Suzuki targets youth demographic with new SX model

At this year's New York Auto Show a brand-new concept was shown in the form of the SX. This Sport Crossover (SX) is aimed squarely at a younger demographic of car buyer.

Introduced by big-air specialist Travis Pastrana, winner of two AMA 125cc Supercross Championship titles, the car was greeted with much enthusiasm by the press and show-goers alike.

The new vehicle isn't huge, at 4.2 metres in length. This size does mean that it won't be a hassle to drive around, plus parking will be slightly less troublesome than a larger mini-van, for example.

So, it's small, youths apparently like that, but what else does it do? The idea behind the concept is that active types will fold down the back seats, allowing for copious amounts of room, and load the SX up with mountain bikes, snowboards, kite surfing equipment and what not.

There is lots to like about the new concept, which actually looks production ready - it's not one of those pre-production ideas that is so radically bizarre that it must wait until society catches up.

For instance, the interior of the car is dynamic and bright - this car isn't marketed for over 50s. The five door sports-van is rather aerodynamic, which brings us to the next question - how fast does it go?

As the SX is a car for the younger generation, you'd expect it to go rather quickly, but at the time of writing, no top speed or 0-100kmh figures were given. We do know that the engine will be an inline, four-cylinder, 2.0-litre jobbie, which is - get this - supercharged!

The power output figures have been rounded out to 164kW (220bhp) which is pretty damn good for a 2.0-litre engine. It's right up there with the Subaru WRX and Nissan 200SX - the main difference being the latter two have turbochargers, whereas this little puppy derives extra power from a supercharger.

The twin exhaust system, centrally mounted, looks great and will help differentiate this car as something individual, something new. The bodykit is also rather tasty, with flared wheel guards, side skirts plus front and rear aprons. The kids'll love it.

The SX comes with a stabiliser bar for extra rigidity, as the 164kWs of power put plenty of stress on the chassis. With ventilated disc brakes up front and stock discs at the rear, ABS and a four-wheel drive gearbox, this little wagon should stick to the road in all weather conditions.

Suzuki's concept SX - a super-powerful runabount for younger drivers out there who lead an active lifestyle. Sounds intriguing, we just hope they decide to keep the supercharger. No word on a release date or a price, as this is, technically, a prototype.