Used 1998 Suzuki Sidekick Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 1998 Sidekick, so we've included reviews for other years of the Sidekick since its last redesign.
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.
1998 Suzuki Sidekick for sale near you
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- 1998 Suzuki SidekickMSRP: $8,4951,181 mi away
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.
Fun little SUV
turre_plug, 08/30/2009
1998 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I originally bought my Sidekick to save some gas... But I have been driving it so much that I have not saved a dime yet.....! It is a fun, little nimble beast. It has a choppy ride on the road but, the 1.6 is peppy with the 5spd. Not a lot of critter comforts but the utility side is amazing. I fish a lot and the 4x4 , good ground clearance and it's small size allow me and my little boat to go places no one else can go. Stay away from the interstate with this guy, it's like riding a motorcycle out there. A great little car, manly enough to be seen in and is well made and tough... No repairs yet but I don't think it will be a problem thus far..... Don't be scared of the sidekick!
I Love My Suzuki
Anne M, 03/28/2007
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I can't tell you how happy I've been with my Sidekick. It has 98,000 miles on it and still starts right up! My car performance has always exceeded my highest expectations. I feel secure knowing that I have AWD whenever the need arises. This feature has pulled me out of my driveway even after the plow trucks have blocked the end of the driveway with massive piles of snow. Now that my daughter has her license, she has taken over driving the car. I know the Suzuki will give her many more years of excellent performance.
Reliable but costly to repair
Frank, 10/07/2007
1998 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I bought my Suzuki when it was 2 years old and it had just under 25000 miles on it. I now have 120,000 miles on it after about 6 1/2 years of driving. I have had few problems with it. This vehicle is very bad for rust and doesn't hold up well in places where salt is used on roads in the winter!!! They have NO resale value and Dealer parts are ridiculously expensive! You think that you are driving a Rolls when you buy parts. I am not kidding!!! They need to stop being so outrageously greedy when selling replacement parts. I went to the dealer once for a repair and told them I would never come back. I didn't. I shopped for after market parts where ever I could find them.
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!
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!
1998 SUZUKI SIDEKICK 4DR SPORT JLX
Barry Alderman, 05/18/2004
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
THE SUZUKI SIDEKICK HAS THE FEEL OF AN OPEN AND ROOMY PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.THE RIDE IS NIMBLE ON BACK COUNTRY ROADS AND SMOOTH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE 1.8L L4 MFI DOHC 16V ENGINE COULD USE A LITTLE MORE PEP BUT MAKES FOR GOOD FUEL MILEAGE.
Good Value with proper maintenance
Frank & Danielle, 02/01/2006
1998 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Overall, my 1998 Suzuki Sidekick did well for its intended purpose. I did experience a spark plug blowing out of the cyclinder, but that only cost $187 to fix. Also, the clutch went at 92,000 miles, but that's not too bad. The truck never really left me stranded. Its 4x4 performance in serious offroad driving was surprisingly good!
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.
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.
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.
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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Great Value
Alex, 03/19/2016
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JLX 4dr SUV 4WD
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought this car from my cousin in 2006 with 69,700 miles. The car has been very reliable with some problems here and there, but its mostly due to age. The transmission has never given me any problems. Its amazing in the snow; after 10 years of ownership, this year was the first year it got stuck in the snow because the street wasn't plowed and the vehicle got high centered. The snow was up halfway to my thighs (I'm 6'2). Recommended transmission fluid change for the A/T is at 100,000 which I reached 2 years ago. No problems with the transmission even though it had the original transmission fluid for 16 years. This car has a rust issue, but it has seen very severe winters over the years being in Boston when my cousin owned it and now here in NY with me. The rust has gotten so bad that the part where the chassis meets the bumper is has almost completely rusted away on one side. The most expensive repair has been the 4WD auto locking hub in the front left wheel that slipped out of place which was due to my dad accelerating too hard when he engaged 4WD; that part cost around $450-$500(labor inc). The other two expensive repairs was the EGR valve and alternator that each cost between $200-$250(labor inc). The car has been very reliable over the years. Being in NY it doesn't feel as solid as it once did because the potholes in my area are horrendous, at one point even loosened the plates in the muffler which caused it to rattle. We average about 12 mpg city because of the heavy traffic in our area and about 25mpg on long interstate stretched. The car has been great, but it is now 19 years old and its time for a new one.
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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.
It's a fun car to drive but not very practical
Ruslan, 07/29/2016
1998 Suzuki Sidekick JS 2dr SUV w/Soft Top
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
First off, this car is a lot of fun to drive, especially with the top down in summer. It's also pretty reliable and never failed to get me when needed. On the negative side, it's it does show it's age. The plastic trim crumbles, the exhaust manifold cracked and had to be replaced, the AC was not that strong. The 3 speed transmission was ok under 65 mph, but going above would bring MPG down into 12-15 range. The EGR was getting clogged. And getting spare parts became a huge problem because Suzuki went out of business in the US.
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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
I have to have a title???
stagmie, 06/23/2003
1998 Suzuki Sidekick JS 2dr SUV w/Soft Top
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
A very fun vehicle to drive! Goes many places those big SUV's can't. Even my 2- Wheel drive model has gotten me in and out of some unbeliavable places. The comments I get about the vehicle when the top is down are a added plus.
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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the smallest truck one could own.
Robert, 03/01/2010
1998 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr SUV 4WD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought this Sidekick JX 4-door, 4x4, 5-speed about a week ago from a private party to replace my Grand Vitara. The latter is great in all aspects except the gas economy. So, I got this Sidekick for better gas mileage. Comparing with the Grand Vitara I am surprised to find that the Sidekick is not so much less in acceleration, and climbing grade. But what troubles me is that the Sidekick does not seem willing to get beyond 65 MPH speed. The RPM gets to 3,000 at 55 MPH, 3,100 at 60 MPH and 3,500 and growling in loud protest at 65 MPH. I haven't yet dare to try but wonder if it can get to 70 RPM. I hope someone could share with me his experience and insight on this over the Internet.
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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I get a kick out of my sidekick
David Tarleton, 10/25/2021
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport JS 4dr SUV
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Take it for a test drive my sidekick is cool
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Excellent SUV for any situation Simple b
Carlos Ramos, 10/05/2003
1998 Suzuki Sidekick JS 4dr SUV
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Increadible SUV The best SUV like this nothing Great For jumps sand montanins on the beach and carrier jet ski