Overview & Reviews

Despite spending an impressive six years on the market -- and enjoying advantages like a roomy cabin and available all-wheel drive -- the compact Suzuki Aerio remained nearly invisible to most consumers. If you ask us, it probably had something to do with the Aerio's average-at-best overall report card. To use a football analogy, it was like a second- or third-string specialty player that Suzuki forced to suit up against several heavy-hitting, all-purpose first-stringers. This wasn't a game the Aerio was likely to win -- yet it was a better car than its sales numbers and anonymity would suggest.

Most Recent Suzuki Aerio

The compact Suzuki Aerio debuted in 2002 as a sedan and four-door hatchback wagon. Initially, there were S and GS (later called LS) trim levels for the sedan; the hatchback came in SX trim only. Later Aerios were offered in either base or Premium trims. Versatility was always a strong point for the hatchback -- with the rear seats folded down, it could carry an impressive 64 cubic feet of cargo.

Aerios were initially powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine; displacement was later bumped to 2.3 liters, with a commensurate increase in power. A five-speed manual transmission was standard on entry-level cars, while a four-speed automatic was optional on those models and standard on higher trim levels. The Aerio was available in either front-wheel or, beginning in 2003, all-wheel drive.

With either transmission, the Suzuki Aerio was sufficiently responsive for running errands around town or commuting. However, although the Aerio provided a soft, smooth ride on the highway, we found there was a penalty to be paid: excessive body roll around corners, which was exacerbated by the car's relatively tall, tippy stance. Opting for AWD settled things down a bit, and of course it improved the Aerio's traction in wet weather as well. Indeed, that optional all-weather capability was one of the few compelling features the Aerio had to offer.

Thanks to its high roof line, the Suzuki Aerio boasted a surprising amount of interior room for its size, and we found ingress and egress to be an all-around cinch. The Aerio offered a generous 14.6 cubic feet of trunk space, too. Unfortunately, interior plastics quality, execution and overall refinement were below average compared to the economy class leaders.

Some notable changes occurred after the Aerio's debut. In 2003, it received a slight power boost to 145 horsepower (from the initial 141 hp) and minor interior trim refinements; uplevel GS and SX models got a six-disc CD player and could be had with all-wheel-drive traction. The 2.0-liter engine was replaced by a 2.3-liter unit in 2004, and horsepower rose to a rather impressive 155. Suzuki added more standard features in 2005 and redesigned the instrument panel, which we had previously criticized as having hard-to-read gauges and a lack of storage compartments. The wagon was dropped for 2007, leaving the sedan to finish out the Aerio's production run by itself.

As a used car, the Suzuki Aerio does have a few things going for it. Its attractive price when new looks even better now that depreciation has taken its toll, and its peppy engine and optional all-wheel drive were pleasant qualities. But the Aerio was never particularly enjoyable to drive and generally came up short in terms of refinement and features.

User Reviews:

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  Great car, cheap plastic - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Lish - March 1 - 10:00 am

  Overall I am very pleased with this car. It gets great gas mileage. It is compact, but is surprisingly roomy inside. I purchased this car used at 66k and am at 105k now and have never had a mechanical issue. I love the look of the vehicle, but I do think it sits too low. I have to be very careful in parking lots and driveways because the car will scrape.

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  A good car that could be better - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By quickg - February 24 - 10:00 am

  Engine is powerful, but loses luster with AC on. Automatic transmission shifts well. Brakes are generally good, but tend to lock up on wet roads without ABS. Stereo is good. Standard tires on the S are low grade. Handling is stable, steering feel is about right. Interior is spacious in front and back, seats are very comfortable, seating position is tall and provides great forward visibility. However, rear visibility is poor because of a very high rear end. Trunk is huge. Side mirrors are large and folding. The S has power windows, but not power locks. The car is distinctive looking, but side and rear extensions make tires look small and the car look overweight and ungainly.

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  Aerio-DYNAMIC - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By brotherburce - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Assets: Edgy design, interior space and huge trunk. A calm 2-litre engine with timing chain. Efficient 3-speed overdrive automatic transmission; override feature enables high speeds in steep climbs. Highway mileage: high 20s local and 30 highway. 6 speaker CD: crisp and rich sound. The digital instrument panel and HVAC cluster complements edgy styling. Drawbacks: The upholstery attracts dirt, lint and fuzz. The headrest design makes it difficult to check out traffic flow. Passengers could use more storage. The dealership network is far too thin.

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  Nice car - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By ra2dale - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Ive been driving my Suzuki for four months and Im pretty happy with it. It has good power and gives me great gas mileage - a much as 30mpg on some freeway drives. For the price and compared to other cars in its class Its a good buy.

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  my aerio - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By john - January 16 - 12:26 am

  Best quality auto have owned and ease of handling is superb definitely will look at Suzuki when buying in the far future the build is above everything else and is built to last years. Just needs a cruise control as the engine will get you way the speed limit if you dont monitor.

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  This is the best car for the price!! - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By suiteseptember - January 6 - 10:00 am

  From the first time I saw the commercial for the 2002 Suzuki Aeroi, I knew that I had to have one! I have only had mine 4 days but I love it!

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  Great little car - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By Bkent - December 27 - 1:56 pm

  My only complaint about the car so far is its handling and turning ability at high speeds.

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  Many repair issues - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By Ava Todd - December 25 - 8:33 pm

  I like the look of my car but the amount of times I have had to have it repaired (many times for the wheel bearings) and number of tires and other mechanical problems I would not recommend it to anyone. I have been a proud owner of 3 Suzukis before this one. I will not recommend anyone to buy these anymore. This has been a nightmare, including the Suzuki repair service causing more problems also. I am also only getting 17 miles to the gallon and my cruise control doesnt work either.

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  2003 SX Great car for the $s - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By traisjag - December 24 - 2:00 am

  1. Bought the car through the internet, best car purchase ever...save $s and was in and out in 1.5 hours! 2. Great value for the dollar! Great room (Im 61" and there is plenty of room, even for the back seat passengers) and features. 3. The ABS and AWD are a great team for the price. I just love this car, yes the style is different, but I like being different!

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  The Best Little Car - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By mutantboy84 - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Great little car, probably the best I have ever owned. It has great performance and is fun to drive. It is also very reliable. Only problem is that it could use a little more leg room in the front.