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| 2005 Suzuki Aerio Review | |||
| Whether you're about to spend $40K on a brand new car, or half that on a used car, it is always important to learn as much as you can about the used car. Read these car reviews to learn about all aspects of the vehicle. Each of the usedcar reviews cover interior and exterior features, options, road tests, and more. | |||
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Introduction
| Road Test
| Inside & Out
| Other Thoughts
| Final Word
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| Other Thoughts | |||
With Hyundai and Kia's grasp on the low-end, Suzuki went for bang for the buck this time instead of the buck itself. Not that the Aerio isn't affordable. The S sedan starts at an inviting $13,994, which already includes the fancy stereo (minus the CD changer), steering wheel controls, power windows, locks, and mirrors, automatic climate control, and all the same safety equipment found on other models. The LX sedan upgrades with fog lights, keyless entry, heated mirrors, 15-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, cruise control, driver's height adjustment, and various richer styling cues. The SX wagon is equivalent to the LX sedan but replaces the in-window antenna with a roof-mounted one.Thanks to the trim lines and options structure, the Aerio is easy to buy in more ways than one. The LX sedan costs $1,700 more than the S; the SX wagon another $300 from there. An automatic transmission costs $800 and the sole option of antilock brakes, $500 (which is available on any model, unlike with some competitors). Done and done. Our ABS-equipped SX wagon ran $17,294; most others climb into the $19,000 range when comparably equipped, except for the Kia. The Aerio's bargain status improves further when accounting for the Aerio's optional all-wheel-drive, an option on wagons and LX sedans. Its $1,000 price is the lowest anyone charges for the system and lets the Aerio undercut its only competitors, the Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe twins and Subaru Impreza. It's a passive AWD system and available only on automatic Aerios, so put to rest any thoughts of racing Evos or WRXs. Still, it's four driven wheels for a thousand bucks. The worst aspect of the Aerio has nothing to do with the car. Suzuki claims to have "America's #1 Warranty" in spite of Hyundai's widely-known leadership in that department. The rationale found on Suzuki's website is this: Hyundai's powertrain warranty lasts 100,000 miles or ten years, while Suzuki's lasts 100,000 miles or seven years, meaning Suzuki's warranty has the advantage in "mileage per year." Genius. Why stop there? Why not make it 100,000 miles or one year, so that the "average" balloons to a jaw-dropping 100,000 miles a year? That'll show em! At least Suzuki's warranty transfers over to future owners intact, whereas secondhand Hyundai owners suffer reduced coverage of 5 years/60,000 miles. That's just the powertrain warranty; it gets worse. What Suzuki doesn't advertise is the length of the more-important basic warranty, which, at 3 years or 36,000 miles, is the industry's stingiest. To call this America's #1 warranty is not the truth, not a partial truth, and not even a Clintonesque creative variation on the truth. Suzuki lied. |
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