Used 1997 Suzuki Sidekick Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 1997 Sidekick, so we've included reviews for other years of the Sidekick since its last redesign.
Love it !
Taxi, 01/10/2004
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
I have been the only owner of this vehicle, I have had it for 10 years and just love it. The only drawback is that it tends to fog up with more than one person in it during the cold northern winters. We have put new tires and new brakes on it but have not had any other major problems. I have put over 108,000 miles on it. I just love this car !!
Amazing Little SUV
Onabeach, 11/24/2005
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I have had my little Suzuki Sidekick for seven years now. I drive it for work (sales) and it currently has over 200,000 miles on it. It has only broken down twice the entire time! And the repairs were minor! It is EXTREMELY reliable! This truck is like finding a rare jewel! The gas mileage is unbeatable. It seems like it does the best it can all the time. Like it's giving me it's abolute best in all situations! It is a dream! I highly recommend this vehicle!
1997 Suzuki Sidekick for sale near you
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- JX 4dr SUVMSRP: $6,000809 mi away
I love my Sidekick!
Clonecrazy, 07/26/2002
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I bought my Sidekick used - it had been a rental car. I have never had any problems with it, and the only maintenance I've ever done has been oil changes. It has never let me down, and I really enjoy driving it.
The little engine that could but Suzuki version
firebug2283, 03/18/2011
1997 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
16 of 17 people found this review helpful
This car has been hit in the front and the rear and is still on the road. She has 189,561 miles and she still running like new. We have replaced few minor parts, fuel filter, a fan belt and she still continues to run. She just won't die, she refuses to die. Great gas mileage. 4x4 works excellent and she sure can haul wood. I HAVE thought of replacing her but can't bare to part with her because we know we won't find a better car. She may look like a death trap coming down the road but she sure does run excellent. Never has left us stranded and I doubt she ever will.
My Sidekick still Kickin'
Weize, 02/09/2009
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I purchased my sidekick new 1995 and its still rolling. Minor fixers. 1 major which was reasonable to repair.besides rust at the doorstep on driver side (chicago winters are salty). It still have good pick up and take off. I love the windows so much when I must ride in another car I laugh at the small windows and sideview mirrors; I'm so use to my side kick windows I don't care for others. I do wish it had a cup holder.
sidekicks are great
suzukidude, 06/18/2003
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JS 2dr SUV w/Soft Top
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I bought my sidekick some time ago now, i use a lot, has 104k miles on it and has behaved like a champ, i havn't had any problems with it, only reg mantainance(oil, fluids,breaks...) Fuel economy is great, love the big windows and the stylish looks. Its not a very fast car, but hey, thats not what your paying for and it wasnt desinged for high performance.
Solid, ultra dependable vehicle
cribbsguy, 08/16/2002
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I bought my 4D Sidekick from a rental agency with 21000 miles on it. In a few months I started having engine problems. The spark plug wires were bad but it was fixed under a recall. Since then I have had no problems, other than the transmission does not want to come out of Park if I have driven the car just a couple miles w/o some wrangling. But I have 144K on it and it is extremely dependable. Interior is cheap, the doors sound tinny and it needs some more HP, but almost no rust and I have never spent a dime on anything outside of normal wear and tear. Great little car for the $13K I paid for it!
Do not underestimate the Sidekick!!
Roman Eller, 04/20/2005
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
When I bought this Sidekick, I was skeptical, but from comparison of domestic vehicles, no one better pays attention to details than on the Sidekick. There is a lot of features on this Sidekick, basically it has everything except leather seats. I couldn't believe that a compact SUV would have power mirrors, keyless entry with alarm, headrests on the back seats and still be such a nice vehicle. If you very get into the market into a great fuel economy vehicle, keep an eye on the Sidekick. Make sure you get the JXL version which is the top of the line up, which has all the features. This is one heck of a little SUV, also its 4 wheel drive with automatic locking hubs!! Talk about luxury!
Sidekick Sport
Jasen44, 04/05/2004
1996 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JX 4dr SUV 4WD
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Its a great vehicle and very reliable. Only problem was 2 wheel bearings at 70,000, when I bought it. The ride is pretty good, but some road noise. Amazing gas milage-24-26 in 4x4. 25-27 in 2 wheel drive!! The sport edition comes with a 1.8L 4 cylinder. That to is somewhat underpowered.
The Rattletrap That Won't Die
goatrancher, 08/17/2009
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
They're gonna have to bury me in this car. I bought it in about 2001 with 60k miles on it for 5k dollars cash. At 90k I changed the timing belt and water pump. Since then I have replaced only a starter, had the brakes done once and just recently replaced the front struts and back shocks. This little beast is NO fun over 55mph. Feels like it's gonna fly into bits. Uphill forget it, unless you're rock crawling. But I can get 3 full sized dairy goats in the back with the seat down and don't have to use my gas hog pickup. It refuses to quit. Most reliable car I've ever owned outside of Hondas. Flawless OD automatic. Swiss watch of a motor. Backbreaker seats. A keeper!
Good Little Workhorse
eagle123, 05/06/2002
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
In the time we have had this vehicle we have had few problems. We have regually towed with it. The only major repairs were a valve job done under warranty and a transmission/clutch replacement in March 2002. These parts failed primarilly due to abusive driving. There is a small bit of rust on a fender, but the thing has never been garaged and has been in a few fender benders due to distracted driving.
Best fit my needs.
hj, 12/27/2009
1996 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I wanted a vehicle that was 4wd, got reasonable fuel ecomomy, could tow behind motor home, ample power, reliable, hunt in, drive across the USA w/o being beat to death, had plenty of headroom. This fit the bill. I have replaced the clutch, front wheel bearings, fan cooling clutch, reworked brakes, and replaced ignition coils. At 144000 mi. and 12 yrs. going strong!
2nd tracker former jeep owner
david wheeler, 08/24/2002
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JX 2dr SUV 4WD w/Soft Top
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I had a tracker in 1989 when they first came out nad i put 116,000miles on it without a single problem. I recently needed a second car ( first is 98 Rodeo, also a great car but too much fuel)and after long debate chose the tracker. I am having a blast again. I feel like a kid and my wife can always take the rodeo their is never an argument their.I put in a K&N air filter and it seems to have helped the performance quite a bit.
great little big car
rt, 03/09/2005
1997 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
This car has been a great car for 80k miles. Due to a bad heat sensor I did blow out the engine on a trip when I developed a leak in the cooling system. It was less than $1000 to fix and has been running good since. There has been no other large expenes on the car other than recommended maintenance.
Ten Years of Outstanding Service
Don Montgomery, 09/25/2007
1997 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
We bought our JLX Sidekick June l4, 1997 for my wife. It was new with zero miles. We shopped all the SUV brands at that time, but only Suzuki's JLX satisfied all our parameters. For example, its rear entry platform is high enough so my wife can easily move boxes of books she uses in her business. Also front seats are very comfortable. Back seats accessible, too. This car has great load carrying capacity -14 large, plastic tubs of books! After 10 and a quarter years and only 65,500 miles it's almost like new! What an amazing machine!
Very fond memories of this vehicle...
Johanna Athas, 03/16/2016
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Oh, the Suzuki Sidekick. Such fond memories. We have not had our Sidekick in nearly a decade as we got rid of it back in January of 2007 after 6 long years with it. We bought it in the spring of 2001. This was the very first car that my husband and I (fiance way back then) ever bought together, and it was the very first car I had ever bought in my life, being only 19 at the time. I remember the day we bought it so clearly. I was so excited. It was a candy apple red color with black trim and it was in mint condition, having only had one previous owner and very low mileage. Our Sidekick saw a lot of miles over the years and, with regular routine maintenance, it never let us down. It took us safely through many New England snow storms, took us on countless 3-hour each way weekend road trips to visit my husband's mother, and various other trips over the 6 years we owned it. It had close to 200,000 miles on it by the time finally we traded it in back in 2007. We did have to replace the exhaust on it a few times, which we've never had to do on any other vehicle we've ever owned, but that was the only real issue we ever had with it. My husband thought that it had to do with the location of the exhaust on the vehicle and the rough winters we tend to have. The Sidekick's gas mileage was fantastic (about 20 mpg in the city) and it was great in the snow (we live in New England, so we get a lot of that). My husband and I have nothing but fond memories of this vehicle. We had some fun times with it. In fact, my husband says, even to this day, that if he ever found a Sidekick for sale anywhere, he would buy it in a heartbeat, just for fun and the nostalgia factor. However, I doubt that will ever happen as they're nearly impossible to find nowadays, seeing as they have been out of production for 18 years. I believe the last year the Sidekick was produced was 1998, so it's a very rare find. These days, we are driving a 2010 Jeep Commander Limited and a 2012 Ford Escape XLT. The Escape reminds me a tiny bit of the Sidekick as it's similar in size, but the Sidekick will always have a special place in my heart, being the first vehicle I ever bought as a very young adult, and it was the first big purchase my husband and I ever made together. Those were some good times.
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Suzuki
junette, 08/06/2005
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
I have had fun driving my Suzuki. It has been great in the snow with it's four wheel drive. I use it for my cleaning business and I now need something a little larger.
Reliability scores BIG
Kelly , 03/06/2003
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought a dealers demo model with 7000 miles. Excellent value for the money. High milage female driver with BIG concerns about reliability. The car has surpassed my expectations! Other than a dying battery, have never had a mechanical problem in over 125,000 miles.
My Sidekick is still kickin'
sidekick, 03/31/2007
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
My Sidekick has taken me everywhere. It always starts in below 0 weather with the original battery for almost 8 years. No major problems. Minor: rust at drivers door. The tires were easy to change. I love the windows (large), not too high up and not too low; my sidekick fits me just fine. even though its a 2 x 4. I live in the city so it's just fine. I have over 179,500 miles on my sidekick.
I love my Suzuki
Chef, 03/12/2003
1996 Suzuki Sidekick JX 2dr SUV 4WD w/Soft Top
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I bought this vehicle used with about 30,000 miles and I love it The only items that have really given me trouble was a tie rod end and 1 hub and that was at 100,000 miles other then that I have done nothing except a tune up and brakes on this vehicle.
Great little corn jumper.
Dars youngest son, 03/18/2010
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Sat in a corn field parked for sale. It had been driven through the corn as a 4x4. Corn stalks were sticking out of it; broken headlamp duct taped in, bumper cracked. Fast fwd it's still running 2010! 185,377 miles! Had the tranny flushed. Fluid was black as used motor oil couldn't have been changed in 10 years. Valvoline flushed it clean, pink again. I had oil changed. I drive 50 miles to college daily. It is slow at 1st, but it is an older car. It drives in 4wd on bad snow days, safely goes up icy hill at school. Due to mileage I don't go above 50 mph. City streets are all 45 max anyways. Side roads in country are 55 mph. Great truck for only $500 in 2005.
This car wouldn't die
Gentle Ben, 10/21/2009
1996 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
I loved this car. I had the full SUV, hardtop, 4dr version. Out of date looking even in 96. Sadly I did not take very good care of this vehicle but the car hung very tough with the neglect. In the 8 years I owned it I had to replace a battery and adjust the clutch linkage and weld a broken clutch pedal. That's it. ... Good MPG (27 hwy or city), extremely reliable, utilitarian, tough to the bone, fun. But boxy, square edges and narrow frame made it a whipsaw on the highway. Also sheet metal is paper thin and seemingly weak structure may not make this a family type / safe vehicle. Very spartan inside and an odd-looking vehicle outside. But... my favorite car ever.
Best vehicle I ever had!
Heartbroken, 12/02/2019
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JX 2dr SUV 4WD w/Soft Top
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Bought her new in December 1994 and had her until I moved from NV back to VA in 2017 when I had to leave her behind (gave her to my best friend out there). Drove her from VA to NV in 2003. She was the absolute best ever vehicle in the snow, never ever slipped a single time in 4H. Put her in 4L and I swear she could climb a tree. I miss her so much it hurts my heart! Never had any mechanical issues due to regular and diligent maintenance and care. She was a real champ and I'd give (almost) anything to have her back.
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I love my Suzuki
chef, 03/12/2003
1996 Suzuki Sidekick JX 2dr SUV 4WD w/Soft Top
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought this vehicle used with about 30,000 miles and I love it The only items that have really given me trouble was a tie rod end and 1 hub and that was at 100,000 miles other then that I have done nothing except a tune up and brakes on this vehicle.
It just won’t quit (2021)
Cecelia , 11/16/2021
1997 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
My mom has had my Suzuki since 2009 probably. Bought it used. It currently has 310K miles on it and is still running. The AC gave out at about 290K miles. I love my car and it has served my family, (now having been passed down to me). She just won’t quit. We keep waiting for her to die lol! (2021)
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My Sidekck
seretsuperman, 09/03/2006
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JS 2dr SUV w/Soft Top
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I love this truck (that's what I call it)! It is kind of small for me and two kids, but it is great with the roof off in the summer, 4WD in the winter, and fun all year round. I take really good care of mine and now it's starting to get attention. I love it more than any woman that I have ever loved! It pisses them off.
Reliable but ugly
JLite5784, 12/04/2002
1996 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
6 of 12 people found this review helpful
I bought this relatively high mileage (over 100k in 2000) sidekick for use at my second home in the NC mountains. None of my other vehicles have four wheel drive, so I needed a cheap and reliable vehicle to drive in the winter. This thing is anemic in normal driving, but for its low price and winter-driving ability, it can't be beat.
exspensive repairs
afddad, 06/15/2003
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
Good dependable car overall but when repairs are needed parts are expensive. $100. each front struts. $260. for pvc valve and labor. Blew head gasket at 85,ooo miles because thermosat did not register over med temp. 2000.00 to fix
Great Mini-ute
JT, 07/02/2006
1997 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We bought our truck about a year ago with 40,000 miles on it, it now as over 55,000 and is still running great. The only problems are its size and its power. It's very sluggish up hills, and I can't sit in the front seat with the car seat behind me (I'm 6'0").
A true all terrain vehicle!
Jake levi, 08/15/2016
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I drive my Suzuki Sidekick everyday and it performs great in all conditions. It does great on road, very smooth and comfortable. I take it on trails time to time, and in wet, muddy, or snowy conditions its amazing! (With A/T tires) Its so much fun to drive! I can drive all day and just clear my mind. I love my Suzuki Sidekick and would recommend it to anyone who wants a true all terrian vehicle and wants a fun ride every time the get in the vehicle.
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Suzuki Sidekick 1995
ZM, 05/09/2021
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Very reliable SUV
I wouldn't purchase another Suzuki again
Dave Perkins, 11/27/2015
1997 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
This old of a car is hard to get parts, my Sidekick is a 1997. I live in Salt Lake City and the Dealership which there is only one, is the worst I have ever seen. That is the Suzuki Dealership in West Valley. I wouldn't wish anyone to go there, their customer service is deplorable. My car always feels like it is going to roll when I go around a corner.
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Dont let this 4 cyl fool you
johndoecartoslow, 01/16/2004
1995 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
2 of 9 people found this review helpful
All the power of a 4 cyl. And all the Gas mileage of an 8 cyl. Very small SUV. 4 wheel drive works pretty good. Replacement parts pricey 35 dollars for a serpantine belt.