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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  Dont waste your money - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By Rae3811 - June 18 - 10:00 am

  I absolutly hate this car, and am sorry I ever decided to buy it. As my first *NEW* car it was very affordable, but thats about it. Handles very poorly, Interior is made of cheap quality. Theres no storage space save for glove compartment. Windshield wipers move either to fast or to slow. Build is not very aero-dynamic makes for a shakey ride.

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  Reliable but the body stinks! - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By April - June 7 - 9:16 am

  I bought my Suzuki in 2003... OH I was in love with it and I still love this car. The gas mileage... you can really depend on this car! However you should know that the body was made very cheap. Every Suzuki I see on the road is missing the same front and back pieces on the front and back bumper... both pieces fell off on their own. Of course in 2009 I had well over 130K miles on this baby because I traveled A LOT in it so my car never had any major problems... Another thing you might want to know is if you get into an accident with the body parts being so cheap your car will most likely get totaled. I know this because someone hit my car while it was parked last Saturday and totaled it!

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  I love my Aerio - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By nicole - May 26 - 5:03 am

  This car is much quicker and agile than I had expected. The interior is great and very easy to keep clean. Overall I think it was a very good value. My best friend has a VW Golf and she paid almost $5,000 more and the only thing she has that I dont is a nifty switchblade key.

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  A home run for Suzuki - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By Mr. Bill S. - May 4 - 10:00 am

  I am a proud owner of an Electric Yellow SX. Simply, a great car. One of the best I have ever owned (beleive me, I have had a few, to say the least). The car is Roomy, comfortable, has a great driving position and a taught well controlled ride.

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  Great care for small people - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By anne myers - March 29 - 12:53 am

  When first purchased had a problem with windshield wipers going off on a sunny day - did turn them on - keyless lock and interior dome light. Finally found the problem in the rear wiper electrical hookup. Fixed and not a problem since. 52,000 miles and just put new brakes on. Tires about one year ago. For a small person, women particularly it is a great car for driving and easy to handle. Great capacity for hauling when the rear seats are down for extra cargo space. Great mileage - go 400 hundred miles to New York state and still have 1/4 tank of gas left. My husband is 6 ft and I am 5 ft and the car fits us both.

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  excellent - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Jazmonia - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I love riding it around town because is different and rarely seen. The turns are smooth and the ride is pleasant.

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  2005 suzuki Aerio Sx. Not a happy camper - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By Tim - February 21 - 10:46 am

  I can honestly say I felt the same way most of the other reviewers felt on this site about there Aerios when I first purchased the car however 36,000 miles later and its a much different feeling. My Aerio has went through 3 sets of tires which were rotated at 5,000 mile intervals. The front sway bar bushings have been replaced.One week later the squeaking is back. More squeaks in the dash. Paint is not very good. Easy to scratch when opening the doors .They do buff out but the chips on the hood do not. I am very disappointed in the car.I thought it would hold up better.The suspension is terrible on this car.Too many squeaks and rattles .I guess you get what you pay for. Not Recommended

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  Zippy - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Night Rider - February 16 - 2:00 am

  I previously had a much more expensive car. I had some the options on it bur costed much more. The value of the car is great. You really get alot for the money.

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  Very under-estimated car - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By cdrl - January 16 - 10:00 am

  In my opinion although this car came sixth out of six in its category, it came number one in both engine and transmission. This is 90% of what you want in a car. Very cormfortable seats and guess what - all my friends (some have a Matrix and a Protege 5) think that this is the most fun car to own. Love the sound of the peppy engine, very fuctional interior unlike the competitors who have useless storage for things like cellphones Safety hazard) and junk food (no place for wrappers. Gets quieter at higher speeds

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  Very Reliable Ride - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By Ross - January 16 - 9:26 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned. Gas mileage is about 25MPG city and 30 MPG highway. Very peppy drivetrain. Turns on a dime, lots of storage space. Nothing has ever broken down on this car (knock on wood). I have only replace oil, air filters, and a battery. I highly recommend it.