2006 Suzuki Reno

The 2005 Reno is nothing more than a hatchback version of Suzuki's compact Forenza sedan, which has a conventional trunk. But the Reno's hatchback style gives it a sportier edge and more utility.

The Reno is made for Suzuki by South Korea's Daewoo, which no longer produces vehicles with its own name—but also assembles the Suzuki Verona midsize sedan with cooperation from General Motors.

The front-wheel-drive Reno comes in entry S, midrange LX and top-line EX trim levels and has attractive list prices from $13,449 to $16,949.

Count on significant dealer discounts because Suzuki lacks the name recognition of, say, a Chevrolet, Toyota or Honda, and is shooting for much higher sales in America.

On the other hand, don't expect the Reno to have the resale value of established Japanese makes.

Nicely Equipped
The Reno offers a lot for the money. Even the S has standard features such as air conditioning, a tilt wheel, a split-folding rear seat and power windows and locks, besides power heated outside mirrors. There's also an 8-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 player sound system.

The LX adds items including a power sunroof, cruise control, remote keyless entry and alloy wheels. The EX adds an automatic transmission, leather upholstery and a standard 4-speed automatic transmission.

Safety items include front side-mounted airbags and 4-wheel disc brakes. Anti-lock brakes are an option.

Long Warranty
One of the industry's longest warranties covers the Reno: a fully transferable 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, along with a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that includes roadside assistance.

Suzuki said my test Reno EX was unusual in that it had a 5-speed manual gearbox instead of the automatic transmission and carried the same $16,149 list price of the lower-line Reno LX with an automatic.

However, I was happy with the test car because the manual transmission helps provide the most acceleration with the Reno's 2.0-liter 126-horsepower 4-cylinder engine.

Average Highway Acceleration
The 16-valve engine delivers good acceleration to 65 mph, but only average acceleration above that speed. Highway cruising is no problem despite rather high engine revs (3100 rpm at 70 mph), although the double overhead camshaft engine is noisy during brisk acceleration from any speed.

Highway fuel economy is pretty good, at an estimated 30 mpg. But city economy is rather low for a 2,700-pound economy car with a small engine, at an estimated 22 mpg. A driver can get a few more miles per gallon in town by shifting immediately from first to third or fourth gears; the engine has sufficient torque to handle such "short shifting" without protest.

However, the clutch and gearshift lever have long throws that don't encourage lots of shifting—or sporty driving.

Don't Push Hard
The power steering is quick, with decent road feel, but is somewhat heavy. The all-independent suspension and rather long (for a compact car) 102.4-inch wheelbase help provide a good ride. Handling is OK if the Reno isn't pushed hard, and braking is decent, with linear pedal action.

The Reno is styled by Italy's famous Italdesign studio. But while smooth, the styling isn't very impressive. After all, there's only so much that can be done to make a small 4-door hatchback look distinctive.

Color is important with this car—the brighter the better. For instance, my test Reno drew some second glances because it had extremely bright red paint, which enhances the appearance of nearly all small cars.

Roomy
While it won't win beauty contests, the Reno's body is practical. The interior has enough room to comfortably seat four tall adults, and the tailgate swings open to reveal a roomy cargo area that can be appreciably enlarged by flipping the flat-folding split rear seatbacks forward.

Instruments can be quickly read, and the front bucket seats provide good side support when zipping through curves.

Notchy Controls
The interior generally looks good, despite a fair amount of hard plastic. Sound system controls are small, and the moderately large climate controls have a notchy action that makes them feel cheap. Most automakers got rid of notchy controls long ago.

Front cupholders are a little too far back on the console, but are decently sized. All doors have handy storage pockets.

The Reno needs more refinement and highway performance, but is nicely equipped and generally attractive for the money. The long warranty should draw new shoppers to Suzuki showrooms, just as such a warranty did for Hyundai and Kia. Let's hope that Suzuki gets rid of the Reno's rough edges.