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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  I luv this car!!! - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By Janice Henry - September 29 - 4:04 pm

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  Will Buy Another One... - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By Lynn - September 6 - 11:50 pm

  We bought this Suzuki Aerio for our college daughter who was not happy as she had been driving a Audi A4 quattro. We also have an A6 quattro. The Audis have been unreliable and expensive. We will never buy one again! We were happily surprised to find an affordable AWD car to replace our daughters A4. I only drove in the car when we first purchased it, from CT to FL. It has a super ride! Its roomy, comfy, and has nice dash controls w/great placement! The cloth seats are awesome! Our daughter thinks it is "cheap", but she was spoiled driving an Audi. She says that the AWD doesnt feel like it works, so I recommend you test drive the AWD in rain/snow if possible as I cant confirm daughters complaint. I do know that I want my own Aerio.

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  Exellent Car - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By dhenderson - September 5 - 10:36 pm

  My husband and I have owned two Aerios. The first we bought used, and bought the second when we traded in the used Aerio because we wanted some of the updated features it had. The Aerio has been nothing but reliable. It had great acceleration and is agile and superbly handles city and highway traffic. Its easy to back out and park like a small car but has almost the interior space of a touring sedan. Its more attractive than much of its competition and offers a comparable or better engine to boot.

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  Love this car (even after 94K miles) - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Anonymous - September 4 - 1:50 pm

  This is the bang for your buck by far. The best purchase I have ever made. I purchased my slightly used 2003 4 door S trim sedan in 2004 for just under $10K. It now has 94,000 miles and Ive never had a problem with the engine. I have only had minor problems with the cd player and the piece of the bumper that detaches to minimize damage from towing. This car is incredibly reliable, has good pickup, and is safe and fun to drive. The cabin and trunk are very roomy despite the small appearance of the car. The height of the cabin is great for tall people.

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  Very Pleased - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By Jake - July 2 - 2:16 pm

  I love the roomy interior. The 155 horsepower engine helps when merging into fast highway traffic. I got a lot of standard features that are optional with other small cars. The warranty is great, too. I dont understand why it doesnt sell better.

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  Unique and an absolute joy to drive - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Tomgunn - June 18 - 2:00 am

  This car is the best affordable AWD car $ for $. My expectations were far exceeded.

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  Best Little Wagon for Moms - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By kspage - June 10 - 1:03 pm

  I love this car! When I was shopping for a new car that was sporty but also practical for me and my toddler, I never even knew about this car. But after my Mom took me to a Suzuki dealership, which was unusual because I am a Honda lover, I immediately fell in love with the look of the Aerio. Because I am in my 20s, I didnt want a minivan but also didnt want to revisit my teenie bopper days. Its a hip car with a mature feel.

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  2002 Suzuki Aerio SX wagon - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By puce - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Have had no problems. comfortable and enjoyable to drive. Not out to race with corvettes but performance beat the other i tried (Toyota,Honda,Pontiac) and pricing great. Great car for the money and very reliable.

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  Very Satisfied - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By m1wick - June 4 - 6:16 pm

  I loved owning the 05 vehicle so much that I purchased an 06. I would definitely recommend this car to someone looking for a compact.

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  Suzuki Convert - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By Suzuki convert - June 1 - 12:16 am

  I only bought my 2006 Suzuki Aerio because the 2006 Honda Civic was out of my league. It turns out that this was very fortunate for me. Its big, comfortable, and has lots of zoom. This is a fun car and it is loads cheaper than Hondas!