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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  Gets me from here to there, no problems. - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By jeffrok - August 14 - 10:00 am

  $3,000 cheaper than the competition and a 7 year warranty! Pros: Good mileage in automatic or manual. Different looking, making it easy to find in a parking lot. Nice seats Great stock radio (6 CD changer, 6 speakers) Tons more head and legroom than the Protege5.. Cons: Narrow, tall styling makes it lean quite a bit in sharp turns Different looking, making some people smirk at your car Engine is a little growly at highway speeds, but not too bad.. No factory sunroof option You have to remove the headrests to fold the back seats down Dash isnt sporty enough. Hopefully its a good winter car.. I hope I dont regret not opting for the AWD.

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  Love it - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By Franklin E Soto - July 14 - 10:00 am

  I have an SUV 2002 Ford, Explorer and was not into buying another new car for the moment. but my wife was needing a car to do small things around and close to our home. We shopped around,Focus, Rio Cinco,Vibe, Protege,Saturn L200 etc. She fell in Love with The Silver Aerio SX 2003. We drove it as all the rest 2lt. 145 HP sure makes a difference, beautiful on the inside, great air condition, great CD sound, excellent movements, great space front and back,outstanding price.Man we bought it ,now the problem is I want to swap, Ford Explorer for her Susuki Aerio SX.

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  Does it get any better? - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By sal96 - June 28 - 2:17 am

  I bought my Aerio with 130k, and I couldnt be happier. The Four cylinder, is quiet, built well and doesnt lag. As with typical small japanese cars, required service is minimal, changing your oil, ATF (very important), brakes every 20k. When it comes time to do service like timing belt and alternator, it is still easier to do than many other vehicles. Headroom inside is very good

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  Suzuki Aerio SX Wagon is good - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By T.F. - June 19 - 4:20 pm

  You pay less for Suzuki up front but you have to upgrade them to your liking. For example, the suspension needs to be upgraded, the engine needs a performance boost but the overall car is fine. The only complaint I have is the Suzuki should have promoted the Aerio for the long haul but instead they dropped the model just like the Esteem model line. The transferable warranty is makes them a good used car buy.

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  Peppy Aerio SX AWD - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By amentzriona - June 2 - 5:00 pm

  Initially, when I brought this vehicle, I was terrified by the gas mileage that I originally had. I wasnt happy with the it and I spoke with the dealership. They told me that it was normal and that it would get better within the next 5,000 miles. I was really skeptical but they were true to their word. I currently have 10,000 miles on the car and I never regret my decision on buying this vehicle.

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  Very good car - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By A. Smyth - May 31 - 11:23 pm

  I have put 36,000 miles on this car. So far it has been very reliable, but I have had some minor problems. The catalytic converter had to be replaced, and its rattling again. Also, the overhead light shutoff failed twice. I had better replacement brake pads installed by dealer better than the originals. However, I enjoy every minute that I drive this car, Its handling is very good (did the Edmunds reviewer even drive it?), It is a better value and has a smoother ride than the Subaru Impreza. The all wheel drive is great. I would definitely buy another.

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  Not Bad but has a couple of problems - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By drdud - May 5 - 8:36 am

  20 mpg around town 25 mpg on the highway , mystery rattle in the center of the dash in cold weather ? Moans like my old 48 Chrysler when going over a hump .stock tires stink 2 of 4 are square ! All in all its a nice little care & got a great deal.

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  My Aerio sx ( THis is the 2002 2wd ) - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By philip bart - April 25 - 2:00 am

  I travel all over the Houston and surrounding areas, putting on the average of about 250 miles per day. I drive this car hard. For the most part this car has outperformed itself. It has handled well in the rain, and has stood up to grid locked traffic in 100 degrees weather. I have taken turns around freeway corners at up to 85 miles an hour with ease. Coming equipped with low profile tires (195 55 15), I found a 60 to look better. I didnt like all the space in the wheel well. Overall this car is something I consider special even though it is completely built by maCHINES.

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  More Bang for your buck! - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By JoyceAnn - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Car is peppy, easy to handle, fun to drive. Plenty of power, outstanding comfort. Best car out there for the price. More room then Focus and Matrix. Complete loaded with all the good stuff.

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  Never thought Id buy one - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By richmini99 - April 14 - 10:00 am

  For the money, I just couldnt pass on the Aerio. we also looked at the Matrix/Vibe, Protoge 5, and the Focus ZX5. The Matrix/Vibe just wasnt that comfortable, and to get a version with any power, it would have coast us $5000 more than the Aerio. The Protoge 5 was suprisingly small inside and didnt exhibit the performance that its apperamce suggested. the ZX5 was ok, and the $3000 back also madeit look attractive, but at the end of the day, I just couldnt get past the fit and finish of the car. The Aerio SX gives you flexability, and performance at a great price. The build quality is on par with the offerings of the Hondas and Toyotas or the world.