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| The Suzuki SX4, as recommended by a motoring hack for those pension sojourns |
Q:
I AM counting the months to my retirement and look forward to buying a smallish
all-wheel-drive vehicle in which to explore South Africa. My wife wants a Toyota
RAV4, but I am partial to the Suzuki SX4. Help prevent a retirement divorce and
recommend one of these fine vehicles?
A: Normally when I get
these questions, the buyers have already made up their minds and just need a
little reassurance that they didn't overlook something drastic in their
research, like parts unavailability or airbags that explode.
In this case, answering the question is a lot more tricky, as two
people have made up their minds on two very good cars and my recommendation may
turn marital bliss into a martial blitz.
Counting against the RAV4 is that it is no longer smallish. In fact
the latest model is almost as long — bumper to bumper — as a Toyota Fortuner.
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| The RAV4 2,2 D4-Dcan handle most things on dirt roads. |
The entry-level RAV4 is also some R60k dearer than the well-specced
SX4. That is a lot of fuel money for road trips saved right there.
Counting in the RAV4’s favour is that Toyota has the most
dealerships of any marque in South Africa, so you can go on those road trips
knowing you can get an emergency fix for the radiator after the pigeon went
through it from Bredasdorp in the south to Beit Bridge in the north.
And powered by the 2,2 D4D (110 kW/340 Nm) the RAV4’s all-wheel
drive system can surmount very rough stuff, so you can drive on dirt all the way
between the two stops if you so wish.
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| Above SX4 is designed to cope with snowy roads. This Jeep has been modified to cope with serious fun. |
By comparison the SX4’s all-wheel drive system is engineered to
cope with snowy roads, rather than our rocky byways, and its road clearance and
power figures from the 1,6 (86 kW/156 Nm) show this.
But the Suzi meets the requirement for “smallish”; it will prove
lighter on fuel and — to the eye of this beholder at least — its interior is
also a hair breath nicer than the RAV4.
The only niggle I have with Suzuki (and Honda) is that their
Bluetooth systems are dated, requiring reading of a handbook to link a
smartphone. In a Toyota, three key presses sets you up.
Against the RAV4, the Suzi is the bargain, with the bonus of being
more elite, as only 47 people bought a Suzuki in September, compared to 486
people who bought a RAV4.
Now it is up to you to break the news to your wife
that all those people may have been wrong…
