Suzuki may be gone from the North American new-car
market, but it's still a big player in Japan, where it's now rolled out new
versions of its Spacia hatch/van/wagon-thing.
Looking like an even smaller version of the Scion xB
or Nissan Cube, the new Spacia is a tall box on small wheels with a tiny
footprint in the true style of Japan's little Kei cars. But Suzuki has managed
to cram a lot in there.
For starters, it's touted as the first car in its
class with safety features like active emergency braking, around-view monitor,
and head-up display. The manufacturer also boasts of a “wide interior space”
despite its compact dimensions, with a minivan-style sliding rear door to ease
ingress and egress in even the tightest of spots.
It also packs a hybrid powertrain: a 660-cc inline
six, available either naturally aspirated or turbocharged form, and with two-
or all-wheel drive. Either way, it can run on electric power alone for short
distances.
Buyers can also choose between the retro Spacia and
the more aggressive-looking Spacia Custom, which we gather are targeted at
different demographics. Suzuki anticipates selling 12,000 of these each month,
with prices ranging from ¥ 1,333,800-1,908,360 – or about US$ 12-17k, depending
on specification.
