Suzuki Forenza sedan shows Italian styling and premium gear
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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DALLAS, Tex. -- Heading north in Dallas on Preston Road, a bee-line route lined with ritzy residential estates, we're steering a shapely sedan of brief dimensions but sensuous body styling by Pininfarina, the Italian design studio that has carved some of the most beautiful cars in the world for exotic brands like Ferrari and Maserati.
This particular Pininfarina sculpture-on-wheels differs from the customary mega-bucks product, however, because it bears the marque of Suzuki of Japan and comes with value-packed price points honed to a keen edge.
Dubbed as the Forenza, a name that sounds vaguely like a city in Italy, the new Suzuki scores as a premium sedan cast in three well-equipped variations.
The entry-level Forenza S edition gets the MSRP clipped to $12,449, plus $500 for freight.
Yet it stocks such standard gear as air conditioning, dual exterior mirrors with internal heat elements, power controls for windows and door locks, a premium audio kit with eight speakers plus CD and tape decks, tabs for controlling the audio system mounted on the steering wheel, a tachometer in the instrument cluster, plus variable intermittent wipers, heat ducts for rear seats, an electric rear defroster and a disc brake hanging off each wheel.
Forenza LX as the mid-level trim starts at $14,399, while top model Forenza EX with a four-speed automatic shifter caps the series at only $15,999.
Such low figures typically mark a car of questionable power and cheap equipment, but that's not the way Suzuki works it with Forenza.
Conformed as a four-door notchback sedan in front-wheel-drive (FWD) format for the compact segment, Forenza carries a spacious five-seat passenger compartment filled with comfortable features.
As the sole powertrain it stocks a thrifty four-cylinder engine constructed in Australia by Holden, a subsidiary of General Motors from Down Under.
General Motors also owns part of Suzuki and the two companies share in joint ventures.
Forenza carries either a tight-shifting manual five-speed transmission or the optional electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transaxle and capable mechanical components that cast it as both a comfortable city cruiser and a capable road runner.
Then that bodywork, with the wedge-shaped profile and sheetmetal surfaces scored in an artful blend of curvy swirls and contrasting linear planes, reflects the elegance of Italian automotive design a la Pininfarina.
Forenza's international pedigree -- the Japanese automaker working with Italian stylists and a powertrain out of Australia -- also extends to South Korea where the vehicle is produced by GM-Daewoo Automotive and Technology Company (GM-DAT), a Korean manufacturing group forged from key sections of the Daewoo company that General Motors acquired following Daewoo's demise.
Despite these international ties and the impressive list of components and suppliers, Forenza's price points rank it at the bottom of the list among compact imports.
But Suzuki backs Forenza with its new Open Road Promise warranty.
The program extends well beyond protection for other vehicles. Forenza's powertrain is insured for seven years or 100,000 miles and the warranty is transferable to succeeding owners and free of deductible limits for covered items. Also included is a three-year roadside assistance program and a courtesy car provided during any extended warranty repairs.
Forenza and a mid-size sedan called Verona mark the first two of seven new vehicles coming to Suzuki as the automaker embarks on a five-year mission to triple sales in the American market.
Once regarded as the builder of itsy-bitsy economy cars fitted with tepid powerplants, Suzuki in recent years has focused on sport-utility wagons plus a subcompact called Aerio in conventional sedan and unconventional four-door hatchback format.
But with the roll-out of Verona and Forenza, Suzuki shows it can compete well in sedan segments with proficient vehicles that beg the shopper's question: Why pay more?
Our drive tests through Dallas occurred in the Forenza LX with manual shifter.
Equipment added above the S trim for Forenza LX included 15-inch aluminum alloy wheels, foglamps in the front fascia, a sunroof with tilt and slide movements, cruise control and remote keyless entry system, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, a storage bin tucked below the front passenger's seat and seatback pockets mounted behind the two front buckets.
Forenza EX edition tips further toward luxury mode with the four-speed automatic transmission added plus seat upholstery trimmed in leather.
Optional equipment for all versions extends to four-channel anti-lock brake system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) priced at $500.
Also, the automatic transaxle may be added to S or LX trim for $800.
Power for Forenza comes from a twin-cam 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which achieves 126 hp at 5500 rpm plus 131 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm.
It's smooth and quiet but organized to produce lively throttle responses through lower gears for city driving.
The ride quality feels smooth too, thanks to the compliant independent suspension system with MacPherson struts in front and a dual-link design at the rear and gas-pressurized shock absorbers at all four posts.
Steering is precise and quick through a rack and pinion arrangement with speed-pressurized power assistance.
And the fast-acting brakes show ventilated discs in front with solid discs in back.
Forenza's passenger compartment seems generous for the compact class with 42 inches of legroom for front riders and 36.7 inches of legroom in the rear.
Two contoured bucket seats mount up front on either side of a padded console, while the rear bench, notched with seats for two but space for three, has three height-adjustable headrests and a seatback that splits in two sections of 40/60 percent and folds down separately.
Design of the dashboard is clean and linear with an arching ripple for the instrument cluster and a swoopy center stack of controls for audio and climate systems.
Three round analog gauges in the instrument panel contain silver bezels with white-on-black notations and red needles for easy reading.
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| 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact sedan
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| Model Options: |
Compact sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
102.4 inches
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| Overall Length: |
177.2 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.0-L I4
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| Transmission: |
MT: Manual/5
AT: Auto/4
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc
opt. ABS/EBD
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| Airbags: |
2 (front)
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| Gas Mileage: |
MT: 24/31 mpg
AT: 22/30 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
Forenza S MT: $ 12,449, Forenza LX MT: $ 14,399, Forenza EX AT: $ 15,999 |
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