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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  Excellent Car - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By N.H. - January 19 - 2:00 am

  Just got the car in September. It is a very nice looking car with good build. It has a powerful engine for a car of its size. It handles well and allows for very comfortable and exciting ride. Good amount of space available when needed. Nice hidden compartments to put away little things under the passengers seen and in the back. It has a modern look to it from the outside and the inside while still feeling like a good sold quality build unit. Nice numeric dash, exact numbers and clear (very clear) even when the sun is shining directly one it. A lot of room is available for the legs in the front and the back seets.

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  Best price/quality ratio in its class - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By yurets - January 9 - 10:00 am

  roomy enough, peppy enough, surprisingly good cornering and breaking, not really noisy for 4 cyl. car

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  AERIO - Excellent value for the money - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By micndom - December 25 - 2:00 am

  Good acceleration and breaking (ABS). Power steering is effortless without being too sensitive. Relatively high sitting position. Plenty of interior space. A lot of fun to drive !

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  My Yellow Submarine.... - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By Florida_AerioSX - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Ive only had my car two months- but its been a great "ride" so far. Im finally getting used to the stares that my "yellow sub" gets. I love all of the standard equipment and the power that the engine has. I wish it got better mileage (appx 25 mpg mostly highway), but I guess if you want "pep" something has to give. It feels very stable on the road and seems well built. I cant wait to several years of fun with this car.

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  Love this big little car - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By bonnie - December 16 - 10:53 pm

  After driving my saturn for 4 years, I went to purchase another small vehicle due to my long working commute. But, I live in Pa and the weather can be harsh at times...this car got me through the mountains, the horror of driving the highway with all the 18wheelers!! This car is fun, turns the heads of drivers on the highway..and I feel totally safe inside

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  Fourth New Car - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By Phil - December 5 - 10:16 am

  My 2006 Suzuki Aerio is my fourth new car purchase and fourteenth car purchase ever. For a small, low-priced and economic car, the handling, power, and comfort are excellent. This line of cars will catch up to the other Japanese car-makers in a few years and will probably become like-priced. Buying now gets you a super-bargain.

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  ARIO SX RULES - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By ROCKY - November 21 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is a great looking sporty car that has plenty of room for cargo and passengers. Great gas mileage,easy handling with rapid response for power and maneuverability. Very comfortable whether you travel interstates or around town stop and go traffic.

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  Suzuki Aerio - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By Amandam19 - October 29 - 10:00 am

  I love my car! The only dissapoint I see with it is lack of storage. There is a CD player, but no where to keep cds! There is no center consol! That would be about the only thing! Its great on gas!

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  Best Choice - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By MyWifesNewCar - October 20 - 11:40 pm

  I really like this car. I happily recommend it to any one considering a new small car purchase. It beats the competition hands down on content and features. The little car is a pleasure to drive, now I dont mind Walmart parking lots. Give it a try Im sure youll be suprised.

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  Love this car! - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By flboy_2008 - September 8 - 12:10 am

  I bought my car in October of 2004. It had about 22k miles when I bought it and currently has 114k. I really love this car. It drives like an expensive european car. Since I bought it I replaced the battery in the keychain and the cars battery. I also flush out the transmission ever 40k which I do to all the cars I own, and I change the oil every 3500 miles. The car requires low profile tires (because it handles like its on rails), I recommend Goodyear traction t/as. Ive been able to get 70k miles on them before replacing them. The original tires only lasted about 30k.