 with the automatic at $20,095. In terms of the price range, the SX4 sedan starts where the top Suzuki Swift+ S automatic tops out at $17,395 and just below the base Grand Vitara JA manual at $25,595. And while the SX4 five-door has the exact same base price as the sedan, there is the option of AWD with five-door prices ranging from $17,195 to $23,795. So Suzuki has got the compact price spread covered. Fuel consumption numbers for the base car manual are 9.2L/100 km (31 mpg) city and 65 (43 mpg) highway, while the automatic returns 9.0L/100 km (32 mpg) city and 6.5L/100 km (44 mpg) highway. Interestingly, the automatic has marginally better mileage than the manual while the opposite is the norm. In terms of trim, both share a lot of standard features like front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, power locks/windows/mirrors, tach and a neat driver information display on the upper centre of the dashboard that gives the time, outside temperature and overall or instant fuel consumption readings. Having air and ABS as standard is a rarity in this segment which Suzuki is counting on to sway buyers to the brand. The Sport offers climate control instead of standard manual air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels instead of standard 16-inch steel wheels with covers and four-wheel disc brakes instead of discs/drums on the base sedan. There are other minor differences like fog lights, eight-speaker upgraded sound system and heated outside mirrors. Styling on the sedan, like the five-door is, well, stylish. The previous Aerio, while very competent, was odd looking with small tires and matching wheel wells that accentuated the high sides of the car making it look top heavy. The SX4 looks more European than Japanese, which I found out, is intentional. SX4 incorporates fenders that extend out from the body envelope without unnecessary tack ons like rub strips, although the Sport comes with a standard aero body kit. Suspension is coil over MacPherson struts at the front and twist beam at the rear that Suzuki has been using for a long time and well understands how to get the most out of it. For the SX4 sedan, the ride and handling were tested in Europe with emphasis put on stability and crisp response. Maruyama, before coming across the pond a few month ago, spent many of his 16 years with Suzuki in Europe and one of his jobs was overseeing the ride quality of the SX4 sedan. "This model started out in Europe with road conditions there in mind," he said. "I did much of the testing in Europe and Japan to make sure the car would come up to the standards we had set." In fact the Sport with its bigger wheels and tauter handling is the direct work of Maruyama so you can thank him for the ride which, I found out, was light years ahead of the previous Aerio. Suzuki chose the Quebec City area for this first look because it is in many ways like the European countryside with two lane roads and speed limits at 100 km/h not the 70 or 60 km/h we have in Ontario. There were no base cars present and I did not get to drive the manual, but I did spend a lot of time in the automatic. The engine is willing with a robust feel to the torque curve. Hit the gas to pass and the automatic kicks down immediately and digs in to get the pass done. Seating on the SX4 is midway between that of a CUV and a standard sedan so there is a good view of the road ahead. The trunk decklid is high so you have to be careful when reversing. The rear doors open almost 90 degrees, which helps getting in and out. Because of the rising wedge shape, wind noise was low. Even with the windows all the way down on a spectacular Quebec fall afternoon, my codriver and I carried on a normal conversation without the wind boom that can occur. As the new Grand Vitara showed the new spirit and vigour of Suzuki in CUVs, the SX4 more than does this for its cars. With an allocation of just 6,500 SX4 sedans slated for Canada for the year, Suzuki's biggest problem may well be getting enough cars to satisfy the interest it has created. Available AWD / 3.6 litre, V6 engine / Front and side curtain airbags / Seating for seven / Climate control A/C / ESP with traction control / ABS with EBD / 5-speed automatic / Cruise control / Power steering, windows, mirrors and door locks / Remote keyless entry / Tire Pressure Monitoring System / Engine immobilizer / AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with 6 speakers. Towing capacity: 3,500 lbs / Fuel economy: City -- 12.9 L/100 km (22 mpg); Hwy -- 9.0 L/100 km (31 mpg) AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with 4 speakers / 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder engine / Seating for five / Tachometer / Digital clock / Tilt steering / Power steering / Rear window wiper and washer / Rear window defroster / Dual front and side airbags / Split-folding rear seatbacks / Engine block heater / Child-proof rear door locks. Fuel economy: City -- 8.9 L/100 km (32 mpg); Hwy -- 5.9 L/100 km (48 mpg) Standard 4WD / 2.7 litre, V6 engine / ABS with EBD / 6 standard airbags / Climate control A/C / ESP with traction control / AM/FM/CD/ MP3/WMA player with 4 speakers / Information display (clock, outside temperature, fuel consumption & range) / Remote keyless entry / Power steering, windows, mirrors and door locks / Towing capacity: 3,000 lbs. Fuel economy: City -- 13.0 L/100 km (22 mpg); Hwy --9.5 L/100 km (30 mpg) Suzuki of Oakville 2219 Wyecroft Road, Oakville, ON L6L 5L7 905-469-2429 · Toll Free 1-866-229-3897 fax 905-469-4562 CONSUMERS SHOULD READ THE FOLLOWING: Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. *MSRP for the 2007 XL7 with automatic transmission (model 6E1D8A7) / the 2007 Swift+ with manual transmission (model H5MS5A7) / the 2007 Grand Vitara with manual transmission (model LLN81S7). Destination and Delivery ($1,395 / $1,195 / $1,395) not included in MSRP. Registration fee, license, insurance, administration fees and applicable taxes are not included. **Limited time offer to qualifi ed retail customers on approved credit (O.A.C.) available through FinanciaLinx to lease a new 2007 XL7 with automatic transmission (model 6E1D8A7) / 2007 Swift+ with manual transmission (model H5MS5A7) / 2007 Grand Vitara with manual transmission (model LLN81S7) for 60 months. Total lease obligation of $25,101.44 / $11,251.68 / $22,128.15 including down payment of $2,365 / $0 / $4,190, or equivalent trade-in, with 100,000 km total mileage allowance ($0.10/km for excess mileage). $0 security deposit. First month's lease payment is required at lease inception. Lease payments include Destination and Delivery ($1,395 / $1,195 / $1,395). This offer does not include license, insurance, acquisition fees of $350, administration fees, PPSA of $60 + taxes and any applicable taxes which are due at lease inception. ***0% purchase fi nancing is available for 48 months on 2007 Grand Vitara and on 60 months for 2007 XL7 and 2007 Swift+. Finance example: $10,000 at 0% APR for a 60 / 48 month term; the monthly payment is $166.67 / $208.33; cost of borrowing is $0; total obligation is $10,000. Down payment may be required. Bi-weekly payment for 2007 Swift+ with manual transmission (model H5MS5A7) is $92 for 60 months, amortized over an 84-month period with $0 down payment and includes Destination and Delivery of $1,195. Estimated remaining principal balance of $4,529 plus applicable taxes due at end of 60-month period and total payout is $4,531.10. Total interest and principal is $12,017.84. This offer is based on MSRP of $13,895 plus destination and delivery ($1,195). ****These offers cannot be combined with any other offer except for the Suzuki Graduate Program. With the Suzuki Graduate Program, recent university or college graduates may be eligible for an allowance on the purchase or lease of certain models. Fuel economy based on Transport Canada ratings. ESP is a registered trademark of Daimler-Chrysler AG. Dealers may lease or sell for less. See participating dealers for details.