May6
It doesn't take an industry analyst to tell you cars these days have an incredible amount of standard equipment compared to vehicles of previous generations. For the 2009 model year, Suzuki will push expectations higher by making a navigation system standard equipment on its SX4, which costs $15,395 (with delivery).
Developed by Garmin, the navigation unit is equipped with Bluetooth wireless connectivity and the ability to receive and "read" text messages aloud — helping the driver keep his or her eyes on the road. Referred to as the Suzuki T.R.I.P. (Travel, Real-time traffic, Information and Play), the system utilizes Navteq mapping software and includes a flip-up 4.3-inch touch screen.
The system also comes preloaded with street maps that feature millions of points-of-interest, such as hotels, restaurants, gasoline stations and ATMs. Other highlights include real-time traffic, local events, weather forecasts, and a gas price finder.
The feature will be standard on the SX4 Sedan and front-wheel-drive version of the SX4 Crossover, which is also new for the 2009 model year. Previously, the Crossover model was only offered with standard all-wheel-drive for around $15,000. Pricing details and specs have not been officially released for the 2009 model year.
The SX4's main rival, the Honda Fit, wasn't even available with navigation as an option before the 2009 model year. Certain trim levels of the Mazda3, Toyota Matrix, and Honda Civic include navigation, but they all cost around $20,000, and none of them are base configurations.
Wow, will it tell me when I'm in "da hood" like the honda fit?
The best value in the industry. Now the resale value has to be in par with Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The new Honda Fit will have Navigation as an option on the Sport model.
Good for Suzuki. Still not interested in any of their vehicles personally but they really seem to be coming out with some solid stuff.
Need a P-G Anderson model.
If they can keep the cost of the garvin unit low enough, this might just attract a lot of people. Of cource, with Suzukis' small car lineup and the high price of gas, they probably didn't really need to add anything.
Good for Suzuki If they play there cards right they can be a major player and rival larger companies. I hope they just make that concept Kiwashi or whatever concept and dont make many changes
Merge with Isuzu and be a budget Jaguar Land Rover pair
I wish Suzuki would bring back the Sidekick/Vitara 2 door soft top. You still see lots of the old ones but most are getting pretty long in the tooth. One of those with a factory Garmin GPS and I'd be happy to go find some big rocks to run over.
Johnnycanuck's comments always seem to make this message board a hell of alot better.
There goes the Focus Sync.
maybe now the stealerships will stop charging us extra for navigation
Thanks HemiR. I take back everything I was going to say about you! It's nice when people aren't so cranky all the time.
What about those of us who have no want for a nav system? I don't need something else clogging up my dash.
How about taking the nav system out and making it a $14,000 car Suzuki?
Seems you can't get any car these days without being electroniced to death. Power windows and locks… sattelite telephone… GPS nav… backup sensors… traction control… tire pressure monitoring systems… voice operated music for those who are too lazy to use the radio buttons… TVs in the headrests with wireless headphones… shees.
If you ditched all that equipment it could shave 1000 pounds off of the car. There's some fuel savings right there… and performance too.
Oh… hey JohnnyCanuck… remember the X-90? Two door, t-top, 4WD the size of a Mini. I've got one of those sitting in the driveway. Gets 40MPG all day long… and people still stop in traffic and ask me what it is.
this is old news…
RaineMan: How much do you want for it? I've been looking for a good one up here for ages. I drove one at a Subaru dealer in March in the B.C. Interior but it was thrashed. The car came from Manitoba and had obviously seen some hard winters. Hold onto it; they are a rare bird. Like you say, people have no idea what they are. Funny that they didn't sell more.
Yea I’m with The Make it Rain man who needs modern conveniences?
Why use a toilet when you can go to an outhouse?
Why have running water when you get a bucket and go to the stream?
It saves weight and performance on the house and the mortgage lol
lol Oh the Suzuki X-90… A very cute little SUV, too bad they don't vehicles like them or the Tracker anymore. They could sure use them with the rise in gas prices. I also liked the Isuzu VehiCross. Another unique small SUV lol @ Johnnycanuck I also liked your 7th post there.
Your contributors need to learn to use the "Search" feature. LeftLaneNews posted this exact same story just a week ago. This is at least the 3rd repost of news in 2 weeks.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/suzuki-adds-navigation-system-to-2009-sx4s-standard-features-list.html
As for the comment about cutting the Nav and turning it into a $14,000 car…
The point is that navigation units don't cost much; and certainly not $1000+. Automakers have seen shrinking adoption as people find that they can buy better, easier to use, and fully-upgradeable units for 1/10th the price of buying it equipped. It probably costs Suzuki well under $100 to put that system into the car. Cutting it out would save little on the price of the car. But putting it in as standard equipment is a huge boon to sales.
Automakers resisted this because the margins on optioning it were absolutely insane. Particularly when it was grouped with other required option packages. They'd make 95% profit on the unit AND make you buy a few other packages that were 50%+ margin. They were in some cases literally making more profit on just the Nav unit than they were on the sale of the car itself. Suzuki gives up that ability, but there's no doubt it'll gain a lot more in sales.
I really like the SX4. It's not class-leading, but it's perky, well made, and has lots of pluck and character. And a standard nav system should turn even more people on to it.
Well. my inlaw has had a sx4 CUV since Oct 2006…and nearly 60,000 miles..Zero Issues. Great vehicle…we thought about the SX4 car….but… compared to the 08 Focus we got… it's light years behind it.
Focus has fold down rear seats(as does almost all cars these days, to haul long stuff, if needed)…
SX4 car: No. Seats are fixed(is this 1990, still?).
Focus has a nice arm-rest/console, to store a ton of stuff.
SX4 car: No. No armrest, etc.(again, is this 1990? My Sentra had same "features" as this 08 SX4 car..except no airbags in the '90 Sentra).
31 MPG from 143HP engine. Wow…Not Impressed, especially with gas at 3.65 a gallon.
Focus? 31(20 degree weather) -37+MPG…avg in warm weather of 35.5 MPG(automatic).Best was 38.9 MPG.
Not too bad. Better than 30-31 MPG(only).
Mazda 2.0 L engine, tweaked by Ford…too.
Ohhhh… No Tilting Steering Column, either, on SX4 car.
What's that about?
Even a Kia Rio has tilt steering column, for less $$$$.
It's a nice car, to sit in, etc.. but 31hwy… no tilt steering(even as an option), no fold down rear seats, no arm rest/console…no nothing….who cares about navigation, when the car is not comfortable to sit behind the steering wheel, and has the MPG of an I-4 2008 Accord; a much larger car.
If it were 13,000 dollars..w/o nav.. I could forgive the lack of anemities.
At 16-18K…No.
The Corolla offers telescopic steering column now(wish Focus did..but it's still decent) for 17-18K.
Sx4 CUV with FWD only? Who cares?
The main reason the inlaws got the SX4 was fwd Or AWD…for 16K.
flip of a switch…you had AWD in snow, or muddy conditions(if out in the country).
SX4 is a good idea…just finish it… add the other items that people expectin 2008… tilt steering column, arm rests, etc…
and maybe 33-35MPG, at least.
Make this a nice 5 door hatchback…akin to a 5 door Lancer…
33-35MPG, add extra stuff..and I might consider one.
Wow LJ… I liked the looks of the SX4 but I didn't know it was that spartan. Tilt wheel and fold down rear seats are a must in any car. If they would put a decent engine under the hood it would be nice to. Why do all the 4-bangers have to be so anemic? 150hp minimum… and anything with the word "sport" in it needs at least 180. If Honda can make a reasonably quick car out of the Civic Si and Chevy can do it with the Cobalt why can't Suzuki? You always end up with some little thing with a go-cart engine that you have to floorboard to even get up a hill.
Wait a miunte. Was that someone commenting that they actuall liked a ford product? I must have read that wrong. Wow. Write the date and time down. The Focus is actually a good value for the money? Who Knew?
wow! good for suzuki! the standard navigation system is an amazing idea! to think you would need a high line model to have a navigation system. this will make their cars a little more inviting to consumers that want a good, reliable mode of transportation and for those that want something that they don't have to pay for. incredible!
Uh, the base SX4 DOES come standard with a tilt wheel. Says so right in the "standard features" section.
The Grand Vitara is an excellent ride. I think Suzuki could do a lot of damage by taking the SX4 and making a small 2+2 out of it. Hire some quality designers and go hunting for Mazda2s.
"SX4 car: No. Seats are fixed(is this 1990, still?)."
Huh? Mine has foldable rear seats and tilting steering wheel. The armrest is present for the rear seats. Where did you get your info from?
"31 MPG from 143HP engine."
Suzuki's engine and transmission is lagging behind the other japs but they are actually more reliable. This has been proven with those shitty public transportation minivans in third world countries.
"I think Suzuki could do a lot of damage by taking the SX4 and making a small 2+2 out of it."
I thought that's what the sedan version is for.
DeansterTJ: Over here we get the Grand Vitara with a 2.0 engine, standard keyless entry, engine start button, AFS HID lights, leather seats for $8K lower than the cheapest version of the CRV. The only problem with some people is its tight suspension but handling is better…