Overview and Common Failures
The body of the car is very thin, but it is well treated and therefore practically does not rust. The paint coating is weak, quickly gets chipped, but that's the case everywhere nowadays. The only weak spot is the fifth door, it starts rusting after the first winter.
Interior
The materials in the interior are cheap, especially disappointing are the uncomfortable seats with poor upholstery, which also quickly become loose and shaky. However, the sound insulation is decent.
Due to weak wiring, the motor electrics suffer and the equipment in the cabin often malfunctions. However, professional masters know the weak spots of the car, and everything can be fixed easily and inexpensively.
Engine
The 2.4-liter Z24SED power unit belongs to the old school, so it is simple and reliable. The only annoyance is oil leaks. However, the V6 engine with a displacement of 3.2 liters, Z32SE, is considered problematic. Firstly, it cannot withstand extreme temperatures: in winter, it often refuses to start, and in summer, it overheats and starts consuming oil. Secondly, the timing chain here is very short-lived and expensive. And thirdly, its fuel consumption is excessively high.
Transmission
The D33 manual transmission is reliable, except for slight oil sweating, but the reliability of the Aisin automatic transmission is not high. The AW55-50SN (in some sources AW55-51LE) automatic transmission doesn't like aggressive driving, and by 100,000 km, it already jerks due to the hydraulic block being clogged with wear products from the lock-up clutch of the torque converter. However, if you drive calmly, avoid off-road conditions, and regularly change the oil in the gearbox, you can drive without any problems for 200,000 km.
The full-drive transmission of the crossover is relatively simple and does not have any quirks. Only the propeller shaft bearing is replaced, and the rear differential does not like sudden starts.
Suspension
The car's suspension is very robust, only the struts and stabilizer bushings are often replaced. The shock absorbers often lose their efficiency by 50,000 km, which only affects comfort.
The same applies to the steering rack of the car. It starts making noise relatively early, but you can drive with it up until 150,000 km. There are no special complaints about the brakes.
