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The Suzuki SX4 JY, also known as the Suzuki SX4 Cross, is the official car for 50-year-old folks who want a cheap and good car, by their standards atleast.

The Suzuki SX4 JY is related to the original Suzuki SX4 in the same way the author of this literary calamity is related to Sofia Boutella. It’s not, but he wishes it were.

The first SX4 was an experiment thrown together… well, a collaboration with Fiat. Suzuki brought the 4×4 system, Fiat brought the engines and design, and thus the Fiat Sedici emerged around 2005. This small 4×4 vehicle with reasonable running costs took the world by storm, leading Suzuki to release their own version a year later. This was mainly because Fiat was a stronger name in Europe, while Suzuki had a stronger name outside Europe.

But the love story eventually ended, just as Sofia Boutella parted ways with her colleagues from Star Trek. The Fiat Sedici was retired, and Fiat decided to continue expanding the Fiat 500 line, bringing in the Fiat 500x to replace it and then announcing a series of new models like the Fiat 500 Van, Fiat 500 Tanker, Fiat 500 Septic Tank, Fiat 500 Bus, and so on. Suzuki, on the other hand, released the S-Cross but thought we were familiar with the SX4 name, hence the Suzuki SX4 S Cross.

The engines, however, are roughly the same as the previous generation, with some new turbo petrol engines added. But no one cares anyway because all the 50-year-old family men will go for the Fiat sourced 1.6 diesel. Seriously, I’ve never seen a young person physically satisfied thinking about a Suzuki SX4 JY. I haven’t heard of anyone under 50 aspiring to a Suzuki SX4 S Cross. Maybe because it’s too new, and we at our age of 25 still dream of a Golf IV because if he who mixed vodka with beer in high school, later in life will mix water with cement.

Suzuki SX4 JY Engines

Petrol

• 1.0 Turbo K10C of 111 horsepower – Much too small for the Vitara and clearly too underpowered for the Suzuki SX4. It was decent on the Swift but was early retired for economic-religious reasons, and rightly so.


• 1.4 Turbo K14C of 129 and 140 horsepower – Suzuki had to choose between the 1.0 Turbo and the 1.4 Turbo to meet emission standards efficiently. Naturally, they went with the 1.4, which is much more powerful and can be installed on more than just the umbrella from the commercial where a woman drops her vibrator from her purse, and an old lady picks it up and calls after her, “Miss, miss, you dropped your umbrella!” No reliability issues so far.


• 1.5 MPI M15A of 99 horsepower – This is Indonesia exclusive because in Indonesia they punish engines larger than 1,500 cc so Suzuki decided to carry over the old M15A from the previous SX4. A fabulos engine if reliability and running costs are what you’re after in a car. Not much punch, but not much in running costs either.


• 1.5 Turbo MHEV K15C of 129 horsepower – This engine was India exclusive on the Suzuki SX4 JY because Maruti Suzuki is one of the heavy hitters in India and this hybrid petrol was the one to spearhead the new SX4 S Cross. Not much power though, even though it is reliable.


• 1.6 M16A of 120 horsepower – The ancient M16A, dating back to 1430, takes its last breath under the bonnet of the Suzuki SX4 JY. By far the most reliable engine on the S-Cross, but it was already a flip phone in a smartphone world. It was time to retire it. But if you want something simple, not very economical, but very reliable, this is the engine you want.

Diesel

• 1.3 DDiS D13A of 90 horsepower – Another India exclusive, the Maruti Suzuki SX4 1.3 DDiS is cheaper to run than actual running. The legendary 1.3 diesel from Fiat has proven it’s reliability and fuel economy, even though having this engine to carry around the SX4 is like having a glass of water carry you through a night at the pub where you had 15 pints. 


• 1.6 DDiS D16A of 120 horsepower – Essentially the same 1.6 DDiS of Fiat origin found in the Tipo, Doblo, and other work vehicles. I still think this engine is like potato soup. Like going fishing. Like a beer with friends. It does its job decently, without issues but also without enthusiasm. Watch out for the particle filter and the dual-mass flywheel, which needs to be kept farther from the city than us brits keep away from a dentist or Big Shaq from slow mathematics.

Suzuki SX4 JY Reliability Issues

• I’ll start with the main issue: the paintwork. No, it doesn’t rust like a VW or like a frat bruh drinking a non-alcoholic beverage for the first time after years of shady, unlabeled drinks bought from even shadier people with names too unfamiliar to pronounce. No, the issue is the paint is thinner than my wallet, so it chips away at the slightest breeze.


• You have three types of automatic gearboxes. Up until 2015, there was a CVT gearbox for the petrol engines – which no one repairs, from 2015 to 2016 there was a dual-clutch gearbox that didn’t impress anyone in terms of reliability, and from 2016 onwards, there’s a classic torque converter. By far the best and most reliable automatic gearbox on the Suzuki SX4 JY S-Cross, and if it had two more names, it would already be of Mexican origin.


• It’s a Suzuki, so the interior material quality is as low as my expectations when I look at YouTube Trending.


• If you think I have a low opinion of the Suzuki SX4 JY interior and its lack of features, wait until you hear what I think of the bootspace. I don’t understand how such a big car can have such a laughable boot. It’s like giving Dwayne Johnson a thong to wear because that’s all the budget allows.

Suzuki SX4 JY Verdict

The Suzuki SX4 S-Cross was intended to be an excellent car for young families who want a simple, reliable, but new car. But here, things turned out a bit differently. A new Suzuki SX4 S-Cross costs around 16,000 pounds, which in Europe is almost okay for a young couple. But here, only those aged 50+ who want a new, sturdy car to keep until it falls apart can afford this kind of money for this kind of car. And so, a situation was created where young people can’t even buy this car used because those who bought it new will keep it until they grow old. Which isn’t necessarily bad. It’s a good car for the older people, but far too expensive and boring for the youth. But if you want a relatively cheap car you can always rely on, which won’t kick you in the financial balls, this potato soup on wheels could be a good choice for you. Maybe.

Which engines do I recommend? For petrol, I recommend the 1.4 Turbo with 140 horsepower , but the 1.6 naturally aspirated with 120 horsepower is also fine. And for diesel, you’ll never find out the answer.