Small cars are back in vogue, thanks to high fuel prices and a plethora of appealing choices in the subcompact and compact car segment. Suzuki is jumping into the fray with the 2007 SX4, a cute little five-door hatchback that debuted at the 2006 New York Auto Show. Suzuki says the new SX4 is fun to drive, fun to use, and will instill pride of ownership in as many as 20,000 customers per year.

Due to arrive this fall to replace the outgoing Aerio model, the made-in-Japan 2007 Suzuki SX4 is available with front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, with a fully equipped model selling for around $18,000. Suzuki says that SX4 stands for “Sport Crossover for Four seasons with 4WD,” and that crisp handling with little body roll is going to be a defining characteristic of the stylish little car.

The target customer for the 2007 Suzuki SX4 is between 20 and 40 years of age, someone with lots of hobbies, a flexible thinker not bound by stereotypes who enjoys life. Certainly, this buyer will also enjoy the standard seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and the selection of eight different colors, including a spiffy copper and a bright baby blue.