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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  Our Four Wheel Motorcycle - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By Dave W. - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Our little suzy is quite a nice ride! I fell in love with the black onyx paint, it is beautiful! This car is the most defect free car I have ever owned, my only real problem is with the radio which Suzuki didnt build. Great handling, good power, easy entry/exit, practical, fun, sporty, good looking etc. Some trim noise on coarse roads, Im running these down myself and fixing them. I love the digital dash, its simple and the speedo can be read at a glance. The car isnt perfect but it sure is close... we love it!

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  Never look innovation in the mouth - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By ROOKIE - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Having read other Aerio comments,I could not resist. One should never equate innovation with the commanality of competitors. I specifically mean unfavorable wording re:digital readout for speedo, tach and other essentials. The vehicle is uniquely different; like Heidi Klum. Hasta la proxima- Dont lift.

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  maybe my bad luck - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By suzuki user - April 13 - 2:00 am

  We have replaced the transmission just after drove it for 4 months.And now we got a engin oil leakage.The dealer is aweful here.

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  Best car i have driven - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By Joshua - April 7 - 3:20 pm

  This is a great car and is fun to drive. The doors and dashboard on my 2006 Aerio SX do not rattle. The car has great gas mileage and this is a great car to buy and comes with a lot of standerd features.

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  Sweet - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By ateuptomuch - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Awesome car it has speed, good handling and lots of head room

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  Good car - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By Janell19 - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I drove my Aerio from Wa state to Texas and back on each drive we averaged about 32 miles to the gallon. In town I get about 30- 40. I was a comfortable car as well as hardly any one had seen one yet so it made it that much more fun.

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  Americas best kep secret - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Dave7001_ - February 16 - 2:00 am

  Got a 5Sp- hard to find but worth the perseverance (not that the auto is bad, I just like to shift).

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  Not Perfect But I Love It! - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By indiecds - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought w/10,000 miles on it and have driven it 5,000. The car handles fine for me. Each driver needs to decide their own priorities. Two of the Yokohama 195/55R15s wore out in 15,000 miles. This size tire cost $100 at most locations so I changed to 14 inch size designated for the base S model with 185/65R14 tires that are 1/3 the cost and warranteed for more miles. While this does reduce handling it improves the ride & seems more practical if you view this car as an economy AWD vehicle. Viewing it as a sporty AWD vehicle requires sticking with the 15 in wheels & tires. Running lights are too easy to mistake for headlights on. Should be an audible warning when low fuel light comes on.

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  Tire Eating Machine - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By Jose Hernandez - February 1 - 2:50 pm

  This car has eaten three sets of tires in 70,000 miles. Something is wrong with the rear end. The dealer says that nothing is wrong, yet it eats tires. Im on my 4th set of tires, good tires Michelens Symmetri. It also has worn out Goodyears and two sets of Bridgestones.

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  Beware - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Dinslaken - January 18 - 11:30 pm

  This car has a lot of value for the money and the first 48,000 miles were trouble free. The engine needed oil frequently, which is not that bad, but despite more maintenance than required, the engine blew at 48,560 miles, then the transmission went at 54,000 miles. The axle seals were replaced twice, and the brakes need replacement about every 10,000 miles. The worst part is that Suzuki refused to honor their "Best Warranty" on both occasions due to "lack of proven component failure." According to other owners, this problem is increasing. Suzuki was sued for both instances, and we were reimbursed by court order. Other than that....nice car!