Sidney's SX4 Crossover

“Suzuki Model: 2008 SX4 Crossover Touring II in Sunlit Copper Metallic, 5-speed
Love this little car. Does everything I want it to do. Hiking, biking, kayaking, or to the airport to fly my airplane, this car does it all. Chassis is stiff and maneuvers like a much more expensive sports car without being harsh. The 5-speed is crisp and easy to use. I can push it hard through sweeping turns and it holds its composure. The 4-wheel disc brakes, a feature you would not expect to find in a car at this price, assures me that I can dial things down when I want. The seats are firm and supportive and keep me centered during more aggressive driving. The doors close with a solid thud, typical of a well-built vehicle. The interior components seem to be well anchored in place so that nothing appears loose to the touch or rattles when driving. The styling is great. Best looking small car on the market and this Sunlit Copper Metallic paint is beautiful! The 9-speaker audio system kicks! I had to turn the bass down!

I have emailed comments in the past that suggested you make the SX4 Crossover available with FWD only. You did. I also suggested you increase the fuel capacity and you did on the FWD model. I have but one more suggestion: For 2010, add variable valve timing to the engine. You know you want to!

I bought a Blue 2007 SX4 Sport with an automatic transmission. My brother liked it so much that he bought it from me. Wanting a 5-speed manual, I bought a 2008 SX4 Crossover Touring II with a 5-speed. If you add variable valve timing I promise I will buy another! Just make sure I can get it in this same beautiful Sunlit Copper Metallic color! I love this car!

Sincerely,

Sidney Rhodes”

Sidney Rhodes –
Roseville, California

Marcela's SX4 Crossover

“To Suzuki!
We are now a Suzuki couple. My husband has been riding Suzuki for 30 years and I have been driving my SX4 for 2 years now.

WE ARE REALLY ENJOYING THEM!

There are some pictures!

M +J”

Marcela Heffron –
Pembroke, Massachusetts

Roland's SX4 Crossover

“I have owned three Suzuki's so far: a Suzuki X90, Suzuki Aerio, and my current vehicle, a 2008 Suzuki AWD SX4. On August 1st, I managed to get a roof rack so I would be able to carry extra fuel outside the vehicle. (I do not want to carry fuel inside the passenger compartment!)

For years I have entertained the idea of driving the old Pony Express Trail out past Simpson Springs and into Nevada. On August 2, 2008, I finally accomplished this. My friend Lee Pearson went with me. The Pony Express Route was only in operation for two years, 1860-1861, but has produced an untold amount of stories both true and romanticized.

I filled up the tank in Farmington, Utah. Please remember the code of the West: Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints.
We took four extra gallons of gasoline (it was a 5 gallon can, and I did not want too much to spill out the vent on the gravel and dirt roads).
As we were pulling into Ely, Nevada the low fuel light came on. I put just over 9 gallons in the tank in Ely. I almost topped off the tank in Stockton, Utah but Lee and I decided we needed to use up the four gallons of fuel on the roof. In hindsight, we should have topped off the tank in Stockton.


The Old Pony Express Route is a lonely road (this is not as lonely of a road as U.S. 50 between Ely and Fallon was the last time I drove that highway. I saw one vehicle, but that was years ago before the National Geographic Article about this stretch of U.S. 50). A couple miles west of Utah 36 there is some sort of construction going on (Lee and I think this is some sort of housing development, but it is not at a stage we could really make an educated guess on what they are building). After leaving this development behind, we saw 8 vehicles on the road the remainder of the route to U.S. 93. One of those vehicles was someone returning to the Salt Lake Metro Area after camping at Simpson Springs. One vehicle was off loading an ATV out west of Simpson Springs, and three vehicles were parked in the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge.

The BLM has registers for you to sign along the way. The first on is at Look Out Pass. We stopped here for a few minutes. There is a picnic table near the road, and next to the register.

After we left Look Out Pass, and traveled down the mountain to the flat land in the Great Salt Lake Desert, we started seeing a fair amount of wild life.
Antelope, Deer, Bald and Golden Eagles, Ravens, Turkey Vultures, and the most surprising of all was a Canadian goose.

About 30 miles out onto the Pony Express Road is the Simpson Springs Station. Near Simpson Springs Station is a fairly nice campground.
However, there is no water at Simpson Springs, so you need to bring your own potable water.

Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is about 40 miles west of Simpson Springs. Following Pony Express Road and Callao Road we notice a few mines, but old abandoned mines, and current working mines. Also, some interesting place that we might want to visit one day is Death Canyon (who or what died in Death Canyon to name it so?). We only brought enough fuel to make it across our planned route, so these side trips off the Old Pony Express Route will have to wait for another day.


We arrive at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, and start to drive out to a wildlife viewing area. We spot a sign marking the old Lincoln Highway.

From Fish Springs we head toward Trout Creek. We were looking at maps of both the state of Utah, and the state of Nevada. Without maps, we would be really lost. A wrong turn, well, you would be in the middle of nowhere without fuel! Following the Pony Express Trail, we find one section that we did not wish to drive on, so we took a little detour around a hill on a better road. When we crossed the state line, into Nevada, the BLM district office changes from Salt Lake to Ely. The roads get a little worse, but the scenery gets a little greener (More pinion pines and cedar trees. In one section of the trees, we found a place called "Blue Mass National Recreation Area." There is camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting at the Blue Mass National Recreation Area.

Eventually, we arrived at U.S. 93, at the Pony Express rest stop, about 20 miles north of Ely. It is about 20 miles into Ely and about 40 miles to Lages, Nevada. We are not sure that there will be fuel available at Lages, and the Hotel Nevada has a prime rib dinner for $9.99, so we head toward Ely.

We have dinner, walk around the casino, and head home. We stopped for a short walk in West Wendover, NV, and for fuel.

Next time we drive this route I will top off in Stockton, Utah (or at least in Tooele, Utah), take more fuel, remain over night on the trail, and perhaps stay in Ely over night before returning home.”

Roland Behunin –
Farmington, Utah

“My wife and I bought our 2008 SX4, 5-door with convenience package last month, and remain most impressed. This car succeeds two Subarus, four Saabs and one Scion. We like the compactness, the power, the extraordinary transmission, the build quality, and warranty. We added back and passenger window dark tinting, and 3-3/4" convex mirrors to cover fog light spaces.”

John Ceccherelli –
Endwell, New York

“I love my SX4 - It's a blast to drive and handles exceptionally well around mountain curves! I was originally looking at buying a SUV, but took one look at the SX4 and fell in love. It has all the comfort of a car, but the hauling and handling of a SUV, and is a lot of fun to take off-roading. I'm really quite happy the salesman talked me into looking at it! Plus it's so CUTE!”

Robin Marker –
Boise, Idaho

“I've had this amazing vehicle for two weeks now and there really isn't anything I dislike about it. I love the cruise control, the heated outside mirrors, the superior audio system, the smartpass keyless entry and start system, the electronic stability program with traction control system, and the abundance of room inside. Many of these features are only found in much more expensive vehicles. Thank you so much. Keep up the good work.”

David Beatty –
Morgantown, West Virginia

“I have an '08 SX4, and I love it! The styling is just appealing to the eye. Mine is quicksilver and the black wrap-a-round cladding makes it look "tough!" The mileage is near 30, it has guts on the highway, and the all wheel drive features make it perfect for a Maine winter. I traded a Subaru Impreza, and I have not missed it for even one minute! I still gaze at my SX4 and appreciate its shape, size, and function. I am happy!”

Stephen Dugay –
Garland, Maine

“I love the sporty looking car. It has all the extras you can buy to dress up the car to make it have its own personality. I work for a general surgeon and travel 55 miles round trip daily between two offices, so I spend alot of time in my SX4. People in our area have never seen a car like this before so I answer many questions and let them know where the newest dealership is. I bought my SX4 from Aufftenbergs in Cape Girardeau. Jeremy and the staff were great. I love my new SX4 vehicle.”

Deborah Tittle –
Dexter, Missouri

“After testing several compact cars for months, I had nearly given up on my search. The thought of a safe, compact, and fuel-efficient vehicle in my budget was non existent. I noticed the SX4 out of the corner of my eye one day, and I was instantly sold on it. When I found out that it had standard AWD, and curtain and side-impact airbags, all of the rest was icing on the cake. I love the ability to scoot around in this compact car, but still harness the utility of fully retractable rear seats and have plenty of comfortable room for rear passengers. In my opinion, the looks of the car are far above the rest, looking more like a sporty mini-SUV hatchback than a miniature van that I grew accustomed to seeing. I wanted something that felt right on the road, and the SX4 is sized just right. It does not blow around the highway like other newer compacts I had tried.

The ride is very pleasant, and very much like a car, with an elevated view of the road, simulating a helicopter cockpit with the windows on the a-pillars. Blindspots were nearly non-existent, and I was assured at that moment that I could definitely see myself riding in the SX4.

I was also surprised to find that the SX4 was equipped with a peppy 2.0 engine, which makes it perfect for merging into traffic and having the power on hand if needed.

My love for the car was sealed when I drove home from work one evening through a torrential rain storm, and the SX4 faithfully clinged to the road with its all-wheel drive system in lock mode. The car just wouldn't slip.

For the price, ride, safety, and standard options, warranty, etc., the SX4 is unbeatable. I look forward to many years of fun and dependability out of my Suzuki, and urge anyone looking at the competitors to give this gem a try, and find they may be pleasantly surprised.”

Robert Vogt –
Raleigh, North Carolina

“The best part about my SX4 is that I feel like I'm driving an SUV, but it handles like a smaller sports car. It's great! It's small on the outside, easy to maneuver, yet very spacious on the inside. At six feet tall, I need all the room I can get!”

Gordon Bedford –
San Diego, California