Suzuki SX4: the four-season crossover that shared a Fiat

The Suzuki SX4 is a subcompact car and crossover introduced in 2006 as the successor to the Aerio and Liana. Its name stands for Sports X-over 4 Seasons, and it was developed jointly with Fiat, which sold its own version as the Sedici.

Suzuki SX4 at a glance

History of the Suzuki SX4

A joint programme

The SX4 came out of a joint development agreement between Suzuki and Fiat signed in April 2003. It was introduced in Japan on 1 December 2005 and shown internationally at the 76th Geneva Motor Show in March 2006. Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign styled it, and it replaced the Aerio, known as the Liana in some markets. Although it was originally intended for Europe alone, it ended up in most of Suzuki’s international markets, where the four-wheel-drive hatchback filled a niche for small SUVs. It was built on the Suzuki Swift platform at Esztergom in Hungary, Manesar in India, Bekasi in Indonesia, Chongqing in China and Sagara in Japan; Hungarian output was planned at 60,000 a year, two-thirds for Suzuki and one-third for Fiat as the Sedici.

Engines and bodies

Depending on the market the SX4 came with petrol engines from 1.0 to 2.0 litres and Fiat/Peugeot diesels from 1.3 to 2.0, including a 1.6 with variable valve timing of 102 PS, the 1.6 from the Grand Vitara, a 107 PS 1.9 DDiS and a 120 PS Fiat diesel with 280 Nm. The five-door hatchback, marketed as the SX4 Crossover, had 300 litres of boot space and split-folding rear seats that opened up to 1,045 litres. A sedan, the SX4 Sport, debuted at the 2007 New York show; it replaced the Aerio sedan and also the Daewoo-based Forenza sedan and wagon, and was sold in Japan, India and parts of eastern Europe. The Indonesian SX4 was exported to Thailand and the Indonesian sedan was called the Neo Baleno.

North America

The American SX4 arrived for the 2007 model year as Suzuki’s entry-level all-wheel-drive vehicle, with the 2.0-litre J20A engine of 143 hp and, in 2007, only a four-speed automatic. Canada and some other markets could have front-wheel drive, but in the United States until late 2008 the Crossover came only with iAWD. SX4 sales helped Suzuki to its best year in America in 2007, and in 2008 the car and its Fiat Sedici twin together sold nearly 75,000 units in Europe, making the SX4 the second best-seller in Hungary after the Swift.

Later generations

In 2013 a second generation arrived as the SX4 S-Cross, from then on exclusively a subcompact crossover, and the two generations were sold side by side until 2014. The sedan gave way to the Ciaz. A third generation appeared in 2021, a heavily revised version built only in Hungary for Europe, while in India the S-Cross was replaced by the taller Grand Vitara. The SX4 name itself had been used before, by American Motors from 1981 to 1983 for a sporty liftback version of the AMC Eagle.

Design and features

• All-wheel drive in a small car: the Crossover’s calling card, especially in America.
• Italdesign styling: drawn by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s studio.
• Fiat partnership: one development programme, two badges: Suzuki SX4 and Fiat Sedici.
• Hatchback and sedan: the Sport sedan replaced both the Aerio and the Daewoo-based Forenza.

Suzuki SX4 versions

• SX4 Crossover (2006): five-door hatchback with front- or all-wheel drive.
• SX4 Sport sedan (2007): four-door version for Japan, India and eastern Europe.
• Fiat Sedici: the Fiat-badged twin built in Hungary.
• SX4 S-Cross (2013): the second generation, crossover only.
• SX4 S-Cross (2021): heavily revised third generation built in Hungary.

The SX4 replaced the Liana and sits between the Swift and Vitara in Suzuki’s range. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.

Video: Suzuki SX4 im Dauertest

Video by Motorvision Deutschland on YouTube.

Sources

• Suzuki SX4, English Wikipedia: development, bodies, engines, markets, generations