Suzuki SX4 and Swift Sport Win AA Awards

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Suzuki SX4 and Swift Sport Win AA Motoring Excellence Awards

Sound engineering and good value for money were key factors in Suzuki scooping two titles at the 2007 Automobile Association Motoring Excellence Awards.

The newly introduced Suzuki SX4 Ltd manual won the Eyepro Eyecare Crossover Car Class Award and the Suzuki Swift Sport took also won the Fairfax Media Small Car Class Award.

After detailed assessment of 87 cars from 22 manufacturers, just two makes won more than one Excellence Award – Suzuki and Volvo.

Cars were judged on design, performance, dynamics, practicality and value in a week-long scrutiny based in Taupo last month. An independent team of motoring journalists acted as judges.

Stella Stocks, General Manager of AA Technical Services, said entrants in the Crossover category were variations on the four-wheel-drive theme.

“The Suzuki SX4 Ltd manual gets all the fundamentals right,” said Ms. Stocks. “With a responsive all wheel drive and balanced chassis, this vehicle stuffs all-wheel-drive into a generic family hatchback package.”

The judges, she said, found this “irresistible” Suzuki package threw in a stacked standard equipment list and then charged several grand less for it.

As a crossing of Japanese technology and European demands, Suzuki developed the 2-litre SX4 with Europe in mind, giving the car greater appeal in markets like New Zealand.

The SX4 is built on a unibody platform developed from the Swift. This provides excellent stability which was further tuned in Europe for nimbleness and crisp responsive handling.

Meanwhile the highly acclaimed Suzuki Swift Sport 1600 five-door hatchback was outright winner of the coveted Small Car Class Award at the AA presentation.

Already the recipient of several major industry awards in New Zealand and internationally, the Swift has been highly praised in its latest up-rated Sport form.

The 1.6-litre Sport version arrived in New Zealand late last year to join the line up of 1.5-litre Swift models. World sales of Swifts have far exceeded original forecasts. While in New Zealand it has been the number one selling supermini for the past two years.

The Swift Sport is a high performance compact hatchback offering outstanding value for money in a fine handling car that is well specified as standard.

The AA Motoring Excellence Awards aim to identify and reward excellence among new vehicles and in areas of concern to motorists.

“We are delighted both the SX4 and Swift Sport have been honoured at the AA Awards,” said Tom Peck, General Manager of Marketing for Suzuki New Zealand Ltd.

“The findings of the judges substantiate what New Zealand buyers are already appreciating,” he said.

ENDS

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