Suzuki SX4 70 mph , 4000 rpm, is it normal?

yipty

I bought a new SX4 auto gear 2.0L, when I drive 70mph , it goes 4000rpm, is normal?

I also smell some plastic burning smell from front engine side, is it normal at new car ?

arkainzeye

If you research other posts about the sx4 you will see the same complaints. I guess its just the nature of the beast.

chris

dudeboy

As an SX4 owner, my answers to your questions would be "no" and "no."

yipty

what is your rpm @70mph ?

bbthomas

Although I do not own a SX4 (but am looking at purchasing), calculating using top gear, final gear, and tire diameter results in 4,008 RPM @ 70 with the AT, and 3,290 RPM @ 70 with the MT.

Top Gear 1.000 AT 0.815 MT
Final Gear 4.380 AT 4.411 MT
Tire Dia 25.7"

RPM=(MPH*FG*(336/TD))*TG

yipty

others blog user asked me, did I use the gear "3", because the gear "3" is very close to gear "D". I told my wife mention on this. This morning she drove again on gear "D", she told me @70mph is around a bit more than 3000rpm.

let me check it again on my own the next day

bbthomas

I found those gear ratios at media.suzuki.com. Considering the AT gets better gas mileage than the MT, that does seem high. I double checked by using an online RPM calculator and came up with the same result. Must be an error on Suzuki's specs.

outfieldpete

I've had an SX4 Sport AT for a few weeks now. After I saw this post, next time I was on the interstate I found that: In "D" 70mph = 2700 rpm, while in "3" 70mph = 3900 rpm. Stock tires and wheels. Hope this helps.

yipty

thanks. i think u right, my wife tried gear "D", result silimar to u

dudeboy

I think it's real close to 3400, maybe a hair above. That's with the manual transmission. I was going to suggest that you weren't running it in overdrive, but it looks like you found that out! On mine, driving 70 MPH cuts the mileage quite a bit. If my average on the readout is above 28, it will slowly drop to about 28 or below if I drive 70. If I slow down about 5 MPH, the average mileage will start to climb above 28 again.

mattb4

My sport with AT runs 2500 rpm with the cruise set at 70 mph. This is of course on level highway, hit a hill and those rpms climb too! I'm afraid to leave the cruise on going up steep hills since it seems to really tax the transmission. Having blown a Focus tranny at 50k, (I blamed the cruise for accelerating too fast on resume) I am a bit paranoid now.

debric

Hey dudeboy.
My Saturn SL2 is like that, revs like crazy in cruise, so I thought the SX4 would do the same, she is very tame on the SX4, I like it, and only changes a little on the revs.

Debric

lamronh49

Matt, looks like you've got it about right.
I test drove an SX4 (automatic) sedan today, and 28 MPH per 1000 RPM sounds about right in top gear.
If the revs climb going up a hill it's either kicking out of OD or kicking down to 3rd gear. If there's enough torque to pull the hill, there should not be an RPM increase.
A tranny should not blow climbing hills. Hills are a normal part of life for most vehicles. I guess the exception would be the flatlands, but for those of us who deal with hills all the time, our trannies don't tend to blow regularly. Could have been another issue with the trans, such as low fluid, abuse, or a junk design.

mirlush

I've got an SX4 recently, and too bad I haven't read this post before buying. I get, on a level highway, 3000 RPM at 65MPH. The engine is loud, and definately sounds overworked :mad: . I had a V6 car before, and thought that it is just the way 4 cylinders are, but neither civics nor corollas are close in RPM readings at those speads.
Is there something I can do about it ( ie increase tire deameter, etc)?
Is it normal for this engine? From reading this posts on the topic, it is as if different people have different SX4s.
Any advice will help. Thnx.

lamronh49

This is something you should check in the test drive. That water is under the bridge at this point.
I believe the AT SX4 runs about 27 MPH/1000 RPM in top gear. That's one of the first things I check in a test drive.
When I test drove the Suzuki, I also drove the Hyundai and KIA competitors. They are all geared about the same, all run about 27 MPH/1000 RPM in top gear.
That gives you about 3000 RPM @80 MPH in top gear.
The manual is geared tighter, so it will run more RPM at any given speed. In top gear.
Make sure you're in top gear and not stuck in 3rd, or 4th with OD locked out.
I have a KIA Spectra, it is not loud at 80, running at 3000.
While you can address the issue to some degree via different tires, a 3-6% difference is the most you will probably find practical. Then you enter into wheelwell clearance, appearance, and altered center of gravity issues which you may find are also compromises you might not want to make.

yipty

my SX4 @65mph is near 3000 rpm, i remember that @70mph that is 3000 rpm, but the engine is not that loud.

last time i checked that if i accidentally switched to gear 3 and run 65mph, the rpm will be higher and engine is noiser. because gear 3 is just left from D gear and just 1 click.

yipty

today i test again on level highway. @65mph is 2400 rpm.
@70mph is 2600 rpm. engine sound is not loud.
mine sx4 is AT, 2.0 Liter

wishbeter

I'm only around 2400 rpm at 70. I've had mine since January. AT transmission.

I love this car!!

-Sean

mirlush

Thanks for the reply. Very helpful. I've just got one more question, is there overdrive on a manual transmission? I do not think there is, at least I could not find the switch anywhere.

lamronh49

You're welcome.

Typically 5th (or top) gear is considered the "overdrive" gear. There is no separate overdrive switch/system as was found on cars from the 40s, 50s and 60s.

Lockup is the "overdrive" in 4th gear, in the automatic. Again, there is no overdrive system distinct from the lockup in the automatic.

Overdrive is a term that has evolved to mean taller/longer than a 1:1 ratio. It doesn't mean what it used to, but the intent and end results are similar.

sx4dude1

MY SX4 sedan cruises at 70-75 with no problem right around 2-3,000.

lamronh49

^^ Which is it, 2000 or 3000? Stick or auto?

BTW, the SX4 is one of the few modern cars I've checked specs on that does not have an "overdrive" top gear, but rather a 1:1 top in the auto trans.

Quite unusual, most cars have about a .7:1. Wonder what guided their thinking on this?

nace818

Checked mine this morning. I have a 5 speed manual. As close as I can read the tach
60 = 2650, 70 = 3000, 80 = 3750 rpm. For comparison, are automatics about the same ?

lamronh49

The automatics run about 27 MPH/1000 RPM in top gear.
That means they run 3,000 RPM @ 81 MPH. Which equals appx. 2600 @ 70, and 2200 @ 60.
Easy if you have a calculator.

By comparison, your manual runs 23.3 MPH/1000 RPM in top gear, doing the math on your numbers.

machell

I was thinking it probably has something to do with optimising the car for speeds 0-70mph. All the ratios are lower than I expected and the revs consequently higher for a given speed. A 6 speed would be great. The car is quite quick around town and top gear is good for the majority of high speed hills, in this regime it makes sense as there is less downshifting and more convienent. The city by vw has similar ratios.