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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  Aerio Driver - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By Cheese - September 1 - 10:00 am

  I have had the following issues: rattling noise under car (dealer sais noisy compressor and would not fix under warranty) Driver side door buzz with radio turned up. The rear wiper only goes fast. No slow speed.

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  Way to go Suzuki! - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By John - June 20 - 1:06 pm

  This is a big car in a little package! It is fun, safe, and very roomy. The Aerio is very practical, especially if you have pets or children.

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  Suzuki Aerio 2002 GS - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By blubaustin - January 25 - 1:36 pm

  Pretty cheap car to buy bought one for $1400 with 95k miles, currently has 98k miles. Pretty good starter car if you can invest the money in it to keep it running. For example: a person who cant consistently pay a car payment ontop of full coverage insurance but can afford to save up money and eventually fix stuff. Car is pretty peppy so I dont know what other people are talking about on the car not having pep. Also seems to get pretty good gas mileage. Hwy it averages about 35mpg city, I havent really measured.

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  solid Jap sub-compact - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By rr - December 24 - 2:00 am

  i like this most popular sub-compact (in Japan 2002-03) Japanese car though it isnt a real sporty car. The design and the material quality stand well after a year and a half. I drove it to Vegas twice. The car is also my daily working transportation. So far except routing oil changes, i have no other expenses yet. However, the rim and tires can be enlarged one standard higher. The aired suspension can be improved if the sporty feature isnt upgraded in the future...Suzuki should changes its marketing strategy, and more aggressively competes with other top brand names.

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  OK BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By MONSTER - November 29 - 10:00 am

  I WAS ACTUALLY DISAPPOINTED AND SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE MITSUBISHI LANCER

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  Nice Little Car - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By robarr - November 18 - 10:00 am

  I love my Aerio. Although it has had a few problems that the dealership could not fix. So now Im stuck with a car that hummmms when I step on the gas and when I come to an idle a rattling sound comes from the front of the car. Very disappointed with the dealerships mechanics and i now have to take the car which is still under warranty to my mechanic and pay out of my pocket. Thanks for nothing Suzuki Techs!

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  Best Bang for Buck - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By AerioSX in Edmonton - October 26 - 10:00 am

  This is my first new car, I scoped out the Matrix/Vibe before settling on the SX. What sold me was all the standard features available on the SX model, which cost extra for the other 2. I opted for the AWD, which will be handy in winter time here in Edmonton, AB. Drives smooth. Handling is not as bad as some reviews might lead you to believe. A fine alt to the Matrix or Vibe, a lot less for more.

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  2004 Suzuki SX AWD auto - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By bren - September 26 - 11:13 am

  I bought my Aerio used with 10,000 miles and it currently has 56,000 miles. Overall my Aerio has been reliable, although the brake pads and rotors seem to require replacement more quickly than in other vehicles.

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  smokin - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By crazy canuk - September 17 - 10:00 am

  i ninitially was looking at the grand vitara-but once i stepped into the aerio i was prey to the mesh seats and doors-i know style/quality when i see it. i didnt even test drive it-i let my intuition do the deciding. i luv the seats the best- there thick, supportive and make driving enjoyable! as with any 4 cylinder though-acceleration is loud until you reach cruising. its preety quiet on the highway-much quieter than my dads $50,000 suv.

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  Poor tires, brakes, and shocks - 2005 Suzuki Aerio
  By BrianS - July 9 - 1:30 pm

  The car is amiable. But I had to change all 4 tires at 18000ks and the front disc brakes at 30,000k and I was told the rear shocks are on their way out. To say nothing about the sticking shifter. At 70 years of age, I am hardly a cowboy behind the wheel.