Shop the competition, and the first thing you'll notice about the SX4 is its diminutive size. A family friend who owns a Honda Fit said my test car looked tiny. Technically, it isn't: The SX4 has roughly the same footprint as cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, but its height — 60.8 inches — is tall for this class, and that gives it a stubby, thin appearance. A benefit of that is the SX4's tall windows, which translates into excellent sight lines all around. That — and the car's relatively impressive 34.8-foot turning circle — makes this car great for city driving. At my North Chicago condo, I have to thread cars down a back alley to park in my garage. The SX4? Piece o' cake.
As cakes come, though, it's a bland one. Elements from the headlights to the fenders fit a cohesive styling theme, but that theme seems to be "forgettable design." This doesn't necessarily spell doom for the SX4: Toyota has struck automotive vanilla with the new Corolla, but that hasn't stopped droves of shoppers from choosing it.
Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) (if equipped)
ESP® is a registered trademark of
DaimlerChrysler AG.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®)
helps to control the vehicle during cornering
if the vehicle is understeering or oversteering.
It a ...
Interior
Only those opting for four-wheel drive will get all of the Equator's interior
frills. The RMZ-4 package includes chrome trim on the instrument panel, more
adjustments in the driver's seat and upgr ...