Suzuki Australia continues to redefine the world of small car design with the launch of the all-new two-wheel drive SX4 sedan and SX4 hatch.
"Earlier this year we unveiled Suzuki's vision for a new compact SUV with the SX4 AWD. Now with the launch of the SX4 2WD sedan and hatch, we are setting new standards in comfort and visibility," said Suzuki Australia Automotive General Manager Tony Devers.
"Unlike conventional sedans which use low-slung styling, the SX4 sedan delivers outstanding comfort for driver and passenger thanks to its taller, more upright design.
"SX4 sedan combines the best features of a sedan with the spacious seating, command driving position and generous amenities of a multi-purpose vehicle.
"The end result is a radically new level of cabin comfort packaged in a stylish and elegant exterior."
Devers explained 'upright' was a key development concept for the engineers working on the all-new SX4 sedan.
"We recognised a number of key customer wants that the new SX4 sedan needed to deliver on.
"Customers told us they were looking for a small car that offered a natural, upright seating position and easy access in and out without having to resort to uncomfortable bending and stooping.
"The new SX4 sedan delivers on that promise in a package that also provides fantastic value for money and a spirited, rewarding drive experience."
Chief program engineer Osamu Honda said the new SX4 sedan represented a high point in his career.
"Our entire engineering staff worked with a single aim; to develop a revolutionary sedan that sets new benchmarks in comfort and I am confident we have succeeded.
"The exterior styling clearly demonstrates innovation with a look of forward motion, solid handling and confident mobility. The solid appearance creates a surefooted look adding dynamic presence to the overall design.
"The overall height is slightly higher than conventional small car sedans, offering several important benefits for Suzuki customers; the hip point is higher for easier entry and exit, the eye point is higher for improved visibility and the tall roofline creates a spacious cabin and a cavernous boot.
"The chassis has been carefully tuned to provide confident, responsive handling, while the engine boasts a range of advanced technologies including electronic throttle control and Suzuki's Intake Manifold Tuning system, delivering greater power across a broader rev range.
"Everything about the new SX4 sedan has been designed for customers who lead active lives, seeking out new challenges. We're convinced it's a world-beating vehicle and I'm confident our customers will think so too," said Honda.
The new SX4 sedan and hatch will be available in two specifications – entry level and 'S'.
Devers explained the new SX4 sedan – the third model in Suzuki's worldwide strategy of next generation of vehicles – offered a car delivering a smooth, supple ride but was also tuned to satisfy the demands of enthusiast drivers.
"The new SX4 sedan exemplifies the Suzuki 'Way of Life' philosophy, encompassing all the expertise and dedication of a specialist in small cars that makes it a pleasure to drive, to use and to own.
"Suzuki Australia is confident the new SX4 sedan will become the new standard for comfort and elegance in the highly competitive small car market," said Devers.
SX4 design
Inspired by a Japanese Kabuki mask, the SX4 sedan has an aggressive front fascia and grille, and is poised for action with a sporty wedge shape that foreshadows its rewarding driving experience.
Its muscular and athletic stance is enhanced by its arched fenders, while the body features a low, rising waistline and large, triangular-shaped windows forward of the front doors to emphasize the car's great traction and dynamic performance.
The all-new Suzuki SX4 sedan is a clear statement of both the upward mobility of its owner and the exciting, upright performance it offers.
To achieve this revolutionary design, Suzuki avoided the low stance of conventional sedans and instead concentrated on balancing comfort with style.
Height is increased for greater presence and enhanced interior comfort, without sacrificing elegance. Unnecessary styling cues are also avoided in favour of genuine refinement.
Based on the award-winning Suzuki Swift, the SX4 sedan allowed designers to add distinctive European design elements to enhance the look of quality and elegance that further set the SX4 apart from other sedans.
Beneath the elegantly dynamic, upright exterior styling lies a spacious, airy cabin packed with luxurious appointments; the SX4 sedan was truly designed with the driver and passengers in mind.
Every aspect of comfort has been carefully thought out in the new SX4 sedan to provide optimum customer comfort and satisfaction.
Entry and exit is easily accomplished without resorting to uncomfortable stooping, while the comfortable upright driving position ensures maximum levels of visibility.
Chief engineer Osamu Honda challenged his team to defy convention and set new standards for a small sedan.
Their aim was to create a stylish, upright environment to support the active lifestyles of Suzuki customers.
One look at the interior is proof of the SX4's stylish design and appointments. And it only takes a few seconds sitting in the supreme comfort of the upright design to notice the class-leading appointments and comfort.
Daring interior tones, quiet refinement and high-quality materials create a harmony that is both pleasing to look at and touch.
The dashboard is angled away from the driver to further enhance the airy, spacious feeling created by the high roof.
Every instrument and control has been carefully positioned to add to the pleasure of driving the SX4 sedan. The centre console has been designed for maximum functionality, with audio and climate controls seamlessly integrated to maintain the quality look and feel of the new SX4.
New levels of interior refinement have been reached in the SX4 by employing special sound insulation sheeting, while flush body surfaces and double sealing weather strips help cut wind noise to a whisper.
Vibration damping materials beneath the cabin and around the engine bay also contribute to the smooth, quiet operation of the new SX4.
As with the rest of the engineering team, the ergonomics and interior package team had the comfort of driver and passenger at the top of its 'must do' list.
They pioneered a new kind of comfort zone that provides high levels of comfort for all occupants, by slotting the comfortable seating and amenities of a multi-purpose vehicle inside the stylish and efficient dimensions of a sedan.
Overall height of the sedan is relatively high at 1545 mm giving added headroom, yet the imposing form still retains the dynamic look of a sedan.
The SX4 hatch stands at 1585 mm, 45 mm lower than the AWD hatch which was launched earlier this year. It is 40 mm higher than the SX4 sedan.
Ground clearance of the SX4 hatch is 165 mm, 35 mm lower than the AWD version. The sedan ground clearance stands at 175 mm.
Inside, customers are bound to be surprised by the high levels of comfort and space that belie the exterior dimensions.
The key feature is SX4 sedan's upright, natural seating posture and the comfort, room, ease of entry and exit and high visibility levels it affords.
Driver and passengers will appreciate the natural posture offered by the upright seating position, ensuring high comfort levels even over long journeys.
Rear seats feature a generous cushion and the seatback angle is carefully set to provide enhanced support and comfort. In addition, the upright seating position gives more legroom and gives the SX4 sedan a cavernous 515 litres of boot space making it one of the biggest in its class.
Numerous storage spaces abound throughout the SX4 interior, including a convenient storage tray located underneath the passenger seat.
A further benefit of the exceptional ergonomics employed in the seat design is stress reduction on the lower back when exiting, as the legs can be extended straight out.
Drivers of varying size will easily find a comfortable driving position through seat height, recline and slide adjustment in combination with the tilt adjustment on the steering wheel.
The upright position assures excellent visibility levels, while the theatre style rear seats sit slightly higher to afford back seat passengers a good forward view.
SX4 features
Staying true to the Suzuki philosophy of providing value for money, the SX4 sedan is an example of feature-laden motoring, with the standard feature list on the entry level SX4 sedan putting many more expensive imported sedans to shame.
The SX4 sedan includes:
- Electronic power steering
- Power windows front and rear
- Adjustable steering wheel
- Remote control door key
- Air-conditioning
- Pollen filter
- Eight-speaker AM/FM/MP3/WMA/CD system
- Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
- Speed sensing volume control
- Trip meter with outside temperature, fuel usage and clock
- Driver and passenger airbag
- ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist
- Three-point ELR seatbelts front and rear
- Power mirrors
- Green tinted windows
The SX4 S version adds even more features into the car, including:
- Side curtain airbags
- Seat mounted side airbags
- Alloy wheels
- Cruise control with steering wheel mounted controls
- Remote keyless entry and start
- Climate control air-conditioning
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Front fog lamps
The keyless start system features a built in transmitter on the ignition key, allowing for the doors to lock and unlock simply by touching the button on the door handles. It also enables the driver to start the engine without using the key itself and ensures it is impossible to lock the keys inside the car.
SX4 dynamics
The smooth ride of the new Suzuki SX4 2WD sedan and hatch encourages passengers to relax and enjoy the journey, adding an extra dimension of comfort to the crisp response and exciting driving dynamics inherited from Suzuki's award-winning sporty compacts.
It begins with a body and chassis originally developed for the Suzuki Swift, which was heavily reworked for the SX4 AWD before being further refined for use in the SX4 sedan program.
In particular, the high torsional strength of the rigid steel unibody, the suspension mounting points and links greatly contribute to SX4 sedan's solid, reassuring feel.
The body is an evolution of the award-winning Swift, specifically engineered to provide a solid foundation for the wide front (1500 mm) and rear (1495 mm) tracks, which help contribute to a sense of stability during cornering.
Careful design includes reinforcements in key areas and large cross-section members to deliver extremely high levels of bending and twisting rigidity without adding excess weight.
Similar to the Swift chassis it is based on, the SX4 borrows a comparable front independent MacPherson strut suspension set-up, mounted on a high-tensile steel suspension sub-frame to reduce noise and vibration transfer to the cabin. The rear rides on a torsion beam suspension set-up.
All suspension components in the SX4 have been carefully tuned to deliver precise handling in tandem with a smooth, stable ride that keeps all occupants relaxed and comfortable.
Anti-dive and anti-squat geometry is optimized and handling parameters were tuned to high European standards.
Both sedan and hatch feature ventilated front disc brakes resist fading and deliver sure, stable stopping power. The hatch – like its AWD sibling – features rear disc brakes, while the sedan boasts trailing drum brakes on the rear. The SX4 brake system features ABS anti-lock brakes and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution.
SX4 powertrain
Power for the new SX4 sedan is provided by Suzuki's proven J20A in-line double overhead camshaft four. It has been subjected to extensive development and is now equipped with Suzuki's Intake Manifold Tuning system delivering greater power across a broader rev range.
Utilising this system, peak power has been increased from a base of 96kW at 6000rpm to 107kW at 5800rpm, while maximum torque of 184 Newton-metres arrives at 3500 rpm.
The SX4 engine features a relatively flat torque curve from the low- to mid-rev range which broadens the performance potential and provides ample acceleration when and where it is required.
Suzuki's Intake Manifold Tuning is a computer controlled dual length intake tract system that maximizes engine efficiency across all engine speed ranges to deliver a greater spread of power and torque.
The intake manifold tuning system effectively varies the length of the intake pipe by opening and closing the intake manifold tuning valve to improve volumetric efficiency.
When the intake manifold tuning valve is totally closed, the effective intake pipe length is longer. Engine torque between middle and high rpm ranges drops, while it is improved between low and middle ranges. This ensures maximum torque at low speeds, such as at launch and during low-speed turning through a roundabout.
When the intake manifold tuning valve is fully open, the effective intake pipe length is shorter. Engine torque between middle and high rpm ranges is improved, while it drops between low and middle rpm ranges. This provides for effortless highway cruising.
Like its AWD sibling, the SX4 is available with a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic.
SX4 safety
Driver and passenger safety is paramount in every Suzuki vehicle and the new SX4 2WD sedan and hatch are no exception.
Active safety starts with the upright driving position and the high eye point it provides, ensuring excellent all-round vision for the driver to help anticipate and avoid potentially hazardous situations.
To assist in emergency braking situations, all models are equipped with ABS anti-lock brakes to prevent wheel lock-up and help maintain steering control.
ABS is coupled with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), which varies brake force distribution according to load and to help prevent rear-wheel lock-up.
If the new SX4 is involved in a collision, the high levels of passive safety built in to every car provide maximum passenger protection.
Passive safety in the SX4 begins with the design of the rigid steel unibody, which maintains a strict safety space in the cabin, while front and rear crush zones crumple to absorb impact energy.
Front and rear side door impact beams work to help minimize intrusion into the cabin in the event of a side collision.
The interior is designed to reduce injury from secondary impacts.
Another layer of safety is added by dual front airbags, front three-point Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters, rear three-point ELR seatbelts and head restraints to help minimize the risk of whiplash injuries.
The SX4 S model also includes the extra protection of side curtain airbags and seat-mounted side airbags, designed to reduce injury to the upper torso and head in high impact side collisions.
In Euro NCAP testing, the Suzuki SX4 scored four stars out of a possible five, making it one of the safest cars available in the small car segment.