2006 SUZUKI SX4 1.5L 5MT FWD (99 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Suzuki used its experience in producing 4×4 vehicles as part of Fiat’s agreement to produce the SX4 in Europe.

The common project was a bigger hit for Suzuki than for Fiat since the Japanese brand sold twice as many vehicles as the Italian brand in the first production year. Its name was far more known in the off-road vehicles than Fiat, and that gave them an advantage. On top of that, the SX4 was sold on more markets and was fitted with a wider choice of engines.

Giorgetto Giugiaro designed it, and it might be one of the biggest mixes on the market at those times. It featured a bodywork, which was a mix between a station wagon and a minivan, a ground clearance bigger than a compact vehicle, and smaller than a 4×4. Its front fascia resembled the one on the Swift range, with horizontal slats and a wider mid bumper section.

Inside, the SX4 offered ample headroom for five passengers and higher-mounted seats, which led to better legroom. The rear seats featured a split-folding and tilting mechanism to expand the otherwise small trunk. A three-dial instrument cluster with four gauges provided the necessary information to the driver.

Apart from the Fiat-sourced engines (1.6-liter gasoline and a 1.9-liter turbodiesel), Suzuki installed its own versions with gasoline and turbodiesel units. Moreover, it offered a few versions fitted with an automatic transmission. Fiat and Suzuki developed a semi-independent rear suspension for both all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive systems.