The 1993 Suzuki Sidekick Is available as a convertible or hardtop body etyle, with a standard 1.6-litre four-c
alarm system. Inquire about the Sidekick at North Vancouver Suzuki, 1695 Marine Dr., North Vancouver.

TEST DAIVE

THERE AREN'T many
four-wheel-drive sport-utility
vehicles available for under
$15,000, so ata base price
of just $13,095, the Suzuki
Sidekick seems like a real
bargain.

But is it a good value, or is
there a catch somewhere?

No caich as tar as ] can see.
The two-door Sidekick is a great
buy in the entry-level faur-
wheel-drive sport-utility cla

it’s not as powerful or as well

finished as more expensive sport
utilities, but it combines a sporty
look with reasonable comfort and
four-wheel-drive capabilities.

And unlike some other vehicles
in this class, the Sidekick is not an
ex-Second World War military
vehicle converted into a streetable
4X4, The engineers who designed
the Sidekick put as much attention
into comfort, ride and drivability
as into off-road abilities,

Twe-door Sidekicks are also
sold as Geo Trackers by General
Motors dealers and are manufac-
tured in Ontario and Japan. A
four-door hardtop model is sold
only by Suzuki dealers.

The two-door Sidekick is avail-
able with a canvas convertible top
ora hardtop in JA, JX, and JLX
trim levels. Surprisingly, the base
convertible model is priced slightly
lower than the hardtop ($13,095
vs. $13,495).

The standard powertrain in the
wwo-door Sidekick is an 80-
horscpower, 1.6-litre overhead
cam four-cylinder engine mated to
a five-speed manual transmission.
A thice-speed automatic is avail-
able as an option.

Sidekicks come with a part-
time, shift-an the-fly, nvo-speed
4WD system with manual-locking
front hubs,

Due to a relatively light curb
weight and some clever gearing,

the Sidekick offers fairly brisk
off-the-line acecieration, but pas-
sing power on the highway is
limited.

The manua shifter is a lice
stiff, but not uncomfortahly so.
Standard front-dise/rear-drum
brakes offer excellent stopping
power and ABS is standard on the
rear wheels; however, it only
works when the veliicle is in che
2WD made,

Gas mileage is good for a 4X4,
averaging nine litres per 100
kilometres (32 mpg) versus 7.9
litres per 100 kilometres (36 mpg)
with (he manual transmission.

The Sidekick's short wheelbase,
high ground clearance (200 mm/
7,9 in.), very small turning radius,
and big, knobby 15-inch tires
make it a very capable off-road
vehicle,

The Sidekick will tackle sharp
crests, tree stuinps and boulders
that would leave longer
wheelbase-vehicles high and dry.

Perhaps the Sidekick’s most
useful crait is its winter traction.
The Sidekick makes short work of
unploughed city streets,
snowbanks, and deep, slippery
snow,

Unlike many 4WD vehicles, the
Sidekick is not heavy enough, long
enough or low enough to get stuck
in the snow,

The Sidekick handles and rides

Pry

Price as tested $17,395

Base price WA) $13,095

Type Two-door, four-
passenger 4W1D sport-utilily
Layout Longitudinal front
engine/RWD/part-time WI)
Engine 1.6-litre four-cytinder,
SOHC, electronic single-point
fuel injection

florsepower 80 @ 5,400 rom

Torque 94° ft.-tbs. @ 3,000
rpm

well on dry pavement, tog, and
outward visibility is very good,
even in the convertible model,

A sticker onthe driver's door
warns, in a not-so-subtle manner,
that a multipurpose vehicle han-
dles differently from a passenger
car: “4... as with other vebicles of
this type, if you make sharp turns
or abrupt manoeuvres, the vehicle
may roll over or may go out of
control and crash.”

The Sidekick’s tall passenger
cabin seats four comfortably, but
trunk space is minimal. One or
both split rear seats can be folded
over to maximize cargo area, and
tear access is via a cargo door that

Friday, July 23, 19

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

ylinder engine, part-time four-wheel diive, and a standard

fransmission Five-speed man-
ual (three-speed automatic)
Transfer case Two-spced

Curb weight 1,088 kg/2,399
Ibs.

Wheelbkase 2,200 11 /86.6 in.
Length 3,620 mm/142.5 in.
Width 1,630 mm/54.2 in,
Height 1,665 mm/65.2 in.

Tires P205/75R-15

Fuel consumption City: 10.1
L/100 km (28 mpg); Hwy: 7.9
1/100 kin (36 mpg)

Warranty Three years/80,000
km

swings outwards rather than up or
down, The spare tire is iounted
on the outside of the cargo door.
The convertible top can be
folded back part-way asa
sunroof, or removed completely.
However, the top takes at least
10 minutes to semove because of
its complicated design. Once
removed, there is surprisingly little
wind buffeting in the front seats.
A built-in roll bar with side sup-
ports provides rollover safety.

Like other Suzukis, the Sidekich
comes with a standard alarin
system and at tiree-year/80,000-
Kilometre warranty,