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2003 Suzuki Aerio Review

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In the world of motorsports, Suzuki is one of the towering figures. Suzuki sport bikes of the GSX-R variety in particular tend to dominate motorcycle road racing in the production bike classes.

So why is it that, in automotive circles, Suzuki basks in none of this glory? At best, Suzuki's compact Esteem sedans and Vitara SUVs enjoy a reputation as respectable budget buys; at worst, they are perceived as toy-like imitations of their rivals.

"Enough is enough!" Suzuki seems to be saying with the introduction of the tart little Aerio SX. If Suzuki is destined to play odd-man-out in the traditional automotive marketplace, perhaps it's time to turn oddness into a virtue with a distinctly non-traditional vehicle.

Suzuki wants "SX" to designate a new "sport crossover" class of compact that is simultaneously perky and practical. Since the Aerio SX debuted in March as a 2002 model, it may have a nominal right of precedence over more recently introduced rivals like the 2003 Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe. (Just don't tell the folks at Ford and Mazda, whose Focus "Kona" edition and Protegé5, respectively, beat 'em all to the punch last year.) In any case, this crossover category is already crowded and more contenders are  on their way.

Futuristic visions

Just the same, there's something about Suzuki's new Aerio SX that suggests a new vision of the future. Its distinctive DustBuster profile into which 15-inch alloy wheels have been inset like dolly casters give this sporty wagon a road-hugging, slot-car look. Moreover, its tiny external dimensions paradoxically amplify one's suspicions that this is a wily, cut-and-thrust street-fighter for a traffic-cluttered age. The wagon is less than 14 feet long, 5.5 ft wide and 5 feet tall. It zips and darts through incipient gridlock like a pinball; and when it comes to parking, the Aerio SX is so nimble and trim you're tempted to yank the hand-brake and flick the wagon into its stall with a bat-turn skid.

The Aerio SX owes a great measure of its hyperkinetic personality to its 2.0-liter twin-cam powerplant. In my tester the motor was mated to a fairly unexceptional four-speed automatic transmission (when I would have preferred the five-speed manual). It takes a little footnote-surfing to understand how Suzuki can claim "class-leading power" on the order of 141 hp and 135 pound-feet of torque. The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe twins, after all, deliver 180 hp/130 lb-ft; but the Aerio is, officially, in a smaller class, despite angling for the same customers. That said, Suzuki's distinguishing characteristic is its torque, which translates into spunky git-up-'n'-go around town. By comparison, Toyota's twin-cam is a high-revver that eats up a lot of real estate building its head of steam. In a city streets shootout, the Aerio's quick-draw personality is arguably the better and more entertaining choice.

This is no race car, mind. There are MacPherson struts at all four corners, so it does boast four-wheel independent suspension. But the brakes are disc up front, old-timey drums at rear--and anti-lock control is a $500 option. Although tires are moderately aggressive with their 55-series profile, ride is more cushy than precise. Perceptible body roll is a given with dimensions that virtually equate width to height.

Wide open spaces

These same dimensions, however, provide a remarkably boxy and spacious interior cabin. There are places for five passengers, and in town at least three adults in back will travel tolerably well. Again, Suzuki boasts class-leading cargo space of 14.6 cubic feet in spite of the 21-plus cubes in the Matrix/Vibe. With the rear split-back bench seat folded, storage space increases by slightly more than double, but it's the Aerio's cargo-handling ability most of all that underscores its classification as a subcompact. It is a tiny car.

That's not what I mind, however. What bothers me more is the low-budget interior. Getting into the Aerio SX is like slipping into a polyester leisure suit. Everything's lined or wrapped with featureless plastic and synthetic cloth. In this environment, the futuro-looking electronic dash, with LED tachometer and digital speedometer has the kind of retro feel you'd expect from the TV series Lost in Space.

I'm reminded, however, that the Aerio SX wagon is a budget-minded car. Base price with the auto transmission is $15,999; subtract $1000 if you opt for the manual. These are very compelling numbers, particularly when you acknowledge that air conditioning, AM/FM/CD, power windows/mirrors/locks and remote keyless entry all come standard. As for safety gear, you only get the mandatory front airbags. In this class and size of car, particularly with its facility for zipping and darting through traffic, side impact protection of some description ought to be an option at very least. In the Aerio SX, it is not.

This oversight only emboldens the "I told you so" contingent among consumers who rush to dismiss the viability of small urban cars by conjuring images of Chevy Suburbans impaling hapless Aerios at every intersection. On those unfortunate occasions, side-impact protection would be most welcome, but the microcar critics simply forget that smaller, nimbler, quicker cars have the distinct advantage—as motorcycles do—of outmaneuvering their potential opponents. As any seasoned motorcyclist will tell you, the safest place in traffic is out in front, and the best way to the front is to accelerate and finesse your way there. Who should know this better than Suzuki, after all?

Critics notwithstanding, urban microcars have the potential to alter the commuter-scape drastically for the good. They're less threatening in stature, more stingy with fuel and less punishing to roads and infrastructure. If a "crossover vehicle" is really what Suzuki intends, the eye-catching Aerio SX should take advantage of every possible opportunity to pioneer a new vehicle category that proportions automotive transportation to human-scaled dimensions.

2003 Suzuki Aerio SX
Base price: $16,574
Engine: 2.0-liter in-line four, 141 hp/135 lb-ft
Drivetrain: Four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Length x width x height (inches): 166.5 x 67.7 x 61.0
Wheelbase: 97.6 in
Curb weight: 2668 lb
EPA City/Hwy: 26/31 mpg
Standard safety equipment: Driver and passenger front airbags
Major standard equipment: Air conditioning, AM/FM/CD, power windows/mirrors/locks, remote keyless entry
Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles