2011 Suzuki SX4 Crossover

The Suzuki SX4 is full-featured for not a lot of money. It has all-wheel drive and lots of room for four, and it delivers good fuel economy. But I just couldn't get comfortable in it. The pedals were too high and caused my ankle to flex uncomfortably. Although it is fuel-efficient, the engine feels peaky — the acceleration is limp until at least 4000 rpm, almost as if it's a turbocharged car from the '80s. If your primary criteria are value for money and all-wheel drive, the Suzuki is worth a look. But if comfort and performance matter, I'd skip it. –Paul Hagger

Suzuki's SX4 Crossover is a small wagon that benefits from SUV styling cues. The SX4 is built on a solid platform, and the suspension is tuned to make this crossover more fun to drive than expected from a car with as much functionality. The steering is responsive, the chassis is balanced and the 4-wheel-drive system can be locked for maximum traction in adverse conditions. The 2.0-liter engine doesn't deliver a lot of power, but the 6-speed manual transmission adds to the fun factor and helps to achieve 30 mpg highway. A tall roofline allows the SX4 Crossover to make the most of its compact size, with good headroom and decent rear-seat or cargo space. –Mike Meredith

If you need a vehicle with 4WD, there aren't many better values on the market than the SX4. But don't let the sporty looks fool you — this is no sports car disguised as an SUV. Handling is a bit loose, and it feels soft in the corners. Even so, it's still fun to drive. The small car feels peppy, and the manual transmission helped. The rear seat is short on legroom, but folded down there's quite a bit of usable cargo space. I found the engine's responsiveness to be lacking, and revs are slow to drop when shifting gears, which can be annoying. Our tester was fully loaded touch-screen navigation, traffic and weather alerts, Bluetooth connectivity and more, all for a reasonable price around $20K. A great value, and a reasonable alternative to a small crossover SUV. 

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