I've always dug the look of these little things and have been considering getting one lately. It would serve as part time daily duty.
Any warts to look for on these?
I've read somewhere the CVT started after 2009 so I'm focusing on autos of that year and earlier. No manuals due to daily status.
AWD or nothing, so anything funky with the drivetrain specific to the AWD?
I plan to test drive one ASAP to make sure I still like them but figure I want to know if it's worth my effort first.
I've had my eye on them for years. Never driven one. Curious to see what the hive has to say.
I do remember watching a YT video review saying the a-pillar area makes visibility tough, so I probably wouldn't want one in city driving due to pedestrians. But for other uses maybe one could get used to it.
In reply to CyberEric :
I saw someone mention the view around the whole car was great from the inside. Glass in EVERY direction. I haven't personally sat in one yet though.
In the Canadian brochure for the 2009 SX4 hatchback, AWD was not available on the base model, optional on the JX, and standard on the JLX. If that breakdown was true in the US as well, it might help you in your search.
Also, from the same source, stability control (if that's something you want) was standard on the JLX but not available on the lower trims.
I can't speak about the auto trans, but my son had a 2007 with a stick.
Overall it was a fun little car with the stick (until he ran it low on oil). The visibility was good, controls well positioned for me, and handled well for daily duty. The awd had a fwd, automatic, and locked mode selectable by the driver.
Parts were readily available, and it was easy to work on for maintenance. The clutch was a challenge, just due to the need to get the driveshaft and transfer case out of the way.
Check for rust, especially in the center support that runs front to rear under the engine. It's a bolt in and is the mounting point for one on the engine mounts, but traps sand and salt causing it to rust out. I was able to get an oem one a few years ago, but I'm not sure if they are readily available
My brother bought one when his truck went in for extensive body work. It was winter, he put on beefy snows (a little noisy on the highway), but visibility, control, weight balance and the ability to get through a snow bank was unbelievable!
In the spring his truck was beautiful and he sold the SX4 for what he paid for it.
I'm hoping the automatic isn't a complete dog but only way to find that out would be a test drive.
I bought one to flip with a bad clutch. Sold it to a GRM'r for a kid car, I liked it. Cloth heated seats, OG garmin in a dash mount from the factory, locking center diff. Neat features for an entry level car.
Still a lot of them on the road up here in Michigan, so there's that.
I had one as a rental in Ketchikan, AK once. I didn't put many miles on it, but it had that lightweight Japanese car feel that was common in the '80s and '90's. What I remember was the visibility was great, and it drove just fine. Probably not a quick car, but certainly adequate.
My son had one and passed it to my daughter and I spent a fair amount of time with it. Having rented a Swift around the ring, I had expectations that were just way above what the car could offer. The engine seemed numb and slow to rev and the car was just plain slow. Handling and agility were just OK. It got good gas mileage and was reliable up to the point it met the rear end of a car that stopped to turn left. Damned cell phones...
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