A Better Buy?
It is not easy to buy a Suzuki vehicle knowing that there is significant depreciation and a smaller dealer network than its many rivals. Suzuki obviously knows this and is offering an excellent warranty, pricing well below the competition, and an abundance of standard features. However, even though the result is an enjoyable vehicle to drive, it still lacks the sophistication of its rivals and you are limited in your choices of safety features and engines. On the plus side, you are certainly getting good value for your money and a spacious, nice riding conveyance. And, if you can wait a bit, the Forenza is going to appear as a station wagon with a price around $17,000 (US) and that should make it the most economical cargo hauler around.
Dad's view: This is a quandary. If you order the five-speed manual you get a transmission that has an exceedingly long throw to fifth gear, is reluctant to change gears rapidly, and is difficult to get into reverse. If you order the automatic you don't have any of these problems, but you get much less performance and gas mileage. It is a tough choice so test them both.
The 126 horsepower, 2.0-liter engine is peppy and runs extremely well. The downside is that the gas mileage is about five miles per gallon less than the competition, although the Forenza does offer a slightly larger interior and trunk. Daily driving is quite relaxing in the Suzuki, although the horn borders on downright useless. In these days of cell phone talking SUV drivers who may not have discovered turn signals or rear view mirrors, a smaller vehicle such as the Forenza needs to announce its presence in a manner that gains respect. The Suzuki horn is more of an annoyance than a warning. Other than that the car drives well, stops adequately, and holds a great deal. I wouldn't challenge any corners with it as the Forenza goes from understeer to oversteer quite suddenly. The construction feel solid and visibility was good, but the rear view adjustment buttons are difficult to reach for shorter drivers.
Speed wise, the Forenza accelerates better than most of the competition and stops with precision. The fully independent front strut/rear dual-link suspension does its work well and only an unruly bump can disturb its composure. As such, the soft setting provides a fair amount of body lean around corners, but let's face it, you aren't going to buy a Forenza for its corning abilities because the dynamics just aren't its forte even though the steering feel progressive and feedback is adequate. Despite not having ABS the car stopped straight and true and the four-wheel disc brakes seem well matched to the 2700-pound front wheel drive sedan.
Mom's view: Don't get the manual transmission if you have short arms. You have to lean forward and press against the seat belts to get it into fifth. The good news is that because the engine has a gutsy you can skip second and fourth. The cabin was comfortable, but the center console needs more storage room. What I didn't understand is why Suzuki didn't take the much more powerful engine from the Aerio and put it in the Forenza to make if much more automatic transmission friendly. As it now stands the Aerio is the better deal, if you like its styling, with more room, more power, and more safety features.