Description: Near-Luxury Mid-Size Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $13,999 - $16,999
Invoice Price Range: $13,439 - $16,319
Where built: Japan

Suzuki's sub-compact Aerio series skews in formats of a conventional sedan or unconventional four-door hatchback. Both share a chassis, powertrain and mechanical hardware. Aerio the sedan and Aerio SX the hatch for 2006 appear in a single trim loaded with standard features with either FWD orientation or Suzuki's QuadGrip all-wheel-drive (AWD) system for sticky traction on slick pavement.

Advanced frontal and side-impact air bags apply to every Aerio, as does a twin-cam 2.3-liter four-pack engine that develops 155 hp. A short-stick manual five-speed stick is the norm, but an electronic automatic four-speed transaxle is available.

The cabin layout shows a pair of bucket seats in front followed by two Bolstered seats sculpted into a bench and divided by a fold-down armrest. Seatbacks on both sides of the bench drop forward independently to increase the size of the rear cargo compartment.