Why isnt the Swift very popular here in the Philippines?

**gabster_26** · September 11th, 2012 11:56 PM

This thread is really interesting to me as I have the same question regarding the sx4 crossover. I'm almost about to buy it because it seems like such a great car, I test drove it and the performance was good...the reviews are great as well. It's a nice car that has mild offloading ability, which fits my needs (90% city driving with the occasional need to go to quezon).

I keep wondering why more people aren't buying the sx4 crossover...I know the sedan was a total flop (for very obvious reasons) but the crossover seems like a great deal. Is it because of the same problems you guys talk about with the swift? Would greatly appreciate inputs before I take the plunge with the sx4...

**niky** · September 12th, 2012 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by gabster_26

This thread is really interesting to me as I have the same question regarding the sx4 crossover. I'm almost about to buy it because it seems like such a great car, I test drove it and the performance was good...the reviews are great as well. It's a nice car that has mild offloading ability, which fits my needs (90% city driving with the occasional need to go to quezon).

I keep wondering why more people aren't buying the sx4 crossover...I know the sedan was a total flop (for very obvious reasons) but the crossover seems like a great deal. Is it because of the same problems you guys talk about with the swift? Would greatly appreciate inputs before I take the plunge with the sx4...

The SX4 is nice, but it's up against more modern competition like the Kia Soul or the Accent and Rio. Hell... if people want something that's "not a car" in the range, the Soul, Avanza and Grand Livina box the SX4 in... the Soul is more stylish, the Avanza is taller, and the Grand Livina is both bigger and more powerful.

The SX4 is not a bad car, but it's not really suited for off-road. Lightweight car suspension. As opposed to cars like the Avanza or the APV, which have ladder frame construction and live axles.

**_Qwerty_** · September 12th, 2012 09:37 AM

5 seater lang yung SX4 crossover..

how about the suzuki Ertiga? this one's a 7 seater.. totally flat pa yung 2nd and 3rd row..

**Syuryuken** · September 12th, 2012 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by _Qwerty_

5 seater lang yung SX4 crossover..

how about the suzuki Ertiga? this one's a 7 seater.. totally flat pa yung 2nd and 3rd row..

Kung dadalhin ang turbo diesel ertiga dito lagot ang avanza at phaseout ang apv.

**gabster_26** · September 12th, 2012 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by niky

The SX4 is nice, but it's up against more modern competition like the Kia Soul or the Accent and Rio. Hell... if people want something that's "not a car" in the range, the Soul, Avanza and Grand Livina box the SX4 in... the Soul is more stylish, the Avanza is taller, and the Grand Livina is both bigger and more powerful.

The SX4 is not a bad car, but it's not really suited for off-road. Lightweight car suspension. As opposed to cars like the Avanza or the APV, which have ladder frame construction and live axles.

The grand livina is too mommy-ish, I don't like beige interiors, and it doesn't have an AUX port (I like my iPod music, but I don't care enough to go out and buy a replacement stereo with one, I want a car that comes with one standard).

The Avanza is too taxi-y for me. Test drove it and I don't like the ride as well.

I will have to check on the Soul...the base model is roughly the same price as the SX4 I believe? Have to check whether it offers the same features and performance as the SX4. The higher priced variants are way beyond my budget at >1M.

Criteria for me was handling, car-like ride, a hatch/MPV/SUV body (no sedans), good ground clearance, ability to offroad/go climb steep hills/mountainsides once in a while (isn't the SX4 sort of an offroader in other countries? Though we don't have the 2.0 AWD here), a nice interior (all black preferably, like the Mazdas), fuel economy, and a price below 1M. The SX4 fit all those for me, and it's not too common...want to stand out from all the Jazzes and Vioses running around.

Any other suggestions? Will check the soul out aight

**spiff41398** · September 12th, 2012 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by gabster_26

I will have to check on the Soul...the base model is roughly the same price as the SX4 I believe? Have to check whether it offers the same features and performance as the SX4. The higher priced variants are way beyond my budget at >1M.

For 2012, there is only 1 variant of the Kia Soul, the 1.6L DVVCT A/T. It retails for 919k but with discounts, can go down to 899k, same as the SX4. My wife and I were looking at the City 1.5 and Lancer 1.6 EX GLS, but for a little bit more cash, we will probably go for the Soul. It's got lots of legroom and headroom and rides a little bit higher than compact cars.

**lowslowbenz** · September 12th, 2012 12:04 PM

When our club (MBCP) had the chance to have a track-day at Clark International Speedway, the big boys came in full force. The AMG's, the 4.5 V8's, and the 2.3 Cosworth's, cars that would eat a Swift for breakfast in the long stretches. But Clark was anything but straight. So while the big bruisers were slipping and sliding (some even overshooting), the pace car Swift was always leading the pack.

**SiRbossR** · September 12th, 2012 12:33 PM

I think the Swift is roomier than the Fiesta.

**SiRbossR** · September 12th, 2012 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by lowslowbenz

When our club (MBCP) had the chance to have a track-day at Clark International Speedway, the big boys came in full force. The AMG's, the 4.5 V8's, and the 2.3 Cosworth's, cars that would eat a Swift for breakfast in the long stretches. But Clark was anything but straight. So while the big bruisers were slipping and sliding (some even overshooting), the pace car Swift was always leading the pack.

It's a really great handling car. I would actually buy one and mod it and have fun in the track.

**niky** · September 12th, 2012 12:50 PM

The Swift is good, but only as good as its tires. If any of those big boys knew how to drive, they should have been able to keep up in the twisty bits at Clark. Then again, if you're talking AMG V8, those are usually big and heavy, and I can imagine the front-end push in the tight sweepers on the west track was insane. Bet no one took the last corner before the straight flat-out.

If you really need to go off-road, there is only one answer:

Tough as freaking nails. Twin live axle, low range transfer case, ladder frame.

Of course, the back seat is Alto-sized (might even be smaller) and the trunk is non-existent.

But economy is somewhat decent, it's very easy to drive in traffic, and it's good looking. Really made for off-road, so the air intake is high and the alternator is also high up in the engine bay (around waist level). And it starts at 705k for the base 4x4 MT.

-

While you can take an SX4 off-road, if the road is really rough, it will cost you extra in repairs. Not saying that the SX4 is delicate, but when you go over potholes regularly, road-biased suspensions and bushings wear out very quickly. Even if it came in all-wheel drive, I would not buy an SX4 or any other small crossover (ASX, Tucson, CX5) for regular off-roading.

In cases like this, better to go for something more truck-like. An Innova maybe, or even a Crosswind. Suspensions are not indestructible, but they're made for heavy-duty use, and you can get them in diesel for under 1m.