2004 Suzuki Forenza Maine

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Introduction

Suzuki Forenza -- 2004 First Drive: With the introduction of the Forenza, Suzuki goes head to head with the big boys in the hotly contested compact class. Segment leaders Civic and Corolla have long had a comfortable chunk of this sector, and the field is further populated by quality entries from Nissan (Sentra), Mazda (3) and Korean offerings by Kia (Spectra) and Hyundai (Elantra). Into the mix comes Forenza, a four door, front drive sedan offered in three trim levels. The base, Forenza S stickers for $12,499, and is well contented at that price. Standard are air conditioning, AM/FM/Cassette/ CD sound system with eight speakers and redundant controls on the steering wheel, tilt wheel, floor mats, heated mirrors and power windows and door locks. Next up is the mid-level LX, with a starting sticker of $14,399. LX adds the following to the list of standards: leather-wrapped wheel, remote keyless entry, aluminum alloy wheels, fog lamps, cruise control and a power moon roof. Topping off the line is the EX. At $15,999, it has all of the foregoing equipment plus leather seating surfaces.

Forenza's design was penned by Pinanfarina. The Italian studio has styled many exotic cars over the years, and this, of course, is not one of them. With the subject economy and not exotic, the charge and the challenge are obviously different, and the designers have responded well.

Modern Look

The Forenza's lines fit well with the modern, long hood/short deck standard for the small sedan class. The profile shows a sloping front end, rising gradually to a taller, squared off tail. Bridging the gap - a rounded greenhouse arching sharply over the top. In all, it's a pleasant, contemporary shape.

Forenza offers adult size seating for four inside (five, if you include young'uns). Silver metallic trim bisects the dashboard north/south, and rings the four gauge instrument cluster. The front seats adapt well to various size drivers. Switchgear is mostly found on steering wheel column stanchions: stalk left for lights, stalk right for wipers. HVAC controls are dialed in with a trio of rheostats placed low on the center dash array, with sound system above. Nothing is out of reach or hard to engage. The trunk measures 12.4 cubic feet. It's usably shaped, has a low lift over height for easy access and the rear seat backs fold forward if you want to carry any long gear.

One engine is offered with a choice of two transmissions. The 2.0 liter four cylinder develops 199 horsepower @ 5,400 rpm and 126 lb. ft. of torque @ 4,000 rpm. A five speed standard is standard, with a four speed automatic available.