2012 Suzuki SX4 Sedan

The compact SX4 is the smallest Suzuki car you can buy in America, even though its maker is the top seller of microcars in the world. (The closest thing to a brand-new microcar in our market, by the way, is the Scion iQ.) The SX4 has been around since the 2007 model year, but it's still a solid product. In 2010, it got a more powerful engine and improved transmissions; the SX4 SportBack model, essentially an SX4 Crossover with the roof rack removed and a body kit, was added that same year. Traditional sedan body styles are part of the SX4 family, too, including the fancier, body-kitted Sport SE. The Crossover HAS a handy four-wheel-drive system; all other models make do with front-wheel drive only. The surprisingly nice interior can be dressed up with options such as Bluetooth, automatic climate control, heated seats, and a Garmin-sourced navigation system, which has been upgraded for 2012. Like Suzuki's respected motorcycles, the nimble SX4 is fun to drive enthusiastically, and although it's not as quick as those crotch rockets, the SX4 is much more powerful than most of its rivals, such as the Honda Fit and the Scion xD. Suzuki planned to release a subcompact, the Swift, to slot below the SX4 in the U.S. market, but the company's recent split from General Motors and tumultuous marriage with Volkswagen mean that the lauded Swift might never reach North American shores. Bummer.