We liked the Suzuki four-door VW Sidekick JLX for what it is-a small light-duty 4WD vehicle that likely will be used for casual off-roading but is more at ease just doing everyday driving. It's our impression that Suzuki decided to market the Sidekick to further take advantage of the popularity of Geo Tracker and its own 4WD fun vehicles.But mericans get very serious when it comes to sport utility vehicles. We want power, comfort, cargo capacity and towing capability. The Suzuki Sidekick is lacking in these areas-particularly in power, room and towing. Head out on a serious hunting, fishing or camping expedition and you'll probably have to cut back on what you want to take along. And you may even have to make other travel arrangements for some of your party.
It is also under-powered. That little 1.6-liter 95 hp four-banger is really working most of the time. You probably can strap a light canoe on top or maybe tow a light pop-up camper, but that's about it.
On the plus side, the Sidekick rides and handles well in spite of some body roll and lean in cornering. It is fun to drive because of its compactness and maneuverability. We also like the 4WD capability for handling bad weather and for occasional off-road use.
The price seems right too: Our test model carried a sticker of $15,429. However, you can buy a Jeep
Cherokee for close to this, and the Cherokee has more power, room and towing capability. But for what it is, the Sidekick is a very acceptable compact sport utility vehicle.