The first thing you notice is how high up you’re sitting. You’d definitely be able to get a good view of that lion kill in the Kruger.The layout of the interior is straightforward and unfussy – a central panel houses the air-conditioning controls and MP3/CD player with a dial above it telling the time, fuel consumption and the outside temperature. The luggage compartment has 270 litres of space, which nearly triples to 625  litres with the rear seats folded forward.

The suspen­sion is a little firmer than you’d expect from an ordinary sedan, and its height makes it feel a little boxy at first, but you soon get past that sensation as you cruise past a Stuttafords removal van on the highway. It feels safe and secure on corners, while its neat dimensions make it easy to reverse park in a tight spot.

It’s sure-footed and sits comfortably on gravel. The high ground clearance (17,5 cm) means that you can easily negotiate the middel­mannetjie on a farm road, and the larger tyres (185/60) give you peace of mind when it comes to sandy roads, even though it’s only two-wheel drive.

Cruise control is a real treat, and this is one of the few cars in its class to offer this feature. You accelerate to your desired speed, set the “cruise control” button on the steering column, take your foot off the pedal and relax. To resume control, all you do is brake or touch the accelerator.

Consumption hovered between 8,33 and 8,77 ℓ/100 km through the Karoo. The 45-litre tank means that your range is not much over 500 km, so you’ll have more of those tyre-kicking conversations on the forecourt.

The SX4 seems sturdy enough to take on most farm roads, but not really rough stuff. (An all-wheel-drive version is due out in South Africa in February.) It operates with a keyless system, which means you just turn a switch on the steering column to get started – as long as you have the remote nearby. These electronic lock functions can get scrambled (as this one did initially when I received the vehicle). If this happens, a real key lurks inside the remote unit, so you won’t get stuck.

The Suzuki is about R27 000 cheaper than its nearest rival. A 1.9 TDI Cross Polo sells for R232 400; and a Nissan Qashqai 2.0 Acenta will set you back R278 500 (although its boot is twice the size). By comparison, the SX4 goes for a relatively modest R205 000 – cruise control is standard.

Andrea says: This could be the perfect touring car for a couple who’ve decided to spend the in­heritance before the kids can lay their hands on it.

(Note: prices accurate in February 2010)

Engine: Four-cylinder 1 995 cc

Performance: 107 kW and 184 Nm

Mass: 1 675 kg

Ground Clearance: 17,5 cm

Tank Capacity: 45 litres

Consumption: About 8,5 ℓ/100 km) when the going is good.

Range: Don’t expect much more than 500 km on a single tank.

Price: R205 000