Test drive: 2005 Suzuki Reno

The Suzuki Reno's lineage is more complex than Queen Elizabeth's: Styled in Europe, built in Korea using Australian parts, and sold with a Japanese nameplate. Like Her Majesty, the end result is pleasant and well-appointed but a little dull. Want lots of kit for little cash? Then put the Suzuki Reno on your shortlist. But if cutting-edge styling and driving excitement are what you crave, this isn't the car for you. $16,389 as tested. Warranty: 3 year/36,000 mi plus 7 year/100,00 mi powertrain.

First Glance

Remember the Daewoo Nubira? It was sold in the United States for about five minutes. The Nubira was one of three models Daewoo introduced in 1999 that offered technology from Holden and Opel (General Motors' Australian and European divisions) at the bargain-basement prices typical of Korean cars. Daewoo is gone but the Nubira is back, in sedan/wagon form as the Suzuki Forenza and in restyled 5-door hatchback form as the new-for-2005 (well, almost-new-for-2005) Suzuki Reno. The prices are higher, but then again it's been seven years since the Nubira first went on sale. The Suzuki Reno ranges from just under $14k to just under $18k, with all versions well equipped. Here's the rub: Suzuki's own Aerio, is also available as a five door hatch (actually a mini-wagon, which I happen to think is more versatile), also comes with plenty of equipment, and also costs between $14k and $18k. Suzuki says the Reno is aimed at more conservative buyers while the Aerio appeals to the young and active set. I'm not that active (and arguably not that young), but I think it's safe to say I'm more youth-oriented (marketspeak for "unwilling to accept being in his mid-thirties") and I prefer the Aerio.

In the Driver's Seat

Open the door. Get in. The first thing you'll notice is... the smell. When one becomes an automotive journalist, one becomes an expert in new-car smells. I can identify some cars on interior scent alone. For some inexplicable reason, Korean cars smell more pungent than others. That said, a friend sat in the Reno and took a deep breath. "Mmmmm, new car smell!" he said. (Then again, he also likes food with lots of garlic.) The second thing you'll notice is the kit, including A/C, power windows/locks/mirrors, and an awesome CD/MP3 stereo, all standard in the least-expensive S model. Step up to the LX (the one I drove) and you'll get alloy wheels, cruise, remote locks, and a sunroof. The top-of-the-line EX puts leather under your butt. An automatic trans is optional in the S and LX, standard in the EX; antilock brakes are optional, but only on the LX and EX. Now, let's talk about those remote locks: They suck. The buttons on the key are unpainted and impossible to differentiate at night. Once you find the unlock button, pressing it once unlocks all the doors. On most systems, one press opens the driver's door and a second unlocks the others, so you can prevent a bad guy from hopping in with you--an important personal safety feature.

On the Road

Key in, start 'er up, shift into first, and ease up on the clutch... yes, the clutch does feel odd, doesn't it? Light, but sort of... artificial. (As if there are natural clutches.) Wait till you shift gears, it doesn't get much better. The throws are just too long. Even for a devoted stick-shifter like myself, rowing through the gears in the Reno just isn't that rewarding. No big loss -- the Reno's Holden-soured engine is a juicy two liters, and while its 126hp isn't that remarkable these days, it should provide decent acceleration with an automatic. The ride is comfortable, a little on the soft side (typical of Korean cars), and while the handling is responsive, the Reno isn't particularly rewarding to drive fast. Of course, driving fast is out of the question on my 12-mile Los Angeles commute, and the Reno didn't have any glaring faults. Come to think of it, the Reno didn't have any glaring anything. It's the automotive equivalent of distilled water. Luckily I had the stereo to keep me company. I asked my fiancee Robin what she thought. "I liked it. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it." I pressed for more. "Umm...the seats were comfortable. It was a stick-shift. I'm not helping you very much, am I?"

Journey's End

I can't say that much bad about the Reno, but I can't say that much good about it. I am completely neutral, almost indifferent -- and indifference, they say, is the opposite of love. Clearly the Reno is a dated design, though Suzuki has done a nice job of updating it with side airbags and the MP3 stereo. And the long warranty should quell any concerns about the Reno's Daewoo bloodline. All in all, it's a nice little plain-Jane compact. Unfortunately, it's priced in the same neighborhood as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the 600-lb gorillas of the nice little plain-Jane compact segment. It's competing against the Mazda 3, Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe, all of which offer more useful cargo space and flashier styling. But the biggest competitor, the car that could turn out to be the Reno's downfall, is right there in the same showroom: The Suzuki Aerio SX. The Aerio offers more space, more power, and more personality. Here at About Cars, we've put the Aerio on a bunch of our top ten lists, because it is the epitomy of cheap-n-cheerful. Sadly, the Aerio is often overlooked. Perhaps it'll stand out better now -- the Reno is certainly dull enough to provide a strong contrast.