Something a little different

The capable SX4 offers all-weather driving, writes Iain Dooley

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IF YOU want to get ahead in the car business, small is the biggest game in town. Superminis, compact hatchbacks, call them what you want, the small-car sector is the one to be in.

The trade-off is that there’s little in the way of genuine variety. Sure, style-wise, there’s much to differentiate one supermini from the next, but at the end of the day, you’re still driving a supermini. And if you want a small car with a bit of attitude or go-anywhere ability, it’s a case of getting something, well, bigger.

Which is why cars like Suzuki’s SX4 have managed to carve out a successful niche for themselves. Presenting a noticeably more rugged face to the world while managing to retain the same footprint as a conventional supermini, the SX4s of this world offer something a little different.

Different, yes – but also different in a good way. Choice is always welcome in the car business, but cars such as the SX4 must deliver what the marketing-speak promises. Suzuki has form in the small-car market, so this isn’t an issue. From city cars to compact 4x4s, the Japanese firm has made a good living from this end of the business.

The SX4 is, if you like, a cross between a small hatchback and a mini SUV. All the telltale clues are present: the high roofine, raised driving position, chunky styling and all-wheel drive. This latter feature might present only on one variant but, for anyone with a need for such, it sure beats having to manhandle something larger on country lanes.

First let’s consider the front-wheel-drive SX4. It’s more than just a “soft-roader” for the city. The raised driving position, lofty stance and spacious cabin all make perfect sense in the city, where visibility is often at a premium and getting down, into and up out of a regular car can be a chore – and a genuine pain for some.

With the ease-of-use box ticked, next consider the car’s performance. There’s a straightforward choice between a thoroughly revised 120-horsepower 1.6-petrol unit and a 90-horsepower 1.6-litre diesel. If you plan on racking up the miles, the diesel is probably the better option.

For more urban-centric motoring, the petrol unit is an excellent all-rounder. Improved performance, economy and refinement have made it a more rounded proposition now, and it’s also the engine used in the all-wheel-drive SX4.

Now, this might appear like overkill, but there’s a lot to be said for all-weather ability. You don’t have to be stuck in snow to reap the benefit as even wet, leaf-strewn roads have the potential to cause a problem. Also, if you happen to live or travel in rural areas, something small and economical like the SX4 can make more sense than a bulky, traditional 4x4 – why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, after all?

And the SX4 – in all-wheel-drive SZ5 trim – is so easy to live with. A simple rocker switch activates the 4x4 mode, giving you the option of on-demand all-wheel drive when you lose traction, full 4x4 lock and a front-drive mode.

Genuinely versatile, practical and easy to drive, Suzuki’s SX4 might appear to be a left-field choice in the supermini sector, but the more you examine it, the more it makes sense. You don’t need to live at the top of a mountain to make the most of it, while it feels just as at home on the motorway as it does bounding along muddy country paths.

By way of a deal-clincher, for 2010, Suzuki has spruced up the car’s interior, improved equipment levels and polished the car’s exterior by way of more colour-coded trim. For the asking price, this is a small car that genuinely punches above its weight.

Model: Suzuki SX4 1.6 VVT SZ4, from £12,255

Engine: 1.6-litre petrol unit developing 120bhp

Transmission: Five-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels

Performance: Maximum speed 115mph; 0-62mph 10.7 seconds

Economy: 45.6mpg

CO rating: 143g/km