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IT’S all happening for specialist car firm Suzuki at the moment, with the recently arrived Swift and Grand Vitara 4×4 being joined by yet another newcomer, the SX4.

This is a mini 4×4 that aims to offer the best of both worlds by being competent on and off tarmac with a particular prowess in the really rough stuff.

It has been developed in conjunction with Fiat and is made in Hungary to keep costs down, but despite the partnership it is Suzuki that has the 4×4 expertise and it shows.

In the UK it is likely that the Suzuki will be more popular than Fiat’s equivalent Sedici model, such is the esteem in which the Japanese company is now held by its loyal band of followers.

There are two versions of the SX4, one of which is the Urban whilst the other is the Outdoor.

As their names suggest the former is aimed at those whose most adventurous off-road experience is likely to be mounting a pavement in comparison to the Outdoor version that not only looks the part but is a serious off-road vehicle.

Such is the sophistication of the 4×4 system that power can be diverted where you want it or you can simply leave the vehicle to make the decision according to the prevailing conditions.

When the automatic mode is chosen, power is sent to the front wheels for economical driving unless the vehicle senses wheel slip at which point the power is split between the front and rear.

It is also a simple task to manually lock the four wheel drive in place so that maximum grip is guaranteed at all times.

When the full range is on sale there will be a choice of a 1.6-litre petrol engine with two wheel drive or permanent four wheel drive plus the same options with the 1.9-litre turbodiesel unit and also automatic transmission.

The petrol engine pushes out 106bhp whilst the diesel raises the figure to 118bhp and will be the preferred option of those intending to spend most of their time off-piste.

A handsome looker, the five-door SX4 is taller than it appears thanks to clever styling that endows it with more visual panache than any small chunky 4×4 has a right to.

This makes it easy to clamber in and out of whilst offering generous headroom to complement an interior that is unusually spacious for a vehicle of this size.

The only shortcomings are that the interior is designed for four rather than five adults and the boot is by no means the biggest in class, being a significant 100 litres less than that of the UK’s best-selling Ford Focus.

However, it is a well equipped vehicle with air conditioning, CD sound system, electric operation of the front windows and the reassurance of front, side and curtain air bags.

Despite being a four wheel drive vehicle, with the extra drag that entails, the SX4 is surprisingly economical with an average figure of 40mpg for the 1.6-litre Outdoor model.

It is sprightly too, with acceleration from rest to 60mph in ten and a half seconds in the case of the two wheel drive versions and about 11.2 seconds for the all-wheel-drive models.

Top speeds range from 106mph for the 1.6 AWD to an impressive 118mph for the 1.9 TD 2WD.

There is also a wide range of CO2 emissions and company car tax liabilities starting with the 1.6 2WD which has a CO2 figure of 165g/km resulting in a tax liability of 20 per cent.

The same engine with 4WD has a CO2 figure of 173g/km and incurs a tax liability of 21 per cent.

The 1.9-litre turbodiesel with two wheel drive has an emissions output of 166g/km and a liability of 23 per cent whilst the same engine with 4WD lifts the CO2 figure to 174g/km and raises the tax liability to 24 per cent.

Suzuki refers to the SX4 as a Sport Crossover model, which is intended to portray a vehicle that has the practicality of an SUV crossed with the appearance of a passenger car.

This seems like a pretty fair description.

The newcomer is being made at the rate of 40,000 a year for Suzuki and 20,000 a year for Fiat.

IT’S all happening for specialist car firm Suzuki at the moment, with the recently arrived Swift and Grand Vitara 4×4 being joined by yet another newcomer, the SX4.

This is a mini 4×4 that aims to offer the best of both worlds by being competent on and off tarmac with a particular prowess in the really rough stuff.

It has been developed in conjunction with Fiat and is made in Hungary to keep costs down, but despite the partnership it is Suzuki that has the 4×4 expertise and it shows.

In the UK it is likely that the Suzuki will be more popular than Fiat’s equivalent Sedici model, such is the esteem in which the Japanese company is now held by its loyal band of followers.

There are two versions of the SX4, one of which is the Urban whilst the other is the Outdoor.

As their names suggest the former is aimed at those whose most adventurous off-road experience is likely to be mounting a pavement in comparison to the Outdoor version that not only looks the part but is a serious off-road vehicle.

Such is the sophistication of the 4×4 system that power can be diverted where you want it or you can simply leave the vehicle to make the decision according to the prevailing conditions.

When the automatic mode is chosen, power is sent to the front wheels for economical driving unless the vehicle senses wheel slip at which point the power is split between the front and rear.

It is also a simple task to manually lock the four wheel drive in place so that maximum grip is guaranteed at all times.

When the full range is on sale there will be a choice of a 1.6-litre petrol engine with two wheel drive or permanent four wheel drive plus the same options with the 1.9-litre turbodiesel unit and also automatic transmission.

The petrol engine pushes out 106bhp whilst the diesel raises the figure to 118bhp and will be the preferred option of those intending to spend most of their time off-piste.

A handsome looker, the five-door SX4 is taller than it appears thanks to clever styling that endows it with more visual panache than any small chunky 4×4 has a right to.

This makes it easy to clamber in and out of whilst offering generous headroom to complement an interior that is unusually spacious for a vehicle of this size.

The only shortcomings are that the interior is designed for four rather than five adults and the boot is by no means the biggest in class, being a significant 100 litres less than that of the UK’s best-selling Ford Focus.

However, it is a well equipped vehicle with air conditioning, CD sound system, electric operation of the front windows and the reassurance of front, side and curtain air bags.

Despite being a four wheel drive vehicle, with the extra drag that entails, the SX4 is surprisingly economical with an average figure of 40mpg for the 1.6-litre Outdoor model.

It is sprightly too, with acceleration from rest to 60mph in ten and a half seconds in the case of the two wheel drive versions and about 11.2 seconds for the all-wheel-drive models.

Top speeds range from 106mph for the 1.6 AWD to an impressive 118mph for the 1.9 TD 2WD.

There is also a wide range of CO2 emissions and company car tax liabilities starting with the 1.6 2WD which has a CO2 figure of 165g/km resulting in a tax liability of 20 per cent.

The same engine with 4WD has a CO2 figure of 173g/km and incurs a tax liability of 21 per cent.

The 1.9-litre turbodiesel with two wheel drive has an emissions output of 166g/km and a liability of 23 per cent whilst the same engine with 4WD lifts the CO2 figure to 174g/km and raises the tax liability to 24 per cent.

Suzuki refers to the SX4 as a Sport Crossover model, which is intended to portray a vehicle that has the practicality of an SUV crossed with the appearance of a passenger car.

This seems like a pretty fair description.

The newcomer is being made at the rate of 40,000 a year for Suzuki and 20,000 a year for Fiat.

IT has become less expensive to buy one of Suzuki’s Grand Vitaras thanks to a new low-cost finance deal.

The offer applies to 1.6-litre three-door models, with a rate of 4.9 per cent that requires an initial deposit of £4,208 followed by 36 monthly payments of £136 or a deposit of £4,400 for the VVT+ model followed by monthly payments of £144.

Total prices are £13,864 and £14,544.

Suzuki‘s recently introduced its all-new Grand Vitara, which is longer, wider and more spacious inside than its predecessor.

It has a permanent four-wheel drive system and a ladder frame chassis for extra structural rigidity.

Drive-by-wire throttle management and variable valve timing help the 106bhp 1.6-litre engine to average 32.5mpg.

Standard equipment includes climate control, front electric windows, an integrated radio/CD player, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, tinted glass, tilt adjustable steering column, remote central locking, reclining rear seats, folding exterior door mirrors, driver and front passenger front and side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags and an immobiliser.

The VVT+ model adds heated electric mirrors, alloy wheels and front fog lamps.

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THE summer of special editions continues with the latest offering from Suzuki, in the guise of a Grand Vitara with extra kit.

Taking the name of X-EC, the 2.5-litre V6 limited editions come with climate control air conditioning, multi-spoke alloy wheels and front fog lamps.

The interior also takes on an added air of sophistication with a two-tone grey colour scheme and leather upholstery, plus wood-effect trim on the fascia and centre console, with chrome interior door handles.

On the outside there is a unique body colour – azure grey pearl metallic – plus a tailgate spoiler, silver painted roof rails, chrome-plated door handles and grille and a body-coloured spare wheel cover.

Slotting between the Grand Vitara two-litre five-door estate and the larger XL-7 2.7 V6 model, the X-EC will be available only in limited numbers, so exclusivity will be an important part of its appeal.

It costs £17,000 for the manual transmission model and £17,950 for the automatic.

SMALL, cheap 4×4′s are getting few and far between these days, which is a shame for those owners who have made use of them in the past.

Owners of the old Fiat Panda 4WD loved its quirkiness, and there were also many devotees of the slow selling but very capable Subaru Justy.

So we are left with only the “proper” small 4×4′s – the Daihatsu Terios, and the cheaper but smaller Suzuki Jimny.

And by this stage, Suzuki should know all there is to know about real small 4×4′s, because they have been producing them for more than 40 years.

The Jimny is the sum of all that knowledge, and performs very well off road with its proper set of low ratio gears just like the big boys.

With a new price of under £10,000, prices for earlier examples are already down to a very reasonable £3,000 or less, but this is a recently introduced vehicle, so don’t buy one without service history unless you are prepared to take a chance, and only if the price is well below average.

Two models are available – a hard top and a soft top – both with the same specification. They are powered by the same engine too – a 1.3-litre with what sounds like a good 79bhp.

The problem is that with a proper body-on-chassis 4×4 construction, it’s very heavy, and so performance on the road is nothing to write home about.

It feels nippy in town at slower speeds, but above 40mph acceleration is slow, and the 0-60 time is a pedestrian 17 seconds.

That said, most 4×4′s are much more expensive than this one, and even their diesel models don’t match its 34mpg average economy.

It cruises quite happily at the legal limit but struggles to keep up at normal motorway speeds. Also, high speeds make the fuel consumption drop like a stone.

Drive is to the rear wheels on the road, through either a five-speed gearbox or a four-speed automatic. The problem with this auto is that it saps the engine’s power, leaving performance even worse.

Like the larger short wheelbase Vitara, the ride is pretty bouncy most of the time on anything but the most snooker ball friendly surface.

This stems from a combination of the short wheelbase and suspension tough enough for off-roading. The Terios suffers the same problems but to a lesser extent.

The roadholding is pretty uncomfortable, with lots of roll when pressed, there’s not much space in the back seats, and the engine is harsh when revved.

But insurance, running costs and reliability are good, and equipment includes power steering, electric windows, central locking immobiliser and twin front airbags.

Security is not up to much, so if there is not one already, fit an alarm.

The Jimny is a funky little car which will appeal to many, but be aware of its many on-road limitations.

FORECOURT FACTS

Model: Suzuki Jumny.

Driving: Bouncy ride, but easy controls and power steering. Limited space.

Performance: Fairly slow on road, very capable off-road.

Economy: 34mpg.

Safety: 2 front airbags.

Recommended Buy: Either model.

Alternatives: Daihatsu Terios.

Price Guide: Pay about £3,000 privately for a ’98 S-reg JLX, or £4,600 from a dealer for an ’01 Y-reg JLX soft top.

Hit:

Funky Looks.

Good prices.

Decent equipment.

Cheap to run.

Economy.

Miss:

Poor ride.

Limited space.

All without history.

Off-road damage.

Slow.

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Suzuki cars

THIS time last year Suzuki was reaping the benefits of its ‘new age’ vehicles and, although there’s no striking newcomer scheduled to join the fleet for the September 2007 new registration, the Japanese car maker does have something the company dubs ‘fresh and exciting’ waiting in the wings.

But British drivers will have to wait until next spring for Suzuki’s new mini MPV, the Splash to join the line-up.

Meanwhile, the car on which the Splash will be based, the Swift, continues to grow in popularity on the back of outstanding praise.

Suzuki‘s current success began with the launch of the Swift supermini and the new-look Grand Vitara ahead of the launch of the company’s third ‘globally strategic’ model – the SX4.

This niche model is part of a joint venture with Fiat and is larger than the Swift, on which it is based. It features a high driving position and a big glass area which, along with rugged styling cues such as the flared wheel arches, gives the car the look of a Sport Utility Vehicle-inspired supermini.

This quite roomy and punchy-looking five-door hatchback range offers front wheel drive only versions in the shape of the SX4 1.6 GL at £9,999 and the 1.6 GLX at £10,999, each paired with five-speed manual transition, plus a four wheel drive 1.6 GLX fitted with 4GRIP – Suzuki’s all-new Intelligent All Wheel Drive (iAWD) system. It weighs in at £12,999.

The i-AWD is a selectable 4×4 system offering a choice of driving modes.

In 4WD-Auto it operates as a front-wheel-drive vehicle for much of the time but has the ability to deliver torque to the rear wheels when greater stability is required. Alternatively, 4WD Lock mode can be dialled in for full traction to counter serious problems at tyre level.

The Suzuki SX4 line-up also boasts a diesel courtesy of Fiat’s acclaimed 118bhp 1.9-litre oil-burner in the 1.9 DDiS model which comes with a six-speed manual transmission and slots into insurance group 7D for £12,799.

For those with a long memory, Suzuki initially kick-started the affordable sports utility vehicle line with the Grand Vitara and the larger, but neat-looking second generation model with permanent 4WD has been well received, some 8,000 of them having been sold last year.

Ruggedly good looking both inside and out, it is available in three and five-door body styles.

The Grand Vitara three-door 1.6 VVT paired with five-speed manual is offered at £12,875, the three-door 1.6 VVT+ at £13,475 with the five-door two-litre weighing in at £15,675 while the diesel sparks up for £17,025.

With three or five-door body styles, the award-winning five-model Suzuki Swift is a fun-to-drive car with a choice of three engines, two petrol in a 1.3-litre 92bhp and a 1.5-litre 102bhp, with a 1.3-litre 68bhp oil-burner.

Generous trim levels are GL and GLX and pricing starts at £7,599 for the 1.3-litre, £8,699 for the 1.5-litre and £9,799 for the diesel.

Last September, the three-door Swift Sport arrived sporting even more eye-catching good looks and powered by Suzuki’s rally-proved, 1.6-litre 125bhp VVT petrol engine, with a price tag of £11,499.

Other favourites such as the Ignis from £7,699, Liana from £9,999 and Wagon R+ from £7,999 are also available at a Suzuki showroom near you.

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THE fuel consumption of almost all the big off-roaders is frightening – and an unnecessary expense unless you really need the size or the mud-plugging ability.

But you can have your cake and eat it by aiming a little smaller – for the Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin for example.

Despite its unwieldy name it’s actually quite a good all rounder – and it’s a Mitsubishi, which means it’s built to last.

It’s a decent size for four in three door form, and for five and their luggage as a five door.

It competes with the likes of the Land Rover Freelander and Suzuki Grand Vitara and comes with proper low ratio gears and a differential lock to give real mud-plugging ability.

The Pinin five door gets a 2.0-litre direct injection petrol engine instead of the three door model’s 1.8, and this is enough to make it faster than most of the competition.

And the direct injection technology gives better than average economy and lower emissions.

Interior

Sadly there is no diesel, but it is easy to live with and to drive and 28mpg is not too bad if you want or need to drive a small 4×4.

The five door is more comfortable than the three door and the only drawback for some is the seat height adjustment, which does not help shorter drivers.

FAST FACTS 1.8 litre 3 door. 5 door models about £300 more.

Price: Pay about £2400 for an ’02 02-reg Classic, £3500 for an ’03 53-reg Equippe or £5200 fpr an ’05 05-reg Elegance.

Mechanical: 113bhp, 1.8 litres, 4 cyl petrol driving all four wheels via 5 speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 100mph

0-62mph: 11secs approx

Combined mpg: 28

Insurance group: 10

Marks: 8/10.

Main Rival: Land Rover Freelander.

Suzuki’S perky little Wagon R+ could be one of the best kept secrets on the used car scene.

Cheap and cheerful with a touch of style too, this mini-MPV bears an uncanny resemblance to the Vauxhall Agila.

That’s no surprise seeing as the Hungarian-built Suzuki is a joint venture with Vauxhall/ General Motors and in fact shares many of the Agila’s features.

Best described as an all-round family vehicle or combination of urban hatch and tall mini-MPV, the latest Wagon R+ has been around since the spring of 2000 when it replaced the original, more boxy, version.

Post-2000 cars are the ones to go for, and should cost from as little as £3,500 for a privately bought W-reg model up to £5,600 for an 02/52 example in good condition from a dealer.

There’s just a single engine choice, a lightweight 1.3 litre 76bhp unit, and a single GL trim level.

Interior space is reasonable with tall, wide rear doors which open a full 67 degrees.

Official performance figures are nothing to write home about, but the engine feels surprisingly lively and there’s a comfortable, high driving position as well.

And while the front seats are positioned to provide optimum views of the road, the rear seat hip point is high to ensure all passengers have the same visibility. Legroom, too, is generous and all seats give good lateral support.

The large tailgate opens upwards, so luggage and packages can be easily stored, while at the same time it’s just the right height to act as a canopy to offer shelter from the elements. The cabin is also full of useful storage spaces.

Large outside mirrors, side protective mouldings, wrap-around rear light units plus curved rear bumper and screen complete the Wagon’s neat appearance.

Driver’s airbag, childproof rear door locks and immobiliser are standard features, along with electric front windows and wing mirrors, power steering and central locking. Sounds, though, are extra.

FORECOURT FACTS

Model: Suzuki Wagon R+

Driving: Agile with quite good stability, but strong crosswinds can be unnerving while driving fast on the motorway

Performance: Surprisingly eager – official figures are 0-60 in 11.5 secs with top speed of 96mph

Economy: Very cheap to run and insure, with average fuel consumption in excess of 45 mpg

Safety: Driver and passenger airbags, child-proof rear door locks and immobiliser

Recommended buy: 1.3 GL

Alternatives: Vauxhall Agila, Daewoo Matiz, Daihatsu Cuore.

Suzuki has taken the wraps off a sporty new version of its Ignis hatchback, based on the rally car.

Beneath the bonnet lies a new 1.5-litre 16-valve engine, coupled to a close-ratio five-speed transmission, plus a special sports exhaust system, and disc brakes all round.

The bodywork has been given special treatment too with a bolder bumper, blistered wheel arches, a roof-mounted spoiler, sculptured lower body panels and white 15-inch alloy wheels.

The sporting theme continues on the inside with Recaro sports front seats and new white instrumentation with black markings and fancy blue back-lighting. There is also leather-trim on the steering wheel and gear lever housing.

Standard kit includes air conditioning, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, remote central locking, electric power steering, electrically-operated front windows and mirrors, CD player with MP3, and full-sized air bags.

The 1.5-litre engine is developed from that of the Ignis Super 1600 Junior World Rally Championship car, with a power output of almost 110bhp. There is impressive torque, or pulling power, at more than 100lb ft, endowing the car with good mid-range overtaking prowess.

From a standing start the Ignis Sport reaches 60mph in just under nine seconds and has a top speed of 115mph.

The suspension is lowered by about two inches, the wheels get fatter, low profile tyres, and to make the car sound the part the exhaust system has been tuned to emit a crisper note.

With a price tag of £9,953, Suzuki is claiming a substantial cost advantage over its main rivals. It is quicker and faster than the Yaris T Sport and undercuts it by more than £2,000. It is also quicker than the Mini Cooper, Hyundai Getz Sport, Ford SportKa, MG ZR, Citroen C2 VTR and Fiat Punto Sporting, yet is cheaper than the lot.

It comes with a three-year warranty that includes 24-hour roadside assistance, and is guaranteed against rusting for 12 years.

A Suzuki Alto has proved capable of covering more than 140 miles on a gallon of fuel.

The supermini model amazed economy run officials by sipping petrol at the rate of just two litres per 100km in the city traffic section of an event staged in Australia.

Over the rest of the 1,900-mile course stretching from Darwin to Adelaide, the little car’s one-litre, three-cylinder motor returned an average 72mpg.

“The city driving figure was the lowest of any vehicle in the event – an impressive achievement indeed considering it was competing against alternative-fuel entrants,” said a spokesman.

As well as winning the best urban cycle category, Suzuki‘s entry-level model also won the light and small car categories of the Global Green Challenge. “The car used only 123 litres of petrol for the week-long test and showed some of the much more expensive diesel cars the true meaning of fuel economy,” added the spokesman.

Love your carUrbanite and strategic nomad are two categories of car owners identified in a survey by rental firm Europcar.

People living in a rural area with no alternative means of transport to the car are a ‘no choice dependent’.

The ‘detached urbanite’ doesn’t like cars, is considering doing away with private transport in favour of public transport and is most likely to support moves to ban cars from city centres.

Strategic nomads are thinking of abandoning the car for cost and environmental reasons and is likely to get around using a combination of public transport, car hire and car sharing.

Europcar’s researchers describe ‘car lovers’ as drivers who are attached to their car, use it for most of their journeys and regard car hire as an opportunity to try out the latest model.

Covering seven countries and more than 5,000 drivers, the Europcar study found that car ownership costs an average £106 per month in Britain and that 61 per cent of UK motorists have changed their driving habits in an effort to reduce costs.

Winners and losersBRITAIN’S £2,000 scrappage scheme helped boost sales of new vehicles to a total of 367,929 in September, according to the European Automakers Association.

Figures show the incentive drove showroom business up by 11.4 per cent in the UK and resulted in similar increases in Germany, Spain and France.

But car sales continued to be hard hit in countries where scrappage schemes have not been in operation, with the association reporting that Ireland suffered a 34.7% drop in new car registrations during the month.

Dress brightHIGH-VISIBILITY clothing should be made compulsory for drivers who get stranded by the roadside at night.

Most European countries demand drivers wear bright jackets in a bid to reduce death and injuries on the hard shoulder but UK law continues to lag behind, says car care specialist Comma.

Department for Transport statistics show that over the last 15 years, 2,058 men have been killed or injured on the hard shoulder when their cars have broken down.

“Once you’re outside of your car in the dark, you’re effectively invisible. The tendency is to get under the bonnet and try to fix the problem, but if you can’t be seen you’re asking for trouble.

“As winter approaches and the hours of darkness are increased, improved visibility is even more important. Accidents at night are twice as likely to lead to a fatality as during the daytime,” says Comma spokesman Mike Bewsey.

As part of its ‘safe and seen’ campaign, the company is giving away 150,000 free high-visibility vests on 5-litre packs of its performance motor oil range.

Slow road to workBRITISH drivers spend more than two days each year going nowhere and commuters are doomed to waste 91 days of their working lives in traffic queues.

Most people who use their cars to get to work have to run the traffic jam gauntlet, claims a new survey by Kia.

As a result, two-thirds of commuters admit to speeding when the traffic clears in a bid to make up lost time, one in three experiences ‘road rage’ in heavy traffic, almost half say they’ve narrowly avoided a traffic-related accident, one in five has suffered a bump or minor accident while driving to work and 44 per cent say they are regularly late for work due to traffic

But researchers found that commuters are reticent to change their ways with almost three-quarters saying they value the privacy and space provided by their car during their journey to work.

Skoda recordBUMPER business in September has put koda on the road to a record share of the UK new car market.

Sales of the Czech brand’s models were more than 24 per cent up on 12 months ago and took year to date deliveries to a total of 25,412.

‘The trend is very encouraging. The value we offer has convinced scrappage and non-scrappage customers alike that a Skoda is the right car for the times. I’m confident we’ll reach a record market share level this year,’ said brand director Robert Hazelwood.