At the 2007 New York International Auto Show, American Suzuki Motor Corporation introduced the sporty SX4 sedan for 2008.

The sedan replaces Suzuki's Aerio sedan and comes only with front-wheel drive. Its sister, the SX4 four-door hatchback, has all-wheel drive.

During a trip from Northumberland to Sunbury, my brother-in-law, Jim Sekulski, who is a mechanic, said, "This is really a nice car. This is something people can afford today. They are getting better at making these cars a lot nicer."

The 2008 Suzuki SX4 Sedan was created by the same team that won European acclaim with the Suzuki Swift.

The test model I drove for a week was peppy. The 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine produces 143-horsepower. It was not sluggish from a stop to the open road where it glided along the interstates. I had the five-speed manual transmission model. It is also available with a four-speed automatic transmission.

My wife, Ann, said, "I really like this car. It is nice looking and very comfortable."

She was impressed with the interior styling and room. As we took it for a trip to Danville during a snow storm, we felt safe. The sedan, built in Japan, comes with anti-lock disc brakes, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, side impact door beams, three-point rear safety belts, child seat tether anchors, 17-inch alloy wheels and a sport suspension.

The sporty SX4 sedan features a standard aero body kit with an available rear spoiler.

The six-CD/AM/FMMP3 audio system with nine speakers provided quality sound in the quiet cab, which has plenty of room for five adults. The wide doors provide easy access for the front and rear passengers.

It surprised me that a $16,000 vehicle would have controls in the leather-wrapped steering wheel, but it did. It had audio controls to change the volume and mode settings for the CD/AM/FM/MP3 player and cruise control. This is a plus when a passenger is using a cell phone. I didn't have to reach over to turn the volume down.

With fuel prices over $3 per gallon, the test model is rated at 22 miles per gallon for city driving and 30 miles per gallon on the open road. The test model averaged 28.4 miles per gallon, which included mostly short trips.

The test model's base price is $15,870. There were no options. With the $625 destination and handling fee, the price jumped to $16,495.

For the price, the Suzuki SX4 Sedan is a stylish car for those looking for economical transportation. This is one car I hated to return after one week.

n E-mail comments to pboyer@dailyitem.com.