Suzuki SX4 v. Nissan Tiida

Life Cars & Motorcycles
1

We’re on the verge of buying a new or almost new car for my wife, daughter and me. We don’t need anything fancy (BMW, mercedes, lexus), don’t want a big truck, van or SUV, want something fairly small for city driving/parking, but fairly big inside (Suzuki Swift, for example, while it’s a great looking car at a good price, is too small).

We liked the VW Golf for a while, but after looking at a few new and used ones we concluded the back seat is too flat and uncomfortable. Audi A3 looks really nice but we didn’t even examine it because we understand it’s basically a Golf in fancy clothes with a heft premium thrown onto the pricetag. Though we’re mostly interested in hatchbacks, I checked out the Jetta and really like it: huuuuuge trunk and very sporty looking all around, but a little larger than what we want (roughly equivalent to an Accord or a Camry). Maybe in the US I’d go for the Jetta, but not here.

Skoda looks like a great car (notwithstanding that they apparently used to be crap cars in Europe in the past), but it’s out of the running because they’re no longer sold in Taiwan. (Not interested in a used one, even if we could find one, if no one would no how to service it or would have the parts).

I checked out a new Honda Fit and it’s true what they say about its storage capacity. One really could fit a fully assembled bike standing up inside of it. But, it looks kind of funny to me. More importantly, it’s only available new, so is quite (ie., too) pricey. And, I have no idea why they were so dumb in this regard, but it has ZERO AIRBAGs.

I like the Civic, but my wife doesn’t for some reason.

Looked at the Mazda3 and the Mazda Isumu and considered them briefly but rejected them.

So, eventually we’ve worked it down to the SX4 and the Tiida, which seem very comparable to me and both look like they’d be fine. But, we’re leaning towards the SX4 based on the following assumptions (feel free to correct me if our assumptions are wrong):

  • SX4 has 6 airbags; Tiida has 1 or 2
  • Gas mileage roughly comparable
  • SX4 slightly more HP
  • SX4 slightly wider and greater stability
  • SX4 is made in Japan; Tiida made in Taiwan
  • SX4 is about NT$628,000; Tiida is about NT$650,000

Anyone familiar with either or both of these cars? What are your thoughts?

2

The Honda Fit comes with 2 airbags standard.

Between the SX4 and the Tiida, the SX4 wins hands down for build quality, comfort, and safety.
Just watch those roof rails in underground carparks!

Wow! You basically quoted my entire P.M. :slight_smile:

You missed the bit about the SX4 having the nicer interior though. That’s a bit of a bonus. As well as the taller suspension for soaking up Taiwan bumps and holes.

3

Thanks for those final words. I think they clinch the deal. :slight_smile:

Actually, that reminds me of something the Nissan dealer said. My wife asked if we could mount a bike rack on the roof and he said we’d need to go to the government first so they can ensure it would be safe and issue us a roof-rack permit. What a nutty place: it’s ok to ride 5 to a scooter, but one can’t mount a bike rack without a government permit. . .

Nah, I do owe you a huge heap of gratitude. :notworthy: Your P.M.s were immensely helpful, you helped greatly to steer us in the right directions and I acknowledge that several of my above thoughts originated in your comments. Additionally, your car inspection service sounds great and if we get a used car we definitely intend to hire you to check it out. But, that post was also based on serious legwork and first-hand observations, including hitting a few VW, Suzuki and Honda dealers and traipsing for several hours on Sunday down that avenue of used car dealers in Shihlin.

4

Chengde Road right? My favorite stomping ground, just down the road from us.
I’ve just started noticing a small number of SX4s on the used market now as they become a couple of years old, but the pickings are generally still a bit slim. The model has finally begun to take off though I see, which I’m really happy about.
Originally I couldn’t make it part of A.C.s top Taiwan cars as there simply weren’t enough new or used models out there. I may be going to change the lineup soon however and bump the Nissan down a notch.
Grey was the most popular colour for that car just so you know. When it was first released there was a six month waiting list for a grey one. That’s just in case you are thinking about retaining a little more value further down the line or wonder why the price of a grey one may be a little higher than other colours.

5

The grey is nice, but I like the brick red/orange (whatever it’s called) better. :slight_smile:

Tiida :thumbsdown: SX 4 :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

6

Now he tells me! :blush: Anyway, the damage wasn’t too bad…

Yep, we have the SX4 (in grey like all the other sheep) and it definitely gets two thumbs up from me. Smooth, comfortable, safe, nice to drive. The two little nit-picks I have with it is that the boot (trunk) space isn’t huge, and the frame of the car where windscreen meets front side windows (dunno what that bit is called, but you get the picture) is quite chunky and creates a blind spot if you need to turn sharply (like when I drive out of the underground parking at my place). Minor gripes though, overall a very nice car.

7

Thanks everyone. It’s definite now. No more deliberating. Phew…

I’m not sure which color we’ll get, but I think the gray looks good.

It looks likely we’ll buy new since there’s a difference of only about US$4,000 between new and used, my wife tells me if we wait a few weeks a new Taiwan government stimulus initiative thingy should be in place that will entitle us to receive NT$30,000 towards the purchase of a new car, and the Suzuki guy claimed that thingy applies to the SX4, even though it’s made in Japan.

Btw, check out the storage capacity with back seats folded up.

8

I have a friend who bought his SX4 almost a year and a half ago and from the few times I’ve driven it I felt it was greatly underpowered for it’s size. This was only with 2 adults in the car. with 4 adults and a trunk load of goodies, it must have a tough time taking people up to the mountains. It’s also rather ironic that it’s called the SX4 (the “4” being a 4 wheel drive designator) and having no 4 wheel drive version sold in Taiwan. The pity here is that the only powertrain package offered for sale by Suzuki (Auto21) in Taiwan is the least appealing of all SX4 variants, 1.6 liter engine with 4 speed auto transmission…I’m even less impressed with the service my friend got from the Auto21 dealership here in Taichung. A set of mud guards had been thrown into the deal, but when the car was delivered, locally made soft rubber mud guards had been installed on the car. The worst part is that they had been drilled into the wheel wells instead of using the mounting points that the OEM mud guards would have used. It could have been my friend’s fault in failing to specify that the mud guards had to be “OEM”, but that didn’t give the permission to the dealership to drill holes in the car. For the price it commands in Taiwan versus what you get, I believe the SX4 is not worth it. A Honda Civic is just a few grand more and is built better and resells better in Taiwan.

I have never driven or inspected a Tiida, so I can’t comment on it.

Sorry for throwing a bit of a spanner in the works.

Cheers

9

[quote=“Captain Stag”]
I have never driven or inspected a Tiida, so I can’t comment on it.[/quote]
Don’t waste your time. Weak motor, cheap live axle rear suspension etc etc with extra wood trim and chromed plastic parts to pull in the punters. Generally cheap and nasty.

10

[quote=“redwagon”][quote=“Captain Stag”]
I have never driven or inspected a Tiida, so I can’t comment on it.[/quote]
Don’t waste your time. Weak motor, cheap live axle rear suspension etc etc with extra wood trim and chromed plastic parts to pull in the punters. Generally cheap and nasty.[/quote]

Never had the intention to in the first place…just the name is enough to put me off.

11

MT, don’t put too much faith in that photo of storage space you posted with a mountain bike in the back… Sure that is the available space, but it’ll only look that roomy if you slice off the roof and take a photo from 10 feet away… Like Taffy said the rear storage is limited and in my experience the interior is quite cramped… I’ve been in an SX4 with 3 other people on a cross town drive and it was a jarring, claustrophobic experience… FWIW (not much I know) these are merely one person’s observations in comparison to a Golf TDI…

12

Well, we’re scheduled for delivery of our new SX4, finally, on Friday.

We ordered it and paid our deposit in January, at which time they said we would receive it in February. Then they moved delivery date back to the second week of March. (The thing was still in Japan when we ordered it.) Then last week they told us it might be the last week of March, and I’m very proud of how my wife handled it.

She was pissed, for very good reason, because we have been counting on the car for a trip we have planned leaving this weekend. So when they tried to push it back to the end of March, she told them forget it, give us our deposit back, we don’t want it, we’ll go somewhere else. So they suddenly scurried about and got back to her, saying they’ll deliver this week. They had better or I will be seriously pissed off at them for screwing up our plans, and then we will definitely pull out of the deal.

But, supposedly all’s on schedule now and they’re working on final details like getting the bike rack, etc.

Hopefully they will perform, in which case I’ll let you know how we like it.

13

Congrats…However, the experience you’re getting with the dealer pulling delivery date changes was exactly what my buddy went through when he got his SX4. In the end, it took 7 months for him to get his car. Whenever he would make a stink of it, the dealer would say “ok, your car will be delivered next week”, but that must of happened 6 times…So, I hope your dealer has better intentions than the one here in Taichung. Let us know if you get it on time…Cheers

14

Good to hear, but poor news for the person that just had their delivery canceled due to your demand. Not blaming you though as I would have done the same. I had a poor experience myself with Suzuki promises but our was down to a specific dealer.

Remember the only place to get your car serviced that I can recommend is Binjang Road near the local Taipei airport. They are (acording to the best information I have) the only ones who actually use the manufacturer’s paint too. Other body shops mix it and often get the wrong colour, so watch out.

15

Am not very well versed with the ins and outs of car repairs etc but in the new Suzuki Swifts the filter in the a/c unit has been removed to save on costs…i don’t know where exactly this filter is located but u can get it checked…I am not sure if it applies to the SX4 also…

Denso China is the supplier of the full a/c system to Suzuki and they were given a fixed price target…so its best that when you buy a new car better take a look and see if the filter is missing or no…

before someone jumps all over me i am not spreading rumors because this information has come from a very close inside source…

16

A few months ago I wanted to buy the wife a car and we also looked at the Golf and Audi A3. Initially my wife wanted a BMW Mini but we couldn’t fit even a medium sized baby stroller and it would have been a pain in the ass getting a car seat in and out of the rear. We both thought it was a really nice looking car and good to drive but almost as useless as a scooter.

My wife was happy just to have any car but she does like driving so I wanted something nice but easy to drive and a bit classy. We drove the GTI and A3 back to back and while they share the same engine and transmission they do feel different to drive. We took both onto the Changhua expressway and the Audi was noticeably quieter (the Mini was very rough on this point, it was almost impossible to hold a conversation at 100 with the Turbo S version).

In the end we bought the Audi, and to be honest 80% of that decision was emotional. The GTI just didn’t do anything for me and didn’t feel as classy. We bought the 1.8TFSI which was about $300k more than a similar Golf but I reckon it’s worth it. On a practical note the A3 is a little wider and longer than the Golf but also sits a little lower. Of course the Audi’s interior is about the best you can find in its class and that was another selling point.

I think you made the right choice between the Tiida and SX4. My wife’s friend has a Tiida, it’s awful. Did you look at the Ford Focus? If I wanted a practical hatchback around this price it would be the Focus for me.

17

[quote=“llary”]A few months ago I wanted to buy the wife a car and we also looked at the Golf and Audi A3. Initially my wife wanted a BMW Mini but we couldn’t fit even a medium sized baby stroller and it would have been a pain in the ass getting a car seat in and out of the rear. We both thought it was a really nice looking car and good to drive but almost as useless as a scooter.

My wife was happy just to have any car but she does like driving so I wanted something nice but easy to drive and a bit classy. We drove the GTI and A3 back to back and while they share the same engine and transmission they do feel different to drive. We took both onto the Changhua expressway and the Audi was noticeably quieter (the Mini was very rough on this point, it was almost impossible to hold a conversation at 100 with the Turbo S version).

In the end we bought the Audi, and to be honest 80% of that decision was emotional. The GTI just didn’t do anything for me and didn’t feel as classy. We bought the 1.8TFSI which was about $300k more than a similar Golf but I reckon it’s worth it. On a practical note the A3 is a little wider and longer than the Golf but also sits a little lower. Of course the Audi’s interior is about the best you can find in its class and that was another selling point.

I think you made the right choice between the Tiida and SX4. My wife’s friend has a Tiida, it’s awful. Did you look at the Ford Focus? If I wanted a practical hatchback around this price it would be the Focus for me.[/quote]

A little of OP topic…The GTI engine is a 2.0 liter turbo…so, what would an A3 with that engine have cost you compared to the 1.8Tfsi you got?

18

[quote=“Mother Theresa”]Well, we’re scheduled for delivery of our new SX4, finally, on Friday.

{…}

But, supposedly all’s on schedule now and they’re working on final details like getting the bike rack, etc.

Hopefully they will perform, in which case I’ll let you know how we like it.[/quote]

I didn’t see this thread when you started it in January or I would have piped up.

The SX-4 was the car Suzuki was racing in the World Rally Championship last year, albeit with a 300bhp version of the engine, and it scored quite a few points. All the talk I heard and read said the street version is more sporty than one would expect.

I personally don’t like the look of the back end of the SX-4, with or without the spoiler, but the Ford Focus hatchback isn’t too pretty yet it’s a winner on the road as well.

19

Ok, so now we’re trying to find the best bike rack for the SX4. I assume the Suzuki guys don’t know squat about bike racks. They’re car salesmen, not cyclists. So I won’t put much faith in their suggestions/recommendations (even though I don’t know what those are). But it’s my understanding Thule is one of the leading brands, with great products. Would you agree?

I went to the Thule website, though, and began working through the 2009 SX4 roof rack category, trying to find the right rack when I got to this page and didn’t know how to respond. Which option is best?

[quote]OPTION 1 | ROOF MOUNT SYSTEM
Thule’s Roof Rack Carriers provide maximum versatility and capacity to carry your gear. Your vehicle may have different mounting options to your roof.
BASE PRODUCT:
450 Crossroad | LB50 Load Bars

OPTION 2 | ROOF MOUNT SYSTEM
Thule’s Rapid Aero Multipurpose Rack System provides strength, aerodynamics and looks in one system. *Adapters may be required to attach carriers to this system - see fit tips for adapter requirements.
BASE PRODUCT:
450R Rapid Crossroad | RB53 Rapid Load Bars

OPTION 3 | ROOF MOUNT SYSTEM
Thule’s Roof Rack Carriers provide maximum versatility and capacity to carry your gear. Your vehicle may have different mounting options to your roof.
BASE PRODUCT:
45050 Complete CrossRoad System [/quote]
thuleracks.com/fg_vehicle.asp

Anyone have an SX4 with a rooftop bike rack? What brand/model did you choose?

EDIT: Ok, my wife just sent me this from Thule in Chinese. Someone recommended this model.
thule.com/Thule/ProductPage____28954.aspx
which apparently mounts on this crossbar (the #755), that goes across the Suzuki roof rails
thule.com/Thule/Iframe____5544.aspx

Does that look right? Recommend anything better?

20

Get a rack which mounts on the rear door. Sooner or later you will drive your car in or out of a basement with the bikes on the rack. It’s a matter of time. Roof racks are technically illegal in Taiwan. I’ve used them for years without trouble but they are still illegal.