Five Great Cars for the College-Bound Grad
by Tom Appel
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2009 Suzuki SX4

2009 Suzuki SX4
| Consumer Guide rating: | Best Buy |
| Base Price: | $13,299 |
| EPA Mileage Range (city/hwy): | 21-30 mpg |
| Safety Features | |
| ABS: | Standard |
| Antiskid System: | Available |
| Side Air Bags: | Standard |
| All-Wheel Drive: | Available |
| State Farm Ratings | |
| LRI: | C (standard) |
| DTI: | D (somewhat higher than standard) |
| VSD: | 10% Discount |
Forget the base price of this car. It is too good to be true. But, the price of the car you'd want your kid to have is a pretty good deal just the same. We recommend the hatchback, called Crossover, with its available all-wheel drive and standard antiskid system. So equipped, you’re still under $17,500.
A light clutch, smooth shifter, and decent power combine to make SX4 fun-to-drive with the manual transmission. A high roof and flat load floor allow for easy four-passenger seating and plenty of cargo space. A surprisingly well-finished cabin seems at odds with this little Suzuki’s bargain pricing. Not all is perfect, however. The SX4, especially when equipped with all-wheel drive, isn’t all that efficient, averaging a ho-hum 25.3 mpg in long-term Consumer Guide testing.
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