Performance
Both cars feature similarly powered,
naturally aspirated 1.6-litre powerplants. But, despite differences in outputs equating
to 2 kW and 4 Nm, there's a marked divergence in the manner they perform.
Driven back to back, there's a sense that the 2008's marginally more powerful
engine feels livelier than the rather flat-feeling SX4's, the latter which
needs to be worked to make brisk progress.
The SX4's combination of maximum torque of
just 156 Nm at a lofty 4.400 r/min, allied with taller gearing than that of the
Peugeot, saw considerable gaps opening between the pairs' overtaking
acceleration in top gear.
It was believed the SX4's all-wheel-drive
underpinnings would weigh the car down, thus blunting performance, but our
scales registered only 11 kg over the 2008.
Solid
and sensible sums up the SX4's cabin
To its credit, the SX4's powerplant is
disarmingly smooth and quiet, a trait that often sees you inadvertently
travelling at top-gear speeds in fourth, or even third.
The 2008's engine is similarly smooth, but
its touch of aural verve under acceleration seems to bolster the sensation of
there being a bit more power.
If there was a black mark against the
2008's drivetrain, it has to be the baggy, imprecise gearshift action and a
clutch that tends to bite high on the pedal's travel.
There are no such qualms with the SX4's
'box; a combination of slick, accurate shift action and a light, easily modulated
clutch makes some amends for the powerplant's shortcomings.
Dynamics
Again, there's little to separate the pair
on-road, both being liveable enough. In some respects, though, the SX4 has the
edge. Its ride is more composed than that of the 2008, which can become choppy
on poor surfaces, and in terms of overall body control and cornering grip the
automatic setting on the SX4's four-mode all-wheel-drive system adds a touch
more composure.
With the system set in lock, the SX4 made
unflustered progress up a steep, loose-surfaced slope. With 175 mm of ground
clearance with which to play, you have to tread carefully, but it's capable
enough for light off-road duty and feels stable when travelling at a brisk pace
on gravel roads.
The
2008’s bootis a good size, but it's not massive
The 2008's Grip Control system comprises
programmable ESP that apportions traction to the two front wheels where
required on loose surfaces. It's not as assured as the SX4's system, but once
you become accustomed to ignoring the initial wheel slip and leaning on the
throttle, it will propel the car well enough over dirt or gravelly surfaces.
The 165 mm of ground clearance does, however, mean that you have to plot your
course carefully so as not to grate the undercarriage.
Test Summary
In most respects, the SX4 is a interesting
purchase proposition. It's solid, refined, practical and even acceptably adept
when it comes to light-to-modest green-laning.
As a package, the weak engine represents a
drawback, but it's a mere smudge compared with the price. The All Grip's
$29,960 asking price means that you have to be torn between a hatch and a
compact SUV to justify it. At that price point, the hatchback options include
low-to-mid-spec versions of the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and VW Golf, while the
Hyundai ix35, Honda CR-V (both 2WD, but needs-meeting enough) and Subaru
Forester all sit a couple of thousand either side of the SX4's sticker price.
The
S-Cross's 430-litre boot is decent rather than class-leading
Despite its foibles, the 2008's concept is
better resolved. City slicker in terms of aesthetics and drive, but with
marginally jacked-up ride height and modified traction-control system adding a
touch of composure on unsealed surfaces, it's a neat stopgap between the SX4
and other FWD rivals in its particular segment.
That said, although the 2008 range's
pricing is more palatable than that of the SX4, you have to be dead-set on the
image and packaging it entails to accept the $3,750-odd it demands above the
comparable 208 hatchback.
