Suzuki SX4


The Suzuki SX4 is a compact car and crossover developed jointly by Japanese automaker Suzuki and Italian automaker Fiat, sold since 2006. It was available as a hatchback and sedan, with the former available in both front and four wheel drive. In 2013, the second generation was launched, called Suzuki SX4 S-Cross — now exclusively a mini SUV, with a sedan version offered as a rebadged Suzuki Ciaz and hatchback as the Suzuki Baleno. The first and second generation SX4s sold alongside one another until 2014. The second generation SX4 has not been marketed as a Fiat, and the SX4 sedan was replaced with the Suzuki Ciaz.
The original model was sold in certain European markets as the Fiat Sedici. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign Giugiaro studio and has been produced since 2006. Although originally intended solely for Europe, the SX4 is sold in most of Suzuki's international markets. Especially as a 4WD hatchback, the SX4 occupies a specific market niche of mini SUVs. Depending on the market, it was available with petrol engines in the 1.5- to 2.0-litre range, and Fiat's 1.3- to 2.0-litre diesels.

First generation (GY/EY/RW; 2006)

SX4 continues Suzuki's tradition of mini SUVs and compact SUVs, like SJ, Jimny, and Escudo. It was introduced in Japan on 1 December 2005, and internationally at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign studio, the SX4 replaces the Aerio. The "SX/4" designation was previously used by American Motors for a sporty liftback model in its all wheel drive AMC Eagle passenger cars.
Although originally intended solely for the European market, the SX4 is sold in most of Suzuki's international markets. It falls within Japanese regulations concerning vehicle external dimensions and engine displacement for a car classified as a "compact". It is manufactured at the Magyar Suzuki plant in Esztergom, Hungary; Manesar, India; and Sagara, Japan.
Production in Hungary was expected to be 60,000 units per year — two thirds to be sold by Suzuki and one third by Fiat, badged as the Sedici.
The SX4 Crossover has also been sold in Indonesia since 2007. Earlier models were directly imported from Japan, however, locally assembled versions were introduced a year later due to higher market demand. The locally assembled versions are then equipped with some new features, including four wheel disc brakes and multi information display and was also exported to Thailand. The SX4 sedan was also sold in Indonesia as the Suzuki Neo Baleno from 2008 until 2011.
Base engines are the 1.5-litre gasoline unit identical to the one used in the Swift, 1.6-litre gasoline with maximum output of , the new 1.6-litre VVT seen in the new Grand Vitara, and a, 1.9-litre DDIS — along with the Fiat diesel engine with a maximum output of and maximum torque of.
The SX4 was initially released as a five-door hatchback body style, marketed as the SX4 Crossover. With boot space of 300 liters and 60:40 split fold rear seats, they have a tumble/roll configuration that allows for a flat load area up to a maximum volume of 1045 liters.
The sedan model, marketed as the SX4 Sport, debuted at the 2007 New York International Auto Show and was released in Japan, India and a few Eastern European markets. It replaced the Suzuki Aerio sedan and also the Daewoo-based Suzuki Forenza sedan and station wagon.
;2007
The North American market model arrived in 2006 as a 2007 model year, as Suzuki's entry level AWD vehicle. Differences from the European model are the offering of AWD as standard and only with the 2.0-litre J20A inline-four gasoline engine with timing chain instead of timing belt.
In 2007, Suzuki Auto posted the best year end close in company history, with SX4 sales a primary contributor to this success.
;2008
The United States base price for the five door hatchback included "intelligent" All Wheel Drive, power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, CD player with MP3 capability, and keyless entry. Available were anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control, fog lights, and an advanced key in a Touring package.
;2009
The model year of 2009 saw SX4 sedans with standard GPS navigation systems manufactured by Garmin with Bluetooth, weather, and a gas station locator.
The United States sedan of the SX4 is only available in front wheel drive. Except for the absence of iAWD, the option packages for the SX4 Sport closely matched those available for the SX4 Crossover. The sedan's boot has 515 liters of cargo capacity.
Both the 1.6-litre FWD hatchback and 1.6-litre FWD sedan models available in Israel and Malaysia, are fully imported from Japan.
In Indonesia, only a two-wheel FWD drive CKD version with 1.5-litre engine for both sedan and hatchback is offered, available in five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission option. Later, SX4 hatchback in Indonesia is offered in two variants: the standard SX4 Crossroad and the fully optional SX4 Crossover.
Both two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions of the SX4 are available, although not all combinations of drivetrain and body style may be available in a given market. The AWD models use an electronically controlled iAWD three mode four wheel drive system, user selectable between front wheel drive 2WD mode, automatic AWD AUTO mode, and AWD LOCK 50:50 split permanent AWD LOCK mode which can only be used up to, after that it switches to AWD AUTO mode.
;2010
The 2010 SX4 received changes to the grille, taillights, instrument cluster, climate controls and door trim, as well as a restructured cargo hold, removing the fold up rear seats in favour of an 'arena seating' raised rear seat layout. Non-fleet all-wheel-drive models added new rear skid plates. They were also upgraded with front and rear disc brakes, six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System, Cruise control and Electronic Stability Program - optional in 1.6-litre models.
A new SportBack model offers a lowered sport tuned suspension, body kit, rear spoiler, and also removes the roof rack.
Since the 2010 model year of 2010, the SX4 five door hatchback is available with a 1.6-litre DOHC VVT engine, 2.0-litre DOHC VVT engine J20B and 2.0-litre DDiS diesel engine on the AWD version.
The 1.6-litre DOHC VVT engine revised to the new CO2 emission control standards Euro 5 regulations. Engine power was increased from 107 to 120 bhp. The United States received a new 2.0-litre engine, with the power increased from 143 to 150 bhp, and also lower fuel consumption.
The car is offered with either a new six speed manual, four speed automatic transmission for 1.6-litre engine cars. The continuously variable transmission with paddle shifters comes with a 2.0-litre inline-four engine that makes at 6000 rpm. On standard six speed manual transmission the same engine produces at 6200 rpm.
Production of both body styles ended in Japan in March 2014, with stocks available for sale until October 2014.

Engines

In 2007, Maruti Suzuki launched the Indian version of the SX4 sedan with minor cosmetic differences compared to the models assembled and marketed elsewhere.
The cars were initially equipped with the 1.6-litre gasoline engine, without VVT, with at 5,600 rpm and of torque at 4,000 rpm. It was later updated to the 1.6-litre engine with VVT.
Maruti introduced a compressed natural gas factory fitted kit in August 2010.
In February 2011, a diesel version was introduced. It uses the Fiat 1.3-litre engine with variable geometry turbo.

SX4-FCV

An experimental Suzuki concept car using alternative power includes an 80 kW hydrogen fuel cell and 68 kW electric motor. The car has top speed of with 250 km range. The car was unveiled in 2008 Hokkaido Tōyako summit, and later in 2008 Paris International Motor Show.

Suzuki SX4 WRC

At the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, Suzuki announced it would enter the FIA World Rally Championship, with the factory backed Suzuki World Rally Team in the World Rally Car category in 2007, using the Suzuki SX4 WRC.

Second generation (JY; 2013)

At the Paris Motor Show in September 2012, Suzuki unveiled S-Cross Concept, a futuristic study of a compact crossover, as introduction of an upcoming production model. At that time, Suzuki announced that the S-Cross would be a new model, not a replacement for SX4, whose production was scheduled to continue.
The new SX4 S-Cross design, loosely based on the S-Cross concept, was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Compared to its predecessor it grew in all directions, being long, wide and tall. The wheelbase measures, more than the earlier model. These dimensions provided additional interior and boot space, compared with liters. The SX4 S-Cross is built at the Magyar Suzuki plant in Hungary. Production of the old SX4 was continued in parallel.
The European model went on sale in the autumn of 2013. Early models include choice of 1.6-litre petrol engine or 1.6-litre diesel engine, based on Fiat Multijet technology, with manual or CVT transmission. The new model is Suzuki only, and Fiat replaced the Sedici with the new 500X.
The SX4 S-Cross is not available in the United States and Canada, since Suzuki has withdrawn from these markets, but it is offered in Brazil and Mexico. It has been launched in India in September 2015, as the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross via NEXA outlets only with the DDiS engine. For the Indonesian market, the SX4 S-Cross launched at the 24th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show on 11 August 2016, being fully imported from India.

Facelift (2017–present)

The SX4 S-Cross design was updated for 2017 with a new front end and more efficient headlights. The position lamps now have energy-saving LEDs and function as daytime running lights. The new model also gets a heart transplant, swapping out the old 86 kW/156Nm 1.6-litre atmo four-cylinder for a far punchier 103 kW/220Nm 1.4-litre 'Boosterjet' turbo four shared with the Suzuki Vitara, paired to a six-speed automatic transmission as standard.
All SX4 S-Cross models get FWD as standard with AWD optional. The optional all-wheel drive system is dubbed "AllGrip" and was introduced in the Suzuki Vitara. It has four selectable driving modes and is claimed to send torque to the rear wheels before a loss in traction can occur.
The facelifted version of the SX4 S-Cross was launched in India on 28 September 2017 and in Indonesia on 10 November 2017. In India, the facelifted model is only available in a mild-hybrid setup, with a 48-volt belted alternator-starter unit coupled to the 1.3-litre turbodiesel engine and a 5-speed manual transmission.

Safety

The SX4 S-Cross achieved a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was first released in 2013.