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SHOW the
way ahead!
This was
the battle cry of the new Suzuki SX4 Sedan, which
officially entered the country’s automotive compact
sedan segment in a grand launch on May 30 at the Le
Pavilion in
Pasay City.
“The
Suzuki SX4 Sedan is Suzuki Philippines’ first sedan type
in addition to our already powerful automobile line. I
am confident that this model will live up to your
expectations. Competition in the Philippine automobile
market is getting to be more and more severe. In
response, we at Suzuki are planning to introduce stylish
and performance-packed models in the future. In this
regard, we once again ask your cooperation and support
to survive in this tough competition,” said Suzuki Motor
Corp.’s assistant manager for Asia Marketing Group 1
Hinori Yorita in his welcome address.
For his
part, Suzuki Philippines’ president Kiyoshi Kawahara
said the SX4 Sedan is “an eye-catching and unique
vehicle that captures both a sporty compact and an
elegant setup that is the product of Suzuki’s extensive
development of engine and transmission technology.”
TOP Suzuki officials show
off the all-new Suzuki SX4 Sedan during the grand
launching of its newest vehicle in the local market on
May 30 at the Le Pavilion in Pasay City. From left are
(partly hidden) Wataru Doi, general manager of the
motorcycle division; Kiyoshi Kawahara, president of
Suzuki Philippines Inc., and Hinori Yorita, assistant
manager for Asia Marketing Group 1 of Suzuki Motor Corp.
--ANDY
SEVILLA
The two,
together with Wataru Doi, general manager of Suzuki’s
motorcycle division, were on hand as Suzuki unleashed
its latest addition to its growing array of spirited
Suzuki vehicles in the country that included the Alto
subcompact, the all-purpose APV family van, the Grand
Vitara SUV, the sporty Jimny and the stylish Swift
Hatchback.
Created
by the same team that won worldwide acclaim with the
Swift hatchback, the SX4 Sedan offers optimum driving
performance and sleek styling that can definitely
compete with its sports-sedan counterparts sold in the
local market.
Pegged
at P814,000, the completely built unit from Japan is
powered by Suzuki’s M16A DOHC, 16-valve, 1.6-liter
four-cylinder engine that produces 102 hp at 5,500 rpm
and 145 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. It is mated to a
gate-type four-speed automatic transmission, which adds
to the SX4 Sedan’s functionality and convenience.
“It has
a standard and sporty underbody kit to make it more
aerodynamic and less costly to customers. It also comes
with halogen headlamps and fog lamps for better
visibility and large multireflector tail lights for
superior lighting to provide safety at all times. To
eliminate blind spots, it also has a large triangular
A-pillar and a large side-view mirror. One of the big
assets of this car is its large and spacious 515-liter
trunk, which can accommodate four golf bags plus extra
luggage,” said automobile marketing specialist John
Correa.
He
added, “The SX4 Sedan is positioned more as an executive
and sporty type of vehicle. This is because of its
class-leading features and amenities that offer value to
our customers, plus the fact that the Suzuki SX4 is a
CBU unit from Japan, which is well-known for its good
craftsmanship and quality products.
“Suzuki
is now increasing its passenger-car lineup starting with
the Suzuki Swift which was launched in August 2005
followed by the Suzuki Alto last year. With this SX4
Sedan, Suzuki is very optimistic and will continue to
produce quality cars. Our target market are those who
are 35 years old and above or executives with a stable
job and who can dictate what they want in life, as well
as create their own identity or personality. With this,
I hope that Suzuki SX4 will show us the way to success,”
Correa said.
The car
comes complete with 15-inch alloy wheels that are
wrapped in 195/65 R15 tires, and its suspension is
composed of McPherson struts with coil springs up front
and a torsion beam with coil springs in the rear. The
car is fitted with rack-and-pinion and speed-sensitive
electronic power steering—ensuring precise handling—and
stops with ventilated discs in front, and leading and
trailing drums at the rear. All these elements provide
greater driving control and ride comfort. Its “poised
for action” stance is complemented by sporty all-around
underbody spoiler that highlights Suzuki’s intention of
elevating the SX4 Sedan from a plain sedan into a hip
and more confident ride.
The
car’s compact 4.5-meter length, 1.7-meter width and
1.5-meter height belie the SX4 Sedan’s remarkably roomy
interior. Its tall roof and wide doors provide easy
entry and exit for front and rear passengers. Visibility
is excellent as well, thanks to a high driver’s seating
position and rear head restraints that do not intrude
into the driver’s view. A spacious 515-liter trunk
allows the SX4 Sedan excellent luggage-carrying
capability.
The
car’s interior features sporty fabric reclining front
bucket seats with head restraints, a driver’s foot rest,
tilting steering wheel that’s wrapped in leather and
flaunts audio controls, lights-on and key-in-ignition
reminders, power-door locks, remote keyless entry and
easily accessible fuel-door release.
Other
premium features the SX4 Sedan offers are integrated
audio system composed of a CD/MP3 player and eight
speakers.
Passenger safety is likewise a strength of the new SX4
Sedan as it comes with numerous active and passive
safety features. The car has a keyless entry system,
four-wheel anti-lock braking system with brake assist,
driver and front-passenger air bags, seat belts for all
passengers, child-safety rear-door locks and sturdy
side-impact beams residing inside the doors.
The car
comes in Pearl White, Silky Silver Metallic, Pearl
Nocturne Blue, Pearl Classy Red and Bluish Black color
options.
Just
like the other Suzuki models, the Suzuki SX4 sedan
carries a three-year or 100,000-km warranty, whichever
comes first, plus a two-year or 20,000-km free
preventive-maintenance service, whichever comes first,
inclusive of parts and labor. |
