Road Test: Suzuki SX4 1.6 GL 5dr

Suzuki is the latest car maker to jump on the crossover bandwagon, and it proudly heralds the fact in the name SX4 – ‘sport cross four-wheel drive’. Now, had they told me the crossover bit was all to do with a Japanese firm teaming up with the Italians to build a car in Hungary, I might have been more prepared to buy into the idea. As it is, I’m left wondering why anyone would buy an SX4 over a cheaper Fiat Panda 4x4, or even a slightly more expensive Suzuki Grand Vitara. As for the ‘sport’ part, forget it.

The SX4 can tackle more off-road work than you might think, and there’s a choice of four-wheel-drive modes. In automatic, the car’s brain decides when to send power to the rear wheels; in locked mode, power is split equally between front and rear wheels for maximum traction when pulling out of those tricky National Trust car parks.

Four-wheel drive makes sense for full-on performance toys or off-roaders, but the SX4 is neither. It’s more of a supermini on stilts, and this does little for its ability to negotiate corners. Admittedly, our drive was restricted to snow- and ice-bound roads, where it held on well enough (largely thanks to the electronic stability control that looks set to be an £800 option), and the ride was not unduly harsh, even if it wasn’t as controlled as the Swift, on which the SX4 is based.

The biggest drawback to enjoying a drive in the SX4 is the 1.6-litre petrol engine. It doesn’t have enough vigour at low revs and becomes bawdy when worked harder. A Fiat-sourced 1.9-litre turbodiesel will also be available and we reckon this will be the better engine for the SX4, as it has nearly twice the shove at half the petrol version’s 4,000rpm peak.

Suzuki has made a decent fist of the interior and there’s enough space all round for four adults to fit without becoming too familiar with one another. The boot isn’t massive but the simple, rectangular shape allows all of the space to be used rather than having to cram luggage into awkward crannies.

The thing is, you can go out and buy a supermini – one that's not compromised to justify its crossover tag – for less cash. It will be more fun to drive, cost less to run and won’t depreciate as fast as the SX4 is likely to. In fact, Suzuki already produces one: the Swift.