“Technical data - © Price as tested $14,890 © Type 4 door, 4 pass. sports- utility ® Layout longtitudinal engine/RWD/4WD © Engine 1590 cc OHC 4 cylinder w/EFI «© Horsepower 80 @ 5400 rpm ¢ Transmission 5 spd. manual (3 spd. automatic) © Curb weight 1210 kg/2667 Ibs. front ¢ Tires P205/75 R15 © Wheelbase 2,480 mm/97.7 in. © Length 4,030 mm/158.8 in. © Width 1,640 mm/64.6 in. © Height 1,700 mm/67.0 in. e Cargo space rear seat up 691 cu.ft. tear seat down 1/47 cu.ft. © Fuel economy City 10.4 1/27 mpg; Hwy 8.8 1/32 mpg © Warranty Basic 3 yrs/80,000 km 1/24 1,340 Friday, February 1, 1991 — North Shore News - 17 eos SUZUKI SIDEKICK THE FOUR-DOOR Suzuki Sidekick is the fifth new four-door sports utility vehicle to be introduced in the past year. Compact four-door utility vehi- cles are now outselling two-door models, and some of the newer ones, such as the Isuzu Rodeo and Range Rover, are not even offered with two doors. Ironically, 4WD sports utility vehicles are becoming increasingly SUZUKI'S NEW 4W) Sidekick four-door hardtop is roomy enough for four or five pas- sengers, has a fuel-efficient 80 horsepower 1.6 litre four cy!- inder engine, and a standard five-speed manual transmis- sion or optional three-speed automatic. popular in urban areas. Many 4WD vehicles can now be ordered with leather interiors, CD players, sunroofs, and other conveniences which weren’t previously necessary down on the farm. The new four-door Suzuki Sidekick is not quite as fancy or as large as some of the vehicles in this class, but it is considerably less expensive. Tne suggested retail price of my test vehicle, a base JX model, is $14,395. A top-of-the- line JLX ‘Power Pack’ model starts at $17,195. Like many of its contem- poraries, the four-door Sidekick is more ‘user friendly’ than a 4WD vehicle has a right to be. [It has softer shock absorbers for a smooth ride, a longer wheelbase which removes the characteristic ‘choppiness’ found in 4WD vehi- cles, and an att-active, car-like in- terior. Suzuki has added more sound insulation this year too; however, my test vehicle was still a little noisy on acceleration. The four-door Sidekick is 410 mm (16.3 inches) longer than the two-door model, and is available only in a hardtop body style. General Motors, by the way, of- fers a version of the two-door Sidekick called the Tracker, but they will not be offering the four-door model. Shifting into 4WD is straightforward. A_ gear-lever mounted conveniently between the driver and passenger permits easy gear-changes between 2H and 4H on the fly, but the vehicle must be stopped to engage 4 Low. The free wheel hubs must first be engaged manually in both cases. The Sidekick’s 1.6 litre four- cylinder engine has 80 horse- Greg Wilson TEST DRIVE power, adequate but not very powerful. Fortunately, the Sidekick has a relatively light curb weight of 1,210 ky (2,667 [bs.). In my opinion, an optional, bigger engine for towing or haul- ing heavy cargo would make this a more versatile vehicle. The interior of the Sidekick features an unusually high ceiling so there’s lots of headroom for front and rear passengers. Legroom is also generous. Outward visibility is very good. The front reclining seats and split rear bench are covered in an at- tractive cloth with a vinyl backing. Heater, ventilation, and radio controls are easy to reach in the centre console area, but some but- tons for the rear wiper and defroster are hidden from view behind the steering wheel. Getting in and out of the Sidekick is easier than with many utility vehicles because of its rela- tively low step-in height. [t still has lots of ground clearance though (200 mm/7.9 inches) for traversing obstacles.