2004 Suzuki Forenza Review

The new Forenza compact sedan is part of Suzuki's plan to dramatically increase U.S. sales while fighting such small foreign cars as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

The Civic and Corolla are revered, fearsome rivals. But the Forenza has much going for it, and is marketed as a value-packed budget alternative to competitors.

This new Suzuki has a stylish body, modest prices, roomy interior and lots of equipment. Its transferable 7-year/100,00-mile powertrain warranty includes roadside assistance and could enhance resale or trade-in value.

The Forenza is a fuel miser that should be cheap to run. It joins Suzuki's funky subcompact Aerio sedan and the new mid-size Verona sedan in the automaker's expanding car line.

Suzuki is a Japanese vehicle producer, but the Verona and Forenza are built in South Korea by GM Daewoo Auto and Technology -- formed after General Motors bought part of bankrupt South Korean Daewoo, which largely designed these two cars. GM had no use for the Verona and Forenza, so it gave them to its Suzuki affiliate.

The front-drive Forenza looks slick because it was styled by Italy's Pininfarina design outfit, which styles Ferraris and Maseratis. The Forenza's aerodynamic body helps deliver good fuel economy, along with good stability, at elevated interstate highway speeds. Adding to the car's appearance are color-keyed bumpers, door handles, outside mirrors and bodyside moldings.

The Forenza is no fireball reaching highway speeds because it has a small 2-liter four-cylinder engine with 119 horsepower. The 16-valve engine is sophisticated, with such items as dual overhead camshafts, and acceleration in town is decent. But it gets noisy when the throttle is floored, and 65-75 mph passing times on highways are modest -- although 70 mph highway cruising is no problem.

The Forenza is fun to drive -- if not pushed too hard. Its speed-sensitive power steering is quick, although sometimes rather heavy. Handling is nimble, but wheels larger than the 15-inch ones on the car would enhance roadability. An all-independent suspension with gas-pressurized shock absorbers provides a comfortable ride. Braking with the all-disc setup is OK, although the pedal is rather sensitive.

One benefit of the small engine is high fuel economy. The Forenza delivers an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in the city and 31 on highways with a five-speed manual gearbox and 22 and 30 with a four-speed automatic transmission. But an automatic-transmission Forenza I tested got about 25 mpg in the city -- and about 35 mpg on highways. Fuel economy is good partly because the car is fairly light, weighing 2,701 to 2,756 pounds.

The Forenza comes in three trim levels: S, LX and top-line EX. All are well-equipped.

The manual gearbox shifts easily and is standard in the S and LX. The responsive automatic raises the price of those versions by $800, but is standard in the EX.

Standard for the S are air conditioning, tilt wheel with audio controls, AM/FM/CD/cassette with eight speakers, rear defroster, 60-40 split/folding rear seatback and power windows, locks and heated outside mirrors. However, the driver's seat has only a manual height adjuster.

The LX adds a power tilt/slide sunroof, cruise control, remote keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel, fog lights and alloy wheels. The EX adds leather upholstery and door inserts.

The Forenza has crumple zones to dissipate impact energy and height-adjustable shoulder belts.

The anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution are a worthwhile $500 option for all versions. No side air bags are offered.

Roominess is a strong Forenza selling feature. The car has plenty of space for four tall adults, with more rear leg room than in the Civic, Corolla and other small car rivals.

While not uncomfortable, the front bucket seats are rather flat and the center of the back seat is too hard for comfort. It's best to flip down the rear center armrest, which contains cupholders.

The interior is quiet, except for some road noise, and offers good visibility in all directions. The tachometer is small, but the speedometer is large -- as are climate controls. Audio system controls are rather small, but work smoothly. The climate system emits lots of heat soon after the car is started and there's a rear heating duct. All doors have storage pockets.

The sun visors have vanity mirrors, but are practically useless at night because they're not lit -- an obvious cost-cutting move. Silver metallic accents brighten the interior, but cockpit materials generally are average.

The large trunk has a low, wide opening, although the interior of its lid has an unfinished look. The pass-through area between the trunk and rear-seat area is moderately large.

Suzuki is best known for its sport-utility vehicles and motorcycles, but the Forenza should increase its automotive presence.

2004 SUZUKI FORENZA

Prices
$12,499-$15,999

Likes
Stylish. Well equipped. Roomy. Fuel miser. Long warranty.

Dislikes
Noisy engine. Moderate acceleration. Road noise. Average interior materials.