Used 2007 Suzuki Aerio

Suzuki’s quirky little Aerio is not your ordinary economy car. Its tall roofline creates an enormous interior perfectly suited to tall drivers. Likewise, the high seating position creates generous legroom both front and rear. The Aerio offers another unique feature uncommon in this price range: All-wheel drive. While it’s true that the Subaru Impreza also fits this description, you’ll need an extra $2,000 over the Aerio to afford one, and the Impreza’s standard equipment list is not as robust. Unfortunately, the wagon version is gone from the lineup, leaving the equally adept but less versatile sedan. As a consolation prize, Suzuki arms the Aerio sedan with a standard seven-year/100,000-mile zero-deductible powertrain warranty.

The Aerio’s 2.3-liter engine has 155 horsepower and earns an EPA fuel economy rating of 25 city/31 highway. The engine makes decent low-end power and is surprisingly smooth at highway speeds. The automatic does not detract much from performance, and does a good job of selecting a proper gear and not "hunting" with throttle changes.

The five-speed manual feels equally at home in the Aerio, although you may find the shift throws to be a bit long. The Aerio’s suspension gives a comfortable ride on par with this class, and interior sound levels remain fairly low.

For an economy sedan, the level of fit, finish and content in the Aerio is truly impressive. The tall instrument panel features analog readouts, including a speedometer, tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges. The black cloth front seats are smartly styled and extremely comfortable, equipped with wide seat-bottom cushions and a fairly decent amount of lumbar support. Safety features include standard front-seat side-impact airbags, but there are no side-curtain airbags for the rear seat.

The Aerio’s tall doors permit easy access and preclude the chance of bumping one’s head while entering or exiting, while the deep trunk can swallow a hefty amount of luggage or groceries and can be expanded via the split-folding rear seat. Body-colored bumpers and side mirrors create an upscale appearance that belies the Aerio’s low sticker price.

Analog Gauges
A nice set of analog gauges includes a tachometer.

Low Lift-Over Trunk Lip
The Aerio sedan’s low lift-over trunk lip makes it easier to load large or heavy items into the trunk.

The front-wheel-drive Aerio sedan features a 2.3-liter engine, five-speed manual transmission, anti-lock brakes (ABS), automatic air conditioning, remote keyless entry, power windows, rear defroster, dual power mirrors, dual vanity mirrors, AM/FM stereo with CD/MP3, side-impact airbags, split folding rear seat, tilt wheel, remote trunk release, cruise control and full wheel covers. The Premium trim adds an automatic transmission, heated mirrors, an in-dash six-disc CD changer, leather-wrapped steering wheel and alloy wheels.

Options include a four-speed automatic transmission, heated side mirrors, alloy wheels and all-wheel drive.

The Aerio’s 2.3-liter engine runs strong, but is not as smooth as the silky engines from Toyota and Mazda. There is enough torque to accommodate the all-wheel drive system, and it comes on just below 3000 rpm, which means you won’t have to rev this engine high before you get any power – a problem that plagues many smaller four-cylinder powerplants.

2.3-liter in-line 4
155 horsepower @ 5400 rpm
152 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/31 (FWD), 24/29 (AWD)