Right. So let’s be clear about one thing. The Suzuki Solio is not a fast car. It has a titchy little 1.2-litre engine that develops an equally titchy 91bhp. It would be okay if it was a diesel, because such engines have decent torque figures, but the Solio is equipped with a petrol, and to make matters worse, it has a CVT, which makes the 118Nm it has feel even slower. Its official century sprint time is 13.5 seconds, but behind the wheel, it feels even slower than that.
As for handling, well, it’s not much to write home about as well. With a height of 1765mm, a width of just 1620mm and twinned with laughably tiny 165/60 R15 tyres, cornering at any speed other than a crawl is a dicey affair at best.
And not to mention how most people will probably mistake the Solio for a van, no thanks to its boxy profile.
But you know what? I don’t really care, because the Solio is awesome in so many other ways. For one thing, it’s immensely practical despite its tiny proportions. Just look at the photo above. It fits two bicycles with ease, and that’s without having to remove wheels or anything like that. Suzuki didn’t say exactly how much stuff the Solio can hold, but with the rear fold-flat seats down, there’s a colossal amount of space on offer.
In addition to all that, the Solio is also almost impossibly chirpy and terrifically unpretentious. Unlike some other cars which have delusions of grandeur, not so the Solio. And that’s probably what I like best about it.
