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Rest of the Web Says We've gathered reviews from Edmunds.com, Cars.com plus live Tweets on this car. See What We Found »
Rest of the Web Says We've gathered reviews from Edmunds.com, Cars.com plus live Tweets on this car. See What We Found »
by John Matras
Give Suzuki credit. Not for them a “Sport Wagon,”
“Avant,” “Sport Cross,” or some other hoity-toity moniker for the extra cargo
capacity formerly called a station wagon, the preferred transportation of the
Norman Rockwell generation. Nope, none of that for Suzuki.
While Suzuki is indeed introducing a station wagon version
of the Forenza sedan, new last year, it has tuned down the rhetoric. It’s simply
“Forenza Wagon.” Admittedly they lost the “station” somewhere along the way, but
really, it’s been some time since resorts retrieved guests and their luggage
from the train station in a “station wagon.”
But back to the point, the new Forenza Wagon. It
follows in the tradition of taking a family sedan and giving it a trunk with a
view. Like the Forenza, styling is still from
The base level S is well equipped down to heated power
outside mirrors and a standard audio system that plays CDs and also caters to
those with an extensive collection of cassette tapes. Nope, no eight-track
player, though it does have steering-wheel-mounted audio controls that
admittedly look like J.C. Whitney add-ons but they do the trick.
The LX level adds fog lights, keyless remote entry, alloy wheels, and cruise control. Leather trim and upholstery distinguish the top of the line EX.
Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on all Forenza Wagons, while anti-lock braking is optional for all trim levels. The ABS includes electronic brake-force distribution to optimize the wagon’s braking regardless of load.
Of course load is what a wagon is all about. The cargo area holds 24.4 cubic feet of stuff. With the rear seat that jumps to 61.4 cubic feet, compared to other wagons: the Focus (35.6), Jetta (49.3) or Impreza (61.6). The wide hatch makes the cargo area fully accessible for loading big stuff and tie down points to keep stuff from sliding around.
