I purchased a 2010 SX4 from Suzuki of Wichita, brand new. It was the previous year model(2009). The sticker on it was a little over $13000, I got it for $10,995. Was an awesome car for the money. Never did anything except regular maintenance and a battery. Drove it for 5 years and put 80,000 miles on it. Dealer was super helpful. I drove from Tulsa to purchase it.
I've always kinda liked these, just never knew anything about them or if they were reliable. I'd definitely love one as a winter beater. I like to go drive beaters hard in deep snow. I had a ton of fun in my GEO Prizm with studded snow tires, it was unstoppable. Oddly enough, that car developed rod knock like JR's SX4, but as it was only $400, definitely got my money in fun out of it.
Suzuki didn't just give up on the US market, for all intent and purposes Suzuki was forced to leave the US market. like with daewoo, GM was a major Suzuki share holder and it was that partnership with GM that allowed Suzuki in the early 2k's to start establishing a nation wide dealer network here in the US. Suzuki had long term plans and new models scheduled for the US all the way up through 2015 then like with pontiac, olds and saturn GM pitched Suzuki overboard in their bankruptcy, that's why Suzuki's departure from the US happened almost over night, whatever deal Suzuki and GM had, without it Suzuki couldn't survive here in the US. for corroboration all you have to do is look at Suzuki's status in other markets around the world, Suzuki is doing fine which is kinda frustrating considering parts for Suzuki cars that are readily available in other countries are impossible to get here in the US, another example of GM throwing customers under the bus to cover their ass........
I posted a little bit about the departure of Suzuki from the US up above. The real issue was caused by Suzuki Japan and some really piss poor management and total lack of support for the North American market. The chapter 11 was just their way of getting out having to live up to their commitments to their dealers and the dealer agreements. Both ASMC (American Suzuki Motor Corp) and SCI (Suzuki Canada) were controlled by Suzuki Japan. They had local staff, but ultimately, Japan pulled all the strings and had final say in everything. GM was just being GM, but Suzuki Japan was the one that really pushed both their dealers and their customers under the bus in the end.
The 1,6 diesel was great! Sold both as a Fiat and a Suzuki. Cruise control was never an optional in Europe, but we had front/ rear fog lights as standart and optional heated/leather seats.
My father has one, 2 rear wheel bearings and a washer jet pump is what he has replaced in 120000 km and 11 years. He bought it when it had been a demo car and had 20000 kms on the clock for 12000 Euro. This particular one in the video is equipped with the one thing he would like, a 2 liter engine with automatic gearbox instead of the revvy 1,6 Suzuki Swift sport engine and manual that his has.
Had one, bought it brand new, not sure what year … 2006/07? When I was searching back then, I searched for “least expensive AWD car” and this is what popped up first. I liked it, small, economical, great city and good on long hwy trips. I had a 5 speed manual. Nice little sound system, factory subwoofer under the passenger seat, decent. It served its purpose well at the time. It had around 70,000 miles when I traded it in … never had an issue with it. Thanks for sharing !!!
I met a guy who was a Suzuki car dealer. He mortgaged his house and opened a dealership, but it failed within two years. I remember him crying and telling me about it. He was a successful dealer before that, but he lost it all.
My wife and I have been running a couple of these as winter cars here in VT for about 5 years. I run the 6 speed which doesn't have the nut to pull 6th unless you are on a very flat section of road. They are everywhere still running around here. They are extremely resistant to rust which is surprising. Great in the snow and ground clearance is the only thing that limits it. I have a hitch on it and frequently tow way too much with it. A very underrated but ugly winter daily. My only real gripe is that they are really slow.
@muckraker610 Suzuki JIMNY for the not informed I’ll blame it on the auto correct…. Yes they’d be great if sold in the USA They’re extremely popular all over the world. A compact suv off-roader - very capable, durable and moddable. We got it here in the states for a while, as the Suzuki samurai. It wasn’t particularly great, but when in good condition we’re very capable. Even in the 90’s they were small compared to anything like it. Ask anybody that was in high school when they were around as new or lightly used, there’s always somebody that had one, and if they were into off-roading at all they’ll tel you stories about how it basically drove itself through trails and over hills, rocks things in 4wd low and how much fun they were(till they rusted apart or the engines blew).
Convinced two of my cousins to buy some dirt cheap SX-4s, one an 09 and one an 11. Both are still on the road today, and just keep going with very basic maintenance. Bought a 10 Grand Vitara for my grandparents to use for more "dirty" tasks to keep their Crown Vic in good shape (and because it's not the best choice to transport a full grown Great Dane and Husky to the groomers). I think the Vitara was $1500 in decent shape with 88k on the odometer. Still starts every time.
The Kizashi had a Rockford Fosgate. The SX4 without the premium sound system only had dummy tweeter covers in the doors. If you lift up the trunk floor there is another good sized trunk and spare tire underneath it.
I got one here in Poland with 100 000 km on it about 6 years ago and it's still going strong, I gave it to my parents and they love it. Nothing really breaks on this, just the maintenance things :)
These SX4s aren’t bad at all. I bought one in 2008 before moving to Northwest PA ( Erie PA ) and that car was like a bulldog through snow! The 4 wheel drive lock ( to keep it in 4x4 mode) would kick off at an odd number (32-or 34) then go back into awd. It was subpar on interior and other things but not a bad score for $300.00!
One of my dad’s friends was a structural iron worker and drove one of these back in 12-13. Everyone gave him shit about it but he threw all his tools in the back drove around to different job sites and got something like 50 mpg when most guys in that profession drove huge trucks.
My AWD with automatic transmission gets like 25 MPG. The 2wd version probably got way better, I'm speculating 35-40 MPG. Maybe, with a standard trans, it would do a little better.
I wish we could get the Suzuki Jimney! They are so cool! The SX4 is almost as cool….Put a lift on it, roof rack, and rally wheels…it would look awesome!
@@WatchJRGoHave to remember in 2012 there was a ton of cheap cars. This was only the cheapest awd of its time but cheap cars were the hyundai accent kia kio toyota Yaris nissan versa aveo fiesta. Damn we had a lot of cars today are truly missed.
Hell yeah SX4! I’ve had 3 of them and my current one is a 6 speed manual hatch after having 2 sedans. They’re so damn reliable, simple, and easy to work on
Dude this is awesome. I commuted to Boston for about 2-3 years with one of these. One time I drove in a crazy snow to North Conway was the best vehicle I had in the snow hands down.
They were so good in the snow... mine often pulled cars out of the ditch, even helped neighbor's pickup trucks back onto the roads or out of driveways in deep snows and drifts on our local roads. Just drove around the rest no problem.
I am still driving mine! (well its my daughters driver right now). one of the BEST things is if its getting slick and sketchy you can hold down the awd button and it will lock the differential for speeds under 35 mph. This thing saved my ass so many times, cause I lived in the ice/snow belt commuting 120 miles a day on rural backroads. If I lived closer I would totally buy this thing. You might have rod knock, but I just religiously changed the oil and just hit 200,000 miles no problems with the engine or the trans. Parts are still available, though they have to be ordered from over seas, it was SUPER popular in europe and s. america.
I had the predecessor to this car, a 2004 Suzuki Aerio SX. So much of the interior of that SX4 is almost shockingly similar to the previous model, 8 years earlier. The carpets and cargo cover look nearly identical. It was a good little car. Super practical and while not fast, it felt light and nimble for what it was, which was one of the largest hatchbacks on sale at the time.
I think Clarion was the manufacturer of the radio. I have a 2010 that I purchased new. Great car. Has over 200,000 miles on in. It’s Achilles heel is that CVT transmission. You almost never see one on the road that is a 2010 and newer. It has a horrible JATCO transmission that will fail one day.
I got my grandpa’s old 2007 sx4 for my 16th birthday with 128k miles on it. I still have the car 5 years later and it still runs great at 162k. I’ve never had issues with it besides basic maintenance and full synthetic oil changes every 5k miles. This upcoming summer i’m going to redo the entire front and rear suspension and hopefully get another 100k out of it!
I hope you fix the little car and get it back on the road. A friend has a 1993 silver SX4 that's not all-wheel drive and has a 5-speed and that little car is so awesome!! I'm wanting to say the car has 200k on the clock and it still runs as good as new!!
- The top of the line Kizashi had the Rockford sound system with the big subwoofer in the back package tray, the base unit had just the Panasonic head unit. The Kizashi was by far the best car Suzuki ever built, it was just doomed to failure by a total lack of support from head office in Japan. - Your SX4 might have tweeters, a center channel speaker in the dash and a little 4" sub under the seat. The head units were the same (single or 6 disc) and the door panels had the tweeter grills even if there were no tweeters installed - The Jatco CVT is the real weak link in your car (worse than the rod knock in my opinion :) ) The 6 speed manual trans was basically bullet proof, but the CVT is fragile as glass. If you get it stuck, don't rock it or spin the tires as it will grenade the CVT. - Suzuki pulled out of the US automotive market due to the lack of engines that could meet upcoming emission standards. All Suzuki cars sold in North America were going to be equipped with GM engines starting around 2016. When GM ended their partnership after the financial crisis, Suzuki made a deal with VW and they were going to supply the engines. This deal with VW went south due to some stupidity on the part of leadership at Suzuki in Japan. Suzuki and VW were in litigation for years over it, the end result was Suzuki having to pull the plug on US sales. The chapter 11 was just their way of getting out of most of their obligations to the US dealer network and the dealer agreement. Suzuki Canada did not declare bankruptcy, but all of their cars were built to US spec and Japan was not going to build a few thousand units just for Canada, so Suzuki Canada had to stop selling cars the following year.
This was almost my first car in 2010, I vividly remember going to the dealership and sitting in the brand new SX4. I ended up getting a used Kia instead. Oh, don't hate on the Mitsu Mirage, those cars are reliable workhorses. Yes, they are barebones basic, but as a fleet car, theyre pretty good.
Front blind spots are caused by the front A pillars. The air filter requires three bolts and two clamps. I still have my 2012 SX4 Sport sedan. The rear bump is unfortunate, about the AWD it’s still a nice magnetic clutch by Fiat, using the same system as the Fiat Panda. The system check is usually triggered by a code in the engine, which could be due to many years of inactivity. The radio for the SX4 was made by Clarion. These are reliable and easy-to-service cars.
JR like Tyler Hoovie never go full Whistling Diesel on destroying Hoopties. But they see the return on views allot more on destruction videos over repair videos.
Dunno, my mom has a final year SX4 here (Suzuki stayed here 1 year longer then down there), and it's got everything (autoclimate, keyless, fog lights, etc - seriously, tick all the boxes off). Has a Garmin GPS radio though, not a Rockford. It's also very low on km's (60,000), only one owner (she's owned it since new), and is like new inside and out. No way that car's going anywhere any time soon. She did well when she bought it, and has never given her a problem. I did have to get it up on some minor maintenance the dealer didn't tell her about needing (don't think she should be driving on original 10 year old tires for example - minor, but you get the picture). It's a very peppy & surprisingly fun to drive car.
Suzuki cars are number one sellers in india for more than three decades no other brand not able to compete Suzuki because lot of dealership network, durable and ease of maintenance with good mileage
Had one of those in 5 speed manual, had to let it go, was thirsty AF. Other than the inefficient drive train, a great car. Every bit as reliable as that other brand everyone talks about.
Yeah, it always surprised me how the fuel economy was not good even though the engine was small and not very powerful... disappointing MPGs AND performance (referring mainly to the automatic or CVT whichever it had). I actually owned the predecessor vehicle, a 2004 Suzuki Aerio SX AWD wagon. It had a larger 2.3L engine with 155 hp/152 torque and was decently peppy, but for a small car, the 21-23 mpg I consistently got EVEN ON THE HIGHWAY was kinda baffling. I did like the car otherwise even though I traded it with around 65K miles. I actually WANTED an SX4 for a while, but I was hesitant with the smaller engine/poorer performance it got along with poor fuel economy again.
I'm confused by your comment about the positioning of the rear view mirror dimmer switch. My understanding is that the "up" position was for the dimmer so it reflects off the headliner rather than looking at any rear passengers while the "down" position was for normal use.
The Kizashi was even more underrated. It was a truly excellent car that never got the credit it deserved. In the rare event I do see one, it definitely gets my attention...I know, I'm weird like that.
I agree...sold my 2010 (bought new) Kizashi SE😮 AWD less than 2 years ago. I LOVED that car but concern about the longevity of the Jatco CVT and ongoing parts availability finally forced my hand. In its 106,000 miles I had NO issues... phenomenal car that was never the hit it could have been. r@jonell1425
My uncle owns an '08. He bought it new. I think it still has under 90k miles. Manual with basically no options. It didn't have cruise. I drove it a couple hours on the highway once. Low miles because he only drove probably 3-6 miles a day when he worked, and he retired in 2018 so he hasn't had to drive much in the last six years.
i used to work at a suzuki dealer, as far as cheap japanses cars go, suzukis are just as good at toyotas, somewhat better since their so uncomplicated and most of the models have awd
Suzuki cars are thriving here in South East Asia. They are making really styled and affordable new models. It’s a shame they aren’t sold in the U.S. anymore.
My first car, had a silver 2007 AWD manual. Loved drifting around in the snow pretending to be Ken Block back in high school lol. It was a fun car when equipped with the 5 speed manual, don’t think I’d have as much fun if I had the automatic version.
I had one 2008 with all the options, fog lights, keyless, automatic temperature control, subwoofer, CD changer, Clarion sound system etc .all original from the factory in Japan. I sold it last year with 150.000 miles, the only problem besides regular maintenance was that I change the water pump.Very strong 2300cc engine. Was sold at a very good price. I bought for $17.000 and change brand new in 2008.
I just sold 2 of my non running junkyard cars for $300 each too. I figured the salvage yard would have given me $300 for them, so that's why I listed them for that price.
Had one, got it new. It was ok for my needs in the northeast. The downside was everything was proprietary, it was expensive buying parts from the dealer after warranty.
My mom had the sedan version of this 2wd. I'll be honest I always thought it drove weird and the gas mileage was really bad when it wasn't supposed to be. Like 22 mpg. We always thought there was something wrong with it but it ran.
Yes, fuel economy was inexplicably bad. The 2004 Suzuki Aerio SX AWD wagon I owned had a bigger, more powerful engine (2.3L/155 hp) and I got fuel economy like yours which I was disappointed with. Can't believe your mom's front wheel drive with a smaller engine did no better!
I bought the second to last 2013 SX4 on the dealership lot when Suzuki was fire sale-ing their inventory in February of 2013. Almost 12 years and 150,000 miles later, it's still in my garage, although I seldom use it anymore. Here's what I can tell you: -The CVT transmission from the factory had a buggy ECM. It took three trips back to the dealership (after they replaced the entire transmission) back in 2013 to figure out that it was the controller. Suzuki eventually issued a recall on it. -The gas mileage for a car that small SUCKS. I got 25-26 MPG. This is because of the AWD dragging along the back axle. -Good luck finding parts for it nowadays. Need a CV shaft? Try a junkyard. Since it's a defunct car from a defunct (in the USA) manufacturer, the parts supply has pretty much dried up. You could probably make bank parting it out instead of beating it to death. -The car is full of blind spots, despite all the glass. That double/split A-pillar and the headrests in the back (yours doesn't have them) are always in the way. -The engine compartment is 10 pounds of manure jammed into a 5 pound bag. There is just no room to get in on the oil filter, the serpentine belt, etc. -You can't find a replacement rear wiper blade. I would buy the cheapest blade at Wally World, take the rubber out of the arm, cut it down to size, and crimp it into the factory blade. -It is awesome in snow, with good tires. -Those little "speakers" on the door are vents or something. They don't do anything except look cool. -The back seats fold down and that "rear deck" is removable. You can get 8' 2x4s in there if you lay the passenger seat back. -The car can't get out of it's own way. The acceleration is awful and it gets zero respect on the highway. -That speaker grille looking thing in the middle of the dash on top is just cosmetic. There is nothing underneath it except the wiring for the light-up indicators directly below it. -The brakes, if fixed to be tip-top, will put you through the windshield if you are not careful - they grab hard. -I have seen SX4's with 2 or 3 inch lifts and bigger rims with mud tires. They look a LOT cooler. -It's an ok beater car. It will get you from A to B. You will also look like Mork from Ork hatching out of his giant egg whenever you get out of it. -EDIT: Forgot to add... the fog lamps are pre-wired. You buy a kit, which is a switch and the lamps. Plug the switch into the harness behind the dummy cover, and screw the lamps into the frame behind the covers, and you're off.
I have a Fiat Sedici which is more or less the same car. Reliable and simple maintenance. The front A-pillar blocks the corner views somewhat, but also make it a strong and sturdy car.
I had been provided with a company car for years, but they pulled supervisors cars with 2 weeks notice. I bought a red one believe it was a 2007. It had a 5 speed manual. All I ever did was change the oil. Was waiting in the dealership and just for fun asked about getting a newer model. Payment went down, and I ended up with 6 speed manual that was white. I had a set of snow tires and it would go anyplace. Eventually got our company cars back and ended up selling it. We eventually bought a Kisachi for the wife, that was one of the nicest cars I remember. I was sorry to see them leave. The SX4 with standard tranny was fun to drive.
JR, the kind of guy to review every car with optimism and looking for that big sponsor . Sure do miss suzuki, every so often I see a very clean Kizaski around here. They were good looking in my book. Almost got a Aerio when they were out as a 2nd car but decided not to.
Hello from the Philippines! I'm a Suzuki SX4 2013 owner too but a 1.6 liter(m16a). Its a great car though parts wise is a little hard to find but its here.
I am driving a Suzuki SX4 right now 6-speed and I love my little car I would love to get another one I do a lot of work with this car and it's really really good car and it's fun to drive I enjoy your video keep up the good work
If you can pull the oil pan off easily why not do the shoestring crank polish and pop in a new bearing? Or is this car going to be a test mule for engine oil rebuild in a can promotion? I really enjoyed that legit street cars episode where he ran the camry out of oil and locked it up then replaced all the crank bearnings and it ran again
my neighbour loves them, he has 3 of them. I live in NY, and haven't seen any of them. There used to be lots of Samurai and Gran Vitara. 2024 and if I see one is a lot
Mitsubishi Mirage & Nissan Versa used to be under $10,000, nowadays they're barely under $20K... prices didn't go up that much JR says - yes, only about double of what they used to cost, but did the wages double???
I bought mine new in 2009 and still drive it today but getting parts is a nightmare. It's a tank in the snow and I hate to part with it. Wish they'd come here to Canada
My mother drives one of these she's 80 years old she loves it I hate it when I'm in that car I feel like my butt is dragging on the Road. I drive a Jeep Cherokee 4 by 4 and get 21 Mi to the gallon and that's the same mileage she gets in her little death trap. Nope she's riding with me I'm not riding with her
Friend had one; Hot Springs N.Carolina. helped her alot in winter as it snowed regularly. Car is cheaply built. Quality is below that of Subaru and Mitsubishi. Think first gen Subaru or first gen Diahatsu. Still liked it.
11:48 actually, if you got the optional Technology Package that panel would be replaced with a dock for a Garmin Nuvi 765T with Suzuki programming (had a unique startup screen as well as a list of Suzuki dealership address es) older sister had a 2010 in Sunburst Orange with the even sharper looking 10 spoke 17” alloy wheels.
2014 is the "very last" year for Suzuki USA. And glad you stuck to it being a 2013, which is also in the VIN. Build date and model year don't always match.
FYI, in 2012 the cheapest car was a Nissan versa that was under 10k. We called them the pregnant roller skate. So a 2x inflation is not small. How many folks salaries have not doubled in 12 years? Only to be pushed into poverty.
The root cause of the problem you describe at the beginning is everyone now wanting SUVs. Even a compact CUV will cost more in materials to produce. Then all manufacturers dialed back the number of car models they produce due to demand and higher margins elsewhere, so there's way less cheap vehicles available today. You've covered the few options, and 2/3 seemed pretty terrible.
Oh JR, make sure you change the CVT fluid *and* the CVT filter. As opposed to the Nissans of the time, It'll go like 200k miles if the fluid is kept clean.
At one point in 2009, I had maybe the highest mileage one in the US. I know it was the highest mileage one that had ever been sold, because the dealer I traded it in to showed me the black book 😂. Overall it wasn’t a terrible car. I drove it 150k in a year and a half. Airbag pressure sensor in the passenger seat went bad and I had to put brakes on it way too much. (I think 4 times)
ive been looking for one of these to replace my 89 corolla that i cant just seem to get running. new alt, battery, timing belt, fuel pump, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc etc
Ah man, those Swifts were cool! I forgot all about those. It really is a shame Suzuki gave up on the US market. It would’ve been awesome (if not crazy unlikely) if they would’ve been able to bring the current Jimny back as a new Samurai.
My girlfriend had a Swift GT. Maybe a 1994? It was a fun little car. 100 hp, 4 wheel disc brakes, and a nice interior. We drove it all over. Good times.
You can't judge how much car prices have risen since 2010 by looking at a few $20,000 oddballs available today and comparing those oddballs to an oddball from 2010 that a struggling car maker was struggling to sell at the time. A quick Google search says that the average car price in 2010 was $24,296, and in 2024 it's $48,000.
Towing cars for a living has tainted my opinion of screw in tow hooks. Especially on SUVs where the dang thing is mounted too high and the winch pull to nose of the car into the ground and bends the tow hook. It is nice to not have to lay on the ground though
Oh I haven't forgotten.... I wanted one of these when there were dealers and they were new (pre-Y2K). I thought they would make a great autocross / SOLO II car.
I purchased a 2010 SX4 from Suzuki of Wichita, brand new. It was the previous year model(2009). The sticker on it was a little over $13000, I got it for $10,995. Was an awesome car for the money. Never did anything except regular maintenance and a battery. Drove it for 5 years and put 80,000 miles on it. Dealer was super helpful. I drove from Tulsa to purchase it.
I've always kinda liked these, just never knew anything about them or if they were reliable. I'd definitely love one as a winter beater. I like to go drive beaters hard in deep snow. I had a ton of fun in my GEO Prizm with studded snow tires, it was unstoppable. Oddly enough, that car developed rod knock like JR's SX4, but as it was only $400, definitely got my money in fun out of it.
Suzuki didn't just give up on the US market, for all intent and purposes Suzuki was forced to leave the US market. like with daewoo, GM was a major Suzuki share holder and it was that partnership with GM that allowed Suzuki in the early 2k's to start establishing a nation wide dealer network here in the US. Suzuki had long term plans and new models scheduled for the US all the way up through 2015 then like with pontiac, olds and saturn GM pitched Suzuki overboard in their bankruptcy, that's why Suzuki's departure from the US happened almost over night, whatever deal Suzuki and GM had, without it Suzuki couldn't survive here in the US. for corroboration all you have to do is look at Suzuki's status in other markets around the world, Suzuki is doing fine which is kinda frustrating considering parts for Suzuki cars that are readily available in other countries are impossible to get here in the US, another example of GM throwing customers under the bus to cover their ass........
EXCELLENT POST 👍😎💯👌✌🏻✌🏻
I posted a little bit about the departure of Suzuki from the US up above. The real issue was caused by Suzuki Japan and some really piss poor management and total lack of support for the North American market. The chapter 11 was just their way of getting out having to live up to their commitments to their dealers and the dealer agreements. Both ASMC (American Suzuki Motor Corp) and SCI (Suzuki Canada) were controlled by Suzuki Japan. They had local staff, but ultimately, Japan pulled all the strings and had final say in everything. GM was just being GM, but Suzuki Japan was the one that really pushed both their dealers and their customers under the bus in the end.
@@timmccabe8555 why does this sound like what happened with Sega?
Sold also as Fiat Sedici in Europe, might been one of the best Fiat cars ever sold, because it's a Suzuki 😄
Always liked these SX4's.
The 1,6 diesel was great! Sold both as a Fiat and a Suzuki. Cruise control was never an optional in Europe, but we had front/ rear fog lights as standart and optional heated/leather seats.
Denmark didnt have the fiat model only Suzuki🎉
My father has one, 2 rear wheel bearings and a washer jet pump is what he has replaced in 120000 km and 11 years. He bought it when it had been a demo car and had 20000 kms on the clock for 12000 Euro. This particular one in the video is equipped with the one thing he would like, a 2 liter engine with automatic gearbox instead of the revvy 1,6 Suzuki Swift sport engine and manual that his has.
Had one, bought it brand new, not sure what year … 2006/07? When I was searching back then, I searched for “least expensive AWD car” and this is what popped up first. I liked it, small, economical, great city and good on long hwy trips. I had a 5 speed manual. Nice little sound system, factory subwoofer under the passenger seat, decent. It served its purpose well at the time. It had around 70,000 miles when I traded it in … never had an issue with it. Thanks for sharing !!!
I met a guy who was a Suzuki car dealer. He mortgaged his house and opened a dealership, but it failed within two years. I remember him crying and telling me about it. He was a successful dealer before that, but he lost it all.
As someone who owned a 2012 SX4 5 speed with AWD it was an excellent car! Just a bit small for a family.
Same I had a 2014 model for 2 years then traded for a Van. It really was a great commuter car. In the time and miles I owned it no issues at all.
2012 with a 5-speed? In the U.S. only the 2007 through 2009 was the manual trans a 5-speed. From 2010 through 2013 the manual was a 6-speed.
My wife and I got one of these when they were new. It was the best snow car I've ever driven, We sold it when Suzuki pulled out of the US.
My wife and I have been running a couple of these as winter cars here in VT for about 5 years. I run the 6 speed which doesn't have the nut to pull 6th unless you are on a very flat section of road. They are everywhere still running around here. They are extremely resistant to rust which is surprising. Great in the snow and ground clearance is the only thing that limits it. I have a hitch on it and frequently tow way too much with it. A very underrated but ugly winter daily. My only real gripe is that they are really slow.
A rod bearing job episode on that would be 🔥.
I had one. Absolutely ahead of its time. Cheap AWD and fantastic in the snow. It was great until it lost compression on cylinder two.
I recall, while stuck in my BMW in the snow, getting passed by one of these.
Wouldn't it be great, if one could buy a new Suzuki Jimmy in the states? A lot of bang-for-the-buck 4x4.
Absolutely!
@muckraker610
Suzuki JIMNY for the not informed
I’ll blame it on the auto correct….
Yes they’d be great if sold in the USA
They’re extremely popular all over the world. A compact suv off-roader - very capable, durable and moddable.
We got it here in the states for a while, as the Suzuki samurai. It wasn’t particularly great, but when in good condition we’re very capable. Even in the 90’s they were small compared to anything like it. Ask anybody that was in high school when they were around as new or lightly used, there’s always somebody that had one, and if they were into off-roading at all they’ll tel you stories about how it basically drove itself through trails and over hills, rocks things in 4wd low and how much fun they were(till they rusted apart or the engines blew).
That's what I'm saying those jimny,s are sweet little rigs I want one!.
The current Jimmy's look great. I'd love to have something that simple.
Convinced two of my cousins to buy some dirt cheap SX-4s, one an 09 and one an 11. Both are still on the road today, and just keep going with very basic maintenance. Bought a 10 Grand Vitara for my grandparents to use for more "dirty" tasks to keep their Crown Vic in good shape (and because it's not the best choice to transport a full grown Great Dane and Husky to the groomers). I think the Vitara was $1500 in decent shape with 88k on the odometer. Still starts every time.
The Kizashi had a Rockford Fosgate. The SX4 without the premium sound system only had dummy tweeter covers in the doors. If you lift up the trunk floor there is another good sized trunk and spare tire underneath it.
I got one here in Poland with 100 000 km on it about 6 years ago and it's still going strong, I gave it to my parents and they love it. Nothing really breaks on this, just the maintenance things :)
As a reformed Curbsider, I'm loving the cheap car vids.
These SX4s aren’t bad at all. I bought one in 2008 before moving to Northwest PA ( Erie PA ) and that car was like a bulldog through snow! The 4 wheel drive lock ( to keep it in 4x4 mode) would kick off at an odd number (32-or 34) then go back into awd. It was subpar on interior and other things but not a bad score for $300.00!
One of my dad’s friends was a structural iron worker and drove one of these back in 12-13. Everyone gave him shit about it but he threw all his tools in the back drove around to different job sites and got something like 50 mpg when most guys in that profession drove huge trucks.
Lucky to get near 35mpg.
@ his was all highway driving. About 90%
That car would never get anywhere near 50mpg
My AWD with automatic transmission gets like 25 MPG. The 2wd version probably got way better, I'm speculating 35-40 MPG. Maybe, with a standard trans, it would do a little better.
I wish we could get the Suzuki Jimney! They are so cool! The SX4 is almost as cool….Put a lift on it, roof rack, and rally wheels…it would look awesome!
2:00 the base price was effectively 15-16k, mostly due to availability. My 2011 AWD CVT was $19k with no real upgrades.
Whew, these weren't cheap! 😳
@@WatchJRGoThey were the cheapest AWD available new. They're also really well built!
@@WatchJRGoHave to remember in 2012 there was a ton of cheap cars.
This was only the cheapest awd of its time but cheap cars were the hyundai accent kia kio toyota Yaris nissan versa aveo fiesta. Damn we had a lot of cars today are truly missed.
For me the ultimate affordable daily hauler was the Scion XB or the Pontiac Vibe/Matrix. Solid runners with good mpg.
Vibe is a great little car... and the great toyota Matrix. Sad they are gone.
Hell yeah SX4! I’ve had 3 of them and my current one is a 6 speed manual hatch after having 2 sedans. They’re so damn reliable, simple, and easy to work on
Dude this is awesome. I commuted to Boston for about 2-3 years with one of these. One time I drove in a crazy snow to North Conway was the best vehicle I had in the snow hands down.
They were so good in the snow... mine often pulled cars out of the ditch, even helped neighbor's pickup trucks back onto the roads or out of driveways in deep snows and drifts on our local roads. Just drove around the rest no problem.
I am still driving mine! (well its my daughters driver right now). one of the BEST things is if its getting slick and sketchy you can hold down the awd button and it will lock the differential for speeds under 35 mph. This thing saved my ass so many times, cause I lived in the ice/snow belt commuting 120 miles a day on rural backroads. If I lived closer I would totally buy this thing. You might have rod knock, but I just religiously changed the oil and just hit 200,000 miles no problems with the engine or the trans. Parts are still available, though they have to be ordered from over seas, it was SUPER popular in europe and s. america.
I had the predecessor to this car, a 2004 Suzuki Aerio SX. So much of the interior of that SX4 is almost shockingly similar to the previous model, 8 years earlier. The carpets and cargo cover look nearly identical. It was a good little car. Super practical and while not fast, it felt light and nimble for what it was, which was one of the largest hatchbacks on sale at the time.
I have a secret WANT for one of these SX-4 for a winter beater for the longest time. Id get one but Im afraid of parts availability for them.
I keep mine running with any part you need, new and used on ebay. Never had a problem. Salvage yards are filled with them in New England too.
I think Clarion was the manufacturer of the radio.
I have a 2010 that I purchased new. Great car. Has over 200,000 miles on in. It’s Achilles heel is that CVT transmission. You almost never see one on the road that is a 2010 and newer. It has a horrible JATCO transmission that will fail one day.
I got my grandpa’s old 2007 sx4 for my 16th birthday with 128k miles on it. I still have the car 5 years later and it still runs great at 162k. I’ve never had issues with it besides basic maintenance and full synthetic oil changes every 5k miles. This upcoming summer i’m going to redo the entire front and rear suspension and hopefully get another 100k out of it!
I love the Buick TV commercial with the surfer girls asking where's the roof rack? Hilarious commercial.
I hope you fix the little car and get it back on the road. A friend has a 1993 silver SX4 that's not all-wheel drive and has a 5-speed and that little car is so awesome!! I'm wanting to say the car has 200k on the clock and it still runs as good as new!!
- The top of the line Kizashi had the Rockford sound system with the big subwoofer in the back package tray, the base unit had just the Panasonic head unit. The Kizashi was by far the best car Suzuki ever built, it was just doomed to failure by a total lack of support from head office in Japan.
- Your SX4 might have tweeters, a center channel speaker in the dash and a little 4" sub under the seat. The head units were the same (single or 6 disc) and the door panels had the tweeter grills even if there were no tweeters installed
- The Jatco CVT is the real weak link in your car (worse than the rod knock in my opinion :) ) The 6 speed manual trans was basically bullet proof, but the CVT is fragile as glass. If you get it stuck, don't rock it or spin the tires as it will grenade the CVT.
- Suzuki pulled out of the US automotive market due to the lack of engines that could meet upcoming emission standards. All Suzuki cars sold in North America were going to be equipped with GM engines starting around 2016. When GM ended their partnership after the financial crisis, Suzuki made a deal with VW and they were going to supply the engines. This deal with VW went south due to some stupidity on the part of leadership at Suzuki in Japan. Suzuki and VW were in litigation for years over it, the end result was Suzuki having to pull the plug on US sales. The chapter 11 was just their way of getting out of most of their obligations to the US dealer network and the dealer agreement. Suzuki Canada did not declare bankruptcy, but all of their cars were built to US spec and Japan was not going to build a few thousand units just for Canada, so Suzuki Canada had to stop selling cars the following year.
This was almost my first car in 2010, I vividly remember going to the dealership and sitting in the brand new SX4. I ended up getting a used Kia instead.
Oh, don't hate on the Mitsu Mirage, those cars are reliable workhorses. Yes, they are barebones basic, but as a fleet car, theyre pretty good.
Front blind spots are caused by the front A pillars. The air filter requires three bolts and two clamps. I still have my 2012 SX4 Sport sedan. The rear bump is unfortunate, about the AWD it’s still a nice magnetic clutch by Fiat, using the same system as the Fiat Panda. The system check is usually triggered by a code in the engine, which could be due to many years of inactivity. The radio for the SX4 was made by Clarion. These are reliable and easy-to-service cars.
I own two of these. one's getting a 6 speed swap and a sound deadened interior right now.
Why don't you just replace the rod bearings instead of spending on oil stabilizer? Don't have take out the engine for that and it's a permanent fix.
He is experimenting bro . Relax
JR like Tyler Hoovie never go full Whistling Diesel on destroying Hoopties.
But they see the return on views allot more on destruction videos over repair videos.
12:00 it's a Clarion head unit. Your system *might* have the 8 speaker system with the little goofy subwoifer under the seat.
As a Saab guy, that’s pretty cool to hear. The old clarion head units in the 900s were quite good.
Clarion used to get the best signal reception.
Dunno, my mom has a final year SX4 here (Suzuki stayed here 1 year longer then down there), and it's got everything (autoclimate, keyless, fog lights, etc - seriously, tick all the boxes off). Has a Garmin GPS radio though, not a Rockford. It's also very low on km's (60,000), only one owner (she's owned it since new), and is like new inside and out. No way that car's going anywhere any time soon. She did well when she bought it, and has never given her a problem. I did have to get it up on some minor maintenance the dealer didn't tell her about needing (don't think she should be driving on original 10 year old tires for example - minor, but you get the picture). It's a very peppy & surprisingly fun to drive car.
Suzuki cars are number one sellers in india for more than three decades no other brand not able to compete Suzuki because lot of dealership network, durable and ease of maintenance with good mileage
Had one of those in 5 speed manual, had to let it go, was thirsty AF. Other than the inefficient drive train, a great car. Every bit as reliable as that other brand everyone talks about.
Yeah, it always surprised me how the fuel economy was not good even though the engine was small and not very powerful... disappointing MPGs AND performance (referring mainly to the automatic or CVT whichever it had). I actually owned the predecessor vehicle, a 2004 Suzuki Aerio SX AWD wagon. It had a larger 2.3L engine with 155 hp/152 torque and was decently peppy, but for a small car, the 21-23 mpg I consistently got EVEN ON THE HIGHWAY was kinda baffling. I did like the car otherwise even though I traded it with around 65K miles. I actually WANTED an SX4 for a while, but I was hesitant with the smaller engine/poorer performance it got along with poor fuel economy again.
I'm confused by your comment about the positioning of the rear view mirror dimmer switch. My understanding is that the "up" position was for the dimmer so it reflects off the headliner rather than looking at any rear passengers while the "down" position was for normal use.
We owned a 2012 Suzuki Kizashi SE for 6 years and it was one of the best cars we have ever owned.
The Kizashi was even more underrated. It was a truly excellent car that never got the credit it deserved. In the rare event I do see one, it definitely gets my attention...I know, I'm weird like that.
I agree...sold my 2010 (bought new) Kizashi SE😮 AWD less than 2 years ago. I LOVED that car but concern about the longevity of the Jatco CVT and ongoing parts availability finally forced my hand. In its 106,000 miles I had NO issues... phenomenal car that was never the hit it could have been. r@jonell1425
My uncle owns an '08. He bought it new. I think it still has under 90k miles. Manual with basically no options. It didn't have cruise. I drove it a couple hours on the highway once. Low miles because he only drove probably 3-6 miles a day when he worked, and he retired in 2018 so he hasn't had to drive much in the last six years.
i used to work at a suzuki dealer, as far as cheap japanses cars go, suzukis are just as good at toyotas, somewhat better since their so uncomplicated and most of the models have awd
Suzuki cars are thriving here in South East Asia. They are making really styled and affordable new models. It’s a shame they aren’t sold in the U.S. anymore.
My first car, had a silver 2007 AWD manual. Loved drifting around in the snow pretending to be Ken Block back in high school lol. It was a fun car when equipped with the 5 speed manual, don’t think I’d have as much fun if I had the automatic version.
I had one 2008 with all the options, fog lights, keyless, automatic temperature control, subwoofer, CD changer, Clarion sound system etc .all original from the factory in Japan. I sold it last year with 150.000 miles, the only problem besides regular maintenance was that I change the water pump.Very strong 2300cc engine. Was sold at a very good price. I bought for $17.000 and change brand new in 2008.
I just sold 2 of my non running junkyard cars for $300 each too. I figured the salvage yard would have given me $300 for them, so that's why I listed them for that price.
There's probably 3k in parts here if he wants to part it. Body is clean.
No one has forgotten about these.
It’s hard to forget about something I have heard about🙄
@gazorpazorp9798 wut
Had one, got it new. It was ok for my needs in the northeast. The downside was everything was proprietary, it was expensive buying parts from the dealer after warranty.
My mom had the sedan version of this 2wd. I'll be honest I always thought it drove weird and the gas mileage was really bad when it wasn't supposed to be. Like 22 mpg. We always thought there was something wrong with it but it ran.
Yes, fuel economy was inexplicably bad. The 2004 Suzuki Aerio SX AWD wagon I owned had a bigger, more powerful engine (2.3L/155 hp) and I got fuel economy like yours which I was disappointed with. Can't believe your mom's front wheel drive with a smaller engine did no better!
I bought the second to last 2013 SX4 on the dealership lot when Suzuki was fire sale-ing their inventory in February of 2013. Almost 12 years and 150,000 miles later, it's still in my garage, although I seldom use it anymore. Here's what I can tell you:
-The CVT transmission from the factory had a buggy ECM. It took three trips back to the dealership (after they replaced the entire transmission) back in 2013 to figure out that it was the controller. Suzuki eventually issued a recall on it.
-The gas mileage for a car that small SUCKS. I got 25-26 MPG. This is because of the AWD dragging along the back axle.
-Good luck finding parts for it nowadays. Need a CV shaft? Try a junkyard. Since it's a defunct car from a defunct (in the USA) manufacturer, the parts supply has pretty much dried up. You could probably make bank parting it out instead of beating it to death.
-The car is full of blind spots, despite all the glass. That double/split A-pillar and the headrests in the back (yours doesn't have them) are always in the way.
-The engine compartment is 10 pounds of manure jammed into a 5 pound bag. There is just no room to get in on the oil filter, the serpentine belt, etc.
-You can't find a replacement rear wiper blade. I would buy the cheapest blade at Wally World, take the rubber out of the arm, cut it down to size, and crimp it into the factory blade.
-It is awesome in snow, with good tires.
-Those little "speakers" on the door are vents or something. They don't do anything except look cool.
-The back seats fold down and that "rear deck" is removable. You can get 8' 2x4s in there if you lay the passenger seat back.
-The car can't get out of it's own way. The acceleration is awful and it gets zero respect on the highway.
-That speaker grille looking thing in the middle of the dash on top is just cosmetic. There is nothing underneath it except the wiring for the light-up indicators directly below it.
-The brakes, if fixed to be tip-top, will put you through the windshield if you are not careful - they grab hard.
-I have seen SX4's with 2 or 3 inch lifts and bigger rims with mud tires. They look a LOT cooler.
-It's an ok beater car. It will get you from A to B. You will also look like Mork from Ork hatching out of his giant egg whenever you get out of it.
-EDIT: Forgot to add... the fog lamps are pre-wired. You buy a kit, which is a switch and the lamps. Plug the switch into the harness behind the dummy cover, and screw the lamps into the frame behind the covers, and you're off.
I have a Fiat Sedici which is more or less the same car. Reliable and simple maintenance. The front A-pillar blocks the corner views somewhat, but also make it a strong and sturdy car.
I had been provided with a company car for years, but they pulled supervisors cars with 2 weeks notice. I bought a red one believe it was a 2007. It had a 5 speed manual. All I ever did was change the oil. Was waiting in the dealership and just for fun asked about getting a newer model. Payment went down, and I ended up with 6 speed manual that was white. I had a set of snow tires and it would go anyplace. Eventually got our company cars back and ended up selling it. We eventually bought a Kisachi for the wife, that was one of the nicest cars I remember. I was sorry to see them leave. The SX4 with standard tranny was fun to drive.
The old Suzukis I thought was cool was the X-90. ( I think they all turned into Red Bull promotional vehicles. 🙂) They were so impractical and unique.
JR, the kind of guy to review every car with optimism and looking for that big sponsor . Sure do miss suzuki, every so often I see a very clean Kizaski around here. They were good looking in my book. Almost got a Aerio when they were out as a 2nd car but decided not to.
Hello from the Philippines! I'm a Suzuki SX4 2013 owner too but a 1.6 liter(m16a). Its a great car though parts wise is a little hard to find but its here.
I am driving a Suzuki SX4 right now 6-speed and I love my little car I would love to get another one I do a lot of work with this car and it's really really good car and it's fun to drive I enjoy your video keep up the good work
Yup, it's Rockford Fosgate. I have the full package Suzuki Kizashi Sport SLS with those speakers and an aftermarket head unit.
Try chaging the bearing from the crankcase side. I have done it on some 4cyl. Dont need to polish de crank, just put the STD bearing
Those were everywhere in Colorado, they were surprisingly good in deep snow
If you can pull the oil pan off easily why not do the shoestring crank polish and pop in a new bearing? Or is this car going to be a test mule for engine oil rebuild in a can promotion? I really enjoyed that legit street cars episode where he ran the camry out of oil and locked it up then replaced all the crank bearnings and it ran again
Suzuki launched this SX4 in India too. Here it was sold as a Sedan. It was a decent sedan with average styling and was replaced by Kizashi.
The issue isn’t the rate that car prices rose, it’s that wage increases have been outpaced by the rising prices.
They are a steal for what they are. Japanese, chain driven and a really robust little AWD system unmatched value really and a hidden gem
I am in my 8th year with a Suzuki. I did not expect much from it but it keeps running with regular maintenance (which is cheap, really cheap)
my neighbour loves them, he has 3 of them. I live in NY, and haven't seen any of them. There used to be lots of Samurai and Gran Vitara. 2024 and if I see one is a lot
Mitsubishi Mirage & Nissan Versa used to be under $10,000, nowadays they're barely under $20K... prices didn't go up that much JR says - yes, only about double of what they used to cost, but did the wages double???
i have a 2007 sx4 with almost 300k miles it uses a little oil between changes and has a clicky front axle but will still get u from point a to b
I've been waiting for this!!!!!!!!
rod knock at 60k? But that interior is every bit 60k clean.
Now that you've pointed it out, I've noticed 2 of them in the last day here in PA.. underappreciated car
I bought mine new in 2009 and still drive it today but getting parts is a nightmare. It's a tank in the snow and I hate to part with it. Wish they'd come here to Canada
My mother drives one of these she's 80 years old she loves it I hate it when I'm in that car I feel like my butt is dragging on the Road. I drive a Jeep Cherokee 4 by 4 and get 21 Mi to the gallon and that's the same mileage she gets in her little death trap. Nope she's riding with me I'm not riding with her
Had an SX4 for fourteen years and put 120,000 miles on it. Superb little basic car and never broke down once. I love Suzuki products.
I use to work on a Suzuki dealer, tha radio 📻 for them use to be a claririon single cd or a 5 cd changer in the radio.
The noise is typical of does engines , it sounds like it was pass thru a flood ,,,, the head needs some machining 😂
There is a dude around my neighborhood that rocks one of these with a lift kit and 31s on like 1994 Cherokee wheels. Looks pretty cool
if you get a manual 1.6 2wd SX4 and just service it, it will run for ever and ever. These cars are so so simple and reliable
Friend had one; Hot Springs N.Carolina. helped her alot in winter as it snowed regularly. Car is cheaply built. Quality is below that of Subaru and Mitsubishi. Think first gen Subaru or first gen Diahatsu. Still liked it.
I have one in N. Y . It is one of the best cars i own.😊
11:48 actually, if you got the optional Technology Package that panel would be replaced with a dock for a Garmin Nuvi 765T with Suzuki programming (had a unique startup screen as well as a list of Suzuki dealership address es) older sister had a 2010 in Sunburst Orange with the even sharper looking 10 spoke 17” alloy wheels.
2014 is the "very last" year for Suzuki USA. And glad you stuck to it being a 2013, which is also in the VIN. Build date and model year don't always match.
FYI, in 2012 the cheapest car was a Nissan versa that was under 10k. We called them the pregnant roller skate. So a 2x inflation is not small. How many folks salaries have not doubled in 12 years? Only to be pushed into poverty.
Suzuki cars can only sell in India in massive volumes . It's just match made in heaven, low cost reliable engines good design .
The root cause of the problem you describe at the beginning is everyone now wanting SUVs. Even a compact CUV will cost more in materials to produce. Then all manufacturers dialed back the number of car models they produce due to demand and higher margins elsewhere, so there's way less cheap vehicles available today. You've covered the few options, and 2/3 seemed pretty terrible.
Oh JR, make sure you change the CVT fluid *and* the CVT filter. As opposed to the Nissans of the time, It'll go like 200k miles if the fluid is kept clean.
It hasn't cvt, regular automatic
Tufoil (Teflon). Cushioning,slick..and compression increase. Amazon/ebay. $18.00.
At one point in 2009, I had maybe the highest mileage one in the US. I know it was the highest mileage one that had ever been sold, because the dealer I traded it in to showed me the black book 😂. Overall it wasn’t a terrible car. I drove it 150k in a year and a half. Airbag pressure sensor in the passenger seat went bad and I had to put brakes on it way too much. (I think 4 times)
I'm surprised Vermont isn't one of the top two for Subaru, can't drive a block without seeing at least 2 Subarus
I had a Suzuki swift in the 90’s pretty much the same as a geo metro but was faster and better. Loved that car!
I was a big fan of the Aerio when it came out. The SX4 was pretty much its replacement, and was too rounded for my tastes.
ive been looking for one of these to replace my 89 corolla that i cant just seem to get running. new alt, battery, timing belt, fuel pump, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc etc
It can last some time, just don't floor it like Hoovie did with his Hyundai Genesis 😂
If the rod bearings can be replaced through the oil pan, I vote you do that and see how long it lasts!
Clarion was the premium audio for this car. Rockford Fosgate is/was the premium package for Mitsubishi.
Also Nissan
The Kizashi had a Rockford Fosgate upgrade.
Remove the oil sump and change the rod bearings, cheap and easy in this engine😊
I wonder how hard it would be to swap the engine and how much a used one would be.
Just bought a 2020 Swift Sport 1.4 Turbo Sport Hybrid, its a great fun car.
The 2 Suzuki's on my list would be the '93 swift 1.3 gt and a kizashi.
Ah man, those Swifts were cool! I forgot all about those.
It really is a shame Suzuki gave up on the US market. It would’ve been awesome (if not crazy unlikely) if they would’ve been able to bring the current Jimny back as a new Samurai.
My girlfriend had a Swift GT. Maybe a 1994? It was a fun little car. 100 hp, 4 wheel disc brakes, and a nice interior. We drove it all over. Good times.
You can't judge how much car prices have risen since 2010 by looking at a few $20,000 oddballs available today and comparing those oddballs to an oddball from 2010 that a struggling car maker was struggling to sell at the time. A quick Google search says that the average car price in 2010 was $24,296, and in 2024 it's $48,000.
Towing cars for a living has tainted my opinion of screw in tow hooks. Especially on SUVs where the dang thing is mounted too high and the winch pull to nose of the car into the ground and bends the tow hook. It is nice to not have to lay on the ground though
What if you put in a really low themostat or a washer? Would it stay cold and not knock? 😅
Oh I haven't forgotten.... I wanted one of these when there were dealers and they were new (pre-Y2K). I thought they would make a great autocross / SOLO II car.