How reliable is a Suzuki Aerio or SX4?

September 30, 2008 7:20 AM

How reliable are small Suzuki cars?

I am thinking of buying a Suzuki SX4, but I am having a hard time finding reliability information (both on the Internet and on Consumer Reports).

Are there any owners of SX4s or Aerios out there who could give me a feeling as to how happy they are with their purchase? Or how cheap/expensive to maintain the cars were?

Any info would be great. Thanks!

posted by TheyCallItPeace to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

I don't have an SX4, but I have a 2006 Swift 1.5GLX (this is a European model - not sure where you are in the world).

In extremely happy with it. In terms of mechanics, it has been totally reliable so far. The only glitch has been a problem with the electric window mechanism on the drivers door, but this was fixed in a matter of hours under warranty (in the UK, the warranty is 3 years as standard, along with Suzuki Assistance recovery).

Servicing is no more expensive than any similar sized small cars I've driven (I previously had a Fiat Punto which had similar servicing costs). Where there is a eal saving is the cost of the car itself. My Swift is a 1.5l engine, keyless ignition / entry etc, alloys, front fogs, and was under £9,000 new. Similar spec for a Toyota or Ford, for example, would probably be closer to £12,000+.

Hope this helps somewhat.
posted by coach_mcguirk at 7:29 AM on September 30, 2008

I'm not sure if it speaks to the reliability of the cars, but when my wife was looking at a car loan from Bank of America she was told that Suzuki and Daewoo vehicles were not eligible for loans.
posted by studentbaker at 7:33 AM on September 30, 2008

How long do you plan to keep it?

If my friends' and acquaintances' experiences are any guide, you'd probably be happier in the long run with a used Civic or Corolla or Prizm or something.
posted by box at 8:49 AM on September 30, 2008

I have no plans to sell it in the near future. If it lasts, I might just keep it forever ...

I am staying away from used cars because I know nothing about cars and would not like getting stuck with a lemon -- I just moved, don't really know anyone that could help me in that aspect, and I don't speak the local language (I moved to French-speaking area of Canada).
posted by TheyCallItPeace at 9:02 AM on September 30, 2008

You are better off buying a used Toyota, Mazda or Honda -- specifically one of the models known for their reliability and low maintenance.

The "cheap" new cars are cheap for a reason -- brands like Suzuki, Daewoo and Kia. I would avoid them unless you plan on basically throwing it way after a year or two of driving it. They simply don't hold their retail value.
posted by camworld at 9:06 AM on September 30, 2008

Truedelta.com has real-world reliability data for many makes and models. They currently have data for the 2007 and 2008 SX4. The 2007 is marked as 54 trips/year per 100 surveyed. This corresponds to reliability that is a bit above average. The 2008 is marked as 11 trips/year per 100, which is among the highest reliability figures, but since it's the latest model year, that's kind of expected. If you become a member of the site (it's free), you can click through and see exactly what people are having problems with for each car. I highly recommend the site.
posted by zsazsa at 9:20 AM on September 30, 2008

Nthing the suggestion of a used Toyota, Honda, Mazda. Hondas last forever.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:27 AM on September 30, 2008

I did not drive the newer Suzukis, but I did drive the Suzuki sidekick for several years without a problem. 130k miles on one before I sold it.
posted by Gungho at 12:02 PM on September 30, 2008

I looked at TrueDelta.com and the information there seemed favorable, so I decided to go with the SX4. Another big reason was the the financing terms where much better than what I could find for the Fit, and the standard feature set of the SX4 is also quite impressive (ABS is standard even in the most basic model, for example, and the engine is bigger than the Fit's, which is important in the hilly town I live in, especially when the snow and ice comes).

I am aware of the reputation of Toyotas and Hondas, and mostly what I wanted to find out is whether Suzukis had a positive reputation. Although it may not be as stellar as Honda's or Toyota's, Suzuki's reputation for the SX4 (in Canada) is quite positive.

Thanks for all the feedback!
posted by TheyCallItPeace at 6:20 PM on November 2, 2008