Suzuki has refreshed the SX4 range with a midlife update, light on cosmetic surgery, but thorough under the skin.
All variants feature 2-litre motors, with the old 1.6-litre SX4 dropped, and the previous 2-litre engine replaced by a new and more powerful 112kW/190Nm unit. Manual transmission versions are now six-speed rather than five-speed machines, while the venerable four-speed automatic is pensioned off for a new six-stage CVT transmission.
Collecting the flagship $31,500 i-AWD Limited version of the revised SX4 line for appraisal, I was immediately reminded that the SX4 has always been tidily rather than stunningly styled.
With the external changes in the upgrade restricted to a smart new grille and fresh patterns for the alloy wheels, little alters in this respect.
Improved trims, upholstery and interior lighting give the cabin a lift, however. The i-AWD Limited also gets paddle-shift controls for the CVT transmission as part of a revised equipment list that extends to keyless entry and go, climate air-conditioning, cruise control, an auxiliary plug-in
for the MP3-compatible sound system, electronic stability control and multiple airbags.
The SX-4's high access point and fairly upright driving position will appeal to older folk, and the car's tall dimensions deliver ample headroom and a comfortable commanding driving position. Room in the rear is a touch tight, but not ridiculously so, and the boot provides both excellent capacity and - courtesy of its solid split-level floor - great flexibility.
Four-wheel drive is a rarity in a car of this size, but requires no particular expertise to use; a button beside the handbrake allows the driver to flick between front-drive, automatic selection (which varies the power distribution between the wheels according to conditions) and locked four-wheel drive.
Driven in conditions ranging from dry tarmac to muddy gravel, the test car gripped faithfully through bends and on loose surfaces, but with too much body roll and too little steering feel to really engage the driver. Ride quality was good on the open road, but sharp surface imperfections at urban speeds were not so deftly smoothed away.
The new engine and gearbox play two roles: the first is to provide an economy boost - this is achieved, with a 17% reduction in fuel consumption compared with the old 2-litre automatic; the second is to lift the self-shifting SX4 well beyond its previous ranking as a lacklustre performer.
This too is achieved, though the tall-geared CVT box doesn't always gel comfortably with an engine that is relatively unresponsive below 3000rpm. As a result, when snappy passing or sharp highway hill-climbing work was undertaken on test, it was often necessary to drop the transmission down into the fifth or even fourth stage of its CVT range and work the engine quite hard.
Despite this, the test car notched up many more positives than negatives on its road test scorecard, with its four-wheel-drive system holding particular appeal as the chilly and often damp days of winter really started to bite.
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