Car Gazing
Practically fun: Suzuki Aerio has nice drivetrain, useful interior
By Derek Price
For those who need proof that big things come in small packages, look no
further than Suzuki's new compact car.
The Japanese automaker hopes to make a name for itself in the small-car
market by cramming practicality and amenities in a new do-it-all vehicle,
the Aerio. It's got a decent amount of space with four doors and a
comfortable back seat, along with a surprisingly good powertrain that defies
its $13,500 base price.
With a jam-packed field of competitors that includes the Honda Civic, Toyota
Corolla, Ford Focus, Nissan Sentra and Mazda Protege, Suzuki obviously has
an uphill battle after the disappointing obscurity of its last two compact
cars, the Swift and Esteem.
Will the Aerio get more attention than its predecessors? Probably so, thanks
to the spunky SX hatchback that offers more usable interior space than the
regular Aerio sedan, along with a more trendy, SUV-like layout. It also has
looks that are – I'll try to say this nicely – interesting.
Styling is subjective as always, but most people who saw the SX agreed that
it looked too Japanese for their thoroughly American taste. That's no
surprise considering it's designed and built in Japan using 100-percent
Japanese parts, but it still seems much more fitting on the streets of
downtown Tokyo than in the suburban boulevards of America.
A high roofline allows ample headroom inside, while a boxy front end is set
off with exaggerated headlights that draw attention to the Aerio's funky
presence. Small tires and wheels complete the look, surrounded by
sleek-looking side skirting.
Inside, the Aerio is comfortable and accommodating, though not quite as
refined as those from big-name Japanese car makers like Toyota and Honda.
Pieces feel firm and well-assembled, but little things can get annoying,
like radio dials that have to be turned too many times to change the
station, power-window switches that aren't in a natural location for
flipping, and cup holders that are almost on the floorboard.
It also had some minor squeaks and rattles, which is understandable in a
low-cost vehicle with several thousand hard auto-journalist miles on the
odometer.
If you can ignore those complaints, the Aerio has a terrific, functional
interior that's perfect for a small family. The best part is being able to
fold down the back seat to make room for extra-large cargo.
While it's no sports car, driving the Aerio can be a good deal of fun with
its 2.0-liter, 141-horsepower, four-cylinder engine. It's a solid, grunty
powerplant that has more than enough horses for in-town acceleration, and it
even feels confident passing at highway speed. The suspension is comfortable
for cruising, but too much road, wind and tire noise enters the cabin at
speed.
All in all, it's hard to beat the practicality and useful layout of the
Aerio, especially in the SX form with its low price. If Suzuki refines its
design and makes its styling appeal to a wider group of people, the Aerio
name could become much more famous than Swift and Esteem ever were.
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.
Contact him at dprice@cargazingonline.com)
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