MPG-o-Matic 2009 Suzuki SX4 Review Summary: The 2009 Suzuki SX4 Crossover shined like a little gem in our week-long review, with a long list of features, AWD, plenty of character, and a entry-level price the budget-conscious will love.
The Suzuki SX4 Crossover competes primarily with the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe, along with a host of Subarus in the entry-level AWD market. The five-door hatchback SX4 Crossover is billed as the most affordable AWD in America.
When word slid over the transom that the Opel / Vauxhall Insignia had snatched the European Car of the Year (ECOTY) award from the Ford Fiesta by a single point, we had to go and do some digging.
Both the Insignia and Fiesta romped over the competition, with point tallies nearly 50% higher then the nearest competitor. It’s not hard to see why. The Insignia is a strikingly designed sedan (the body style is known as a “saloon” on the other side of the pond). The Times Online called the sedan “sleek, curvaceous and cleverly proportioned.”
Credit crunch aside, GM is in dire straits due to an insufficient variety of fuel-efficient vehicles for the American market. The irony is that GM designs vehicles in Europe that could help rebuild sales here in America. While the trend is well underway to bring those vehicles to our shores, the pace must be hastened and significant tweaks must be made.
While Subaru designed their Forester Mountain Rescue concept for high altitudes, there’s no question this truck has attitude. Rare is the Subaru with this much ground clearance. The Ski Patrol rides to the rescue with an Air Lift custom driver-adjustable ride height suspension, 9500 pound Warn winch, DeeZee (grill guard and custom side steps) and Bushwacker (custom trail armor, fender flares, tail light guards, rear gate guard and lower door cladding) gear.
It’s Vegas, Baby! Of all the vehicles at SEMA this year, Baby had to be the most unlikely candidate to appear in a starring role. As the focal point of the award-winning “Oil + Water – The Movie,” this remarkably repurposed biofuel-burning diesel-powered Japanese fire truck traveled more than 21,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina. … Read more
For all of its simplicity and technological wizardry, Microsoft’s Sync audio system can be tough to explain to the uninitiated. “Have you ever been experienced,” Jimi sang … and though, well, I have … I’ve had a tricky time concisely explaining exactly how Sync works in the past. Thankfully, the brilliant folks at Common Craft … Read more