Playing Catch-up
The Age
Saturday April 24, 2004
It's a better package, but this new-model Liana is still the runt of the small-car litter, writes Cameron McGavin.
It's not easy being a littleleaguer in the small-car class. On one side there's the established bullyboys from Japan to contend with; on the other an expanding group of sneering Europeans just waiting to lure buyers upmarket. Once the dust has settled from that tussle, and the Koreans have picked at the scraps, there's not a whole lot left to fight for.
Just ask Suzuki. Its Liana has been around for more than two years, yet accounts for just a little more than half a per cent of the segment's total sales.
It's not a performance to set pants on fire, particularly when other brands are persuading a growing number of buyers to liberate even bigger wads of dollars for their take on the "premium" hatch.
So what's the deal? Is Suzuki's small car misunderstood, or are buyers rightfully giving the Liana a wide berth? Last time it passed our way, we judged it roomy, practical and inexpensive but dead-ordinary to drive. And, in all honesty, a little bit peculiar to look at, particularly in sedan form.
But Suzuki obviously reckons the Liana's styling is just fine, because this updated version looks almost exactly the same.
Which is good if that's your thing, but non-believers aren't going to be any more convinced now than they were before.
A more impressive case of inertia is concerned with price, which stands firm at $19,990 despite a healthy equipment boost. Air-conditioning, twin airbags, power windows and remote central locking are now backed up by alloy wheels, foglights, anti-lock brakes and a six-stack, in-dash CD sound system. It's good deal for $20k.
Inside there are changes aplenty. The outgoing dash's ghastly combination of ungainly design, cheap-suit plastics and digital instruments has been banished to the boonies, and while the new set-up isn't a style leader it is, at the very least, contemporary and inoffensive.
Some touches, such as the centre console and instruments, are even quite pleasant. But annoying rattles in our test car's dash aren't a good sign on the quality front.
Space and practicality remain impressive. The Liana might lack style, but the boxy hatch body gives it a cabin that's right up there when it comes to swallowing people and possessions. There's room to spare up front (but disappointingly flat seats), and even tall occupants will fit in the back without protest. The boot, too, is big and well-shaped.
Get past the new-look cabin, though, and the real news is the all-new, 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, which steps in for the outgoing 1.6-litre unit. Boasting variable valve timing and other new-age goodies, it pumps out 92 kW of power and 170 Nm of torque, 16 kW and 26 Nm more respectively than before.
Out on the road the new powerplant wins points. It's eager and responsive, revs freely and doesn't shy away from a good, hard slog. There's also more push on offer at low revs, making it more relaxing to drive around town. Fuel efficiency is said to match its smaller sibling, which we can't confirm, but it's pretty thrifty by any measure.
Refinement, though, has missed this boat. Various buzzes and vibrations are apparent throughout the rev range, and the engine gets annoyingly vocal when pushed. Add that to ordinary tyre and wind noise suppression and ordinary straight-line stability and you've got - yep, you guessed it - an ordinary touring package.
Apart from the engine, the rest of the package is unchanged. That means a gearbox that's easy to navigate, but burdened by a long throw, clunky action and feel-free clutch.
It also means dynamics that are acceptable but sub-par by class standards.
Steering that lacks feel, is none too precise and suffers from kick-back over corrugations, lots of body roll and a steady preference for understeer (front-end push) at the limit aren't exactly the right ingredients for a smile-raising small car these days. And neither is twitchy ride quality that copes OK in the city but loses the plot on gnarled country tarmac.
In the final wash-up, the changes in this update just aren't far-reaching enough to elevate the Liana to a class-par, let alone distinction. And with so many tough and talented rivals roaming the segment, this runt of the small-car litter isn't likely to roar any time soon.
RATINGS
*****
Dream wheels
****
Better than average
***
On the ball
**
Just transport
*
Very ordinary
NUTS'N'BOLTS - SUZUKI LIANA GS 1.8 VVT HATCH
HOW MUCH?
$19,990 (man) or $21,890 (auto), plus on-road costs.
INSURANCE
Premium $700 (RACV wholly owned, driver 30-plus, rating one, medium-risk suburb, $450 excess).
WARRANTY
Three years/100,000 km.
ENGINE
1.8-litre, DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder, 92 kW at 5500 rpm and 170 Nm at 4200 rpm.
TRANSMISSION
Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive.
STEERING
Rack and pinion, 3.0 turns lock-to-lock.
Turning circle 10.0 m.
BRAKES
Ventilated discs (f); drums (r). ABS.
SUSPENSION
Independent by MacPherson struts, coil springs and stabiliser bar (f); Independent by MacPherson struts, coil springs and stabiliser bar (r).
WHEELS/TYRES
Alloy, 15 x 6.0-inch.
Tyres 195/55.
HOW BIG?
Length 4230 mm,width 1720 mm,height 1550 mm,wheelbase 2480 mm.
HOW HEAVY.
?1180 kg.
HOW THIRSTY.
?7.4 L/100 km, unleaded. Fuel tank 50 litres.
EQUIPMENT
Airbags - yes, two (twin front); air-conditioning - yes; power windows - yes; power mirrors - yes; cruise control - no; trip computer - no; sound system - radio, sixstack, in-dash CD player; cupholders - yes, two; remote central locking - yes; security - yes, immobiliser.
FOR
Roomy cabin,attractive price,well-equipped,perky performance,thrifty fuel economy,cabin more attractive than before.
AGAINST
Buzzy engine vibes, clunky gearshift, ropy steering, wobbly-kneed handling, average ride quality, flat and non-supporting front seats, rattly dash.
SCORE
**?
COMPETITORS
Ford Focus
***?
Holden Astra
****
Mazda 3 Neo
****
Toyota Corolla
***?
© 2004 The Age