Suzuki's Draggin' Wagon

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The inexpensive, domestically made Chevy Cobalt is much more confidence-inspiring and solidly made (see BW Online, 8/12/05, "Chevy's Campus Cruiser").

Which brings us to the trade-offs I mentioned earlier. The Cobalt, and other cars in the Aerio's price range such as the Ford Focus, don't come in all-wheel-drive (see BW Online, 8/30/05, "Ford's Econobox Bargain"). The Aerio is by no means an off-roader. "You should not attempt to drive your AWD in deep snow, mud, or sand," the car's manual warns. "AWD models are not sport/utility vehicles and are not designed for off-road use." But I tested the car on snowy country roads, and it handled reasonably well.

NOT TOO THIRSTY.

It doesn't have the ground clearance of an SUV, so one day I had some trouble getting through a deeply rutted back road. But it has better traction than the front-wheel drive cars I've driven in rough winter weather, and the optional antilock brakes ($500) stop the car fairly quickly on slick pavement.

The Aerio is also well-designed in a general way. Partly because it's a relatively high 61 inches tall, head and shoulder room is generous, and there's a fair amount of rear leg room. I'm 5 feet, 10 inches, and with the front seat at a comfortable setting for me, there was still plenty of room in the back seat for my feet and knees.

The rear storage area is surprisingly spacious, and the rear seats fold down to create a large amount of hauling space. The AWD Aerio wagon is also rated to get a decent 24 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway, and uses inexpensive regular gasoline. In a stretch of 224 miles of mixed driving, I got 24.7 miles per gallon.

COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY.

Moreover, Suzuki does a lot to allay concerns about the quality and reliability of its vehicles by offering what it bills as "America's No. 1 Warranty." Included is a three-year/36,000 mile, no-deductible overall warranty that includes free roadside assistance and a courtesy car from Enterprise Rent-a-Car for up to five days if your Aerio has to go into the shop overnight for repairs. On top of that, there's a no-deductible limited warranty on the power train that's good for 100,000 miles or seven years, and is fully transferable if you sell the car.

So, should you buy an Aerio?

I see it mainly as a good second or commuter car for buyers living in the snowbelt. If you don't have a lot of money to spend, the alternative is to hunt around for a low-mileage used car -- say a three-year-old all-wheel drive Pontiac Vide or Toyota Matrix. The Aerio's price is certainly right. I just worry that you get what you pay for.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.