2002 Suzuki Aerio

Suzuki needs a dynamic, heart-of-the-market vehicle that is both competitive and distinctive to attain its goal of one-percent U.S. market share and 100,000 annual units sold. The current Esteem is not such a car. Enter: the more competitive Aerio sedan and SX ("sport crossover").

The Aerio puts the Japanese automaker on the offensive with a product whose quantitative aspects will put the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Mazda Protégé on guard. The figure that jumps out is the base power: 141 horses. With a 10+ horse advantage over most competitors, Suzuki claims best-in-class acceleration. However, the DOHC I-4 does not have the same smoothness found in some competitors and, based on our drive, the performance edge may prove negligible. The engine can be matched with a five-speed manual or four-speed auto in any model.

Equally as important as the hard numbers is the Aerio's styling. Like it or not, the appearance will draw attention -- something the invisible Esteem never did. Drawing inspiration from European design, the Aerio provides a lot of interior space in a compact package. With a tall roof and low-slung dash, the Aerio feels roomy for a small car, with good head- and legroom despite an upright seating position. Due to roof profile, the SX offers better headroom for rear riders, though the sedan counters with a midsize-worthy 14.6-cubic-foot trunk. A wide opening, low liftover, and passthrough courtesy split-fold seats all enhance the trunk's usefulness. Cargo haulers will naturally gravitate to the SX, where the rear seats fold truly flat and there's underfloor storage, including a sand-castle-ready pail.