Overview & Reviews

At some point in their lives, most people find themselves in need of a small, inexpensive car that gets them around with minimal hassle. While the names "Civic" and "Corolla" come up in most every small sedan buyer's research, the trouble is that you often pay dearly for these household names. In hopes of attracting people on a tighter budget, Suzuki offered the Forenza from 2004-'08.

This value-oriented compact came in sedan and wagon body styles. It boasted a low price of entry, a roomy interior, European-inspired design, a host of standard features, competitive power figures and a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

At a glance, the well-equipped Suzuki Forenza appeared to offer terrific value. But in our evaluations, we found that it fell short of the segment leaders in terms of performance, fuel economy, handling and interior refinement. Unless you really need the extra space of its available wagon body style in a used car, we recommend that you focus on one of its more worthy competitors.

Most Recent Suzuki Forenza

The Suzuki Forenza debuted in 2004, with the wagon model following in 2005. The Forenza was actually built by the Korean automaker Daewoo and rebadged as the Forenza for the American market. It was offered as a four-door sedan or wagon in a single trim level with various available packages. Standard equipment included four-wheel disc brakes, air-conditioning, front seat side airbags, full power accessories and a CD/MP3 stereo with steering-wheel controls. Notably, ABS was an extra-cost option.

The Forenza was powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 127 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. This engine performed adequately with the manual transmission but felt burdened and underpowered when saddled with the four-speed automatic. To make matters worse, it wasn't particularly fuel-efficient or refined, either.

The Forenza's cabin was something of a mixed bag, too. It was spacious, with lots of stylish metallic accents, but this was offset by inconsistent materials quality and an overall lack of refinement and quality compared with class leaders. If you can get past that, there was lots of rear legroom for adults and a 60/40-split-folding seatback for extra utility. The sedan provided 12 cubic feet of trunk capacity, with the wagon offering nearly 62 cubic feet of space with the rear seat folded.

On the road, the Suzuki Forenza exhibited soft, rubbery handling and a poor ride quality compared with its competitors, as well as excessive wind noise on the highway. Although it was compliant enough, it exhibited little suspension control over bumps and ruts. Handling around corners was loose and unsure, with excessive body roll and minimal grip from the tires. When merging into traffic, automatic-equipped Forenzas accelerated weakly, and any such maneuver took some advance planning.

Changes were slight during the Suzuki Forenza's run. For 2005, side impact airbags became standard for all Forenzas. The Forenza was freshened up a bit for 2006, receiving a new front fascia, redesigned seats, new wheels and revised trim levels. Bluetooth became available for 2008.

User Reviews:

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  Good car-but be ware quirks! - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By Morlock - September 27 - 2:00 am

  This has been a wonderful car for me...but not without its problems. Ive already had to return to the dealership several times for emissions issues, alignment problems, and most recently fuel difficultues. Despite the fact that I drive primarily highway miles, the car stubbornly refuses to get anything better than 18-19 mpg-- horrendous for a vehicle of this type (with an engine that only puts out 126hp)!!! I am seeking help from Suzuki in solving the problem because the dealership is stumped. The necessity of filling up the car after only 200 miles of driving is a major annoyance.

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  One of the best small car - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By Edi - September 16 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car as a commuter car and very happy with it. I compared this car with Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic and for a couple thousand dollars less I got a car that come with standard accessories (i.e. pwr lock, eight speakers, etc.) but not standard on others.

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  Couldnt be happier - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By lovingmyforenza - September 11 - 10:00 am

  After looking at the Corolla, Civic, and 3 sedan I decided to choose the Forenza because it had a better interior than the Corolla and Civic but was cheaper than the 3. While 120+HP doesnt seem a lot, its plenty for a compact car this size and I have no problem accelerating to 75 on the highway. I absolutely love the interior design which looks fabulous and from a car twice this price! So far have had no problems and I am really impressed with GM Suzuki!

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  Hmmm... - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By hazeleyes1918 - August 17 - 10:10 pm

  I have only had this car for a couple months. 2 days after purchase it didnt want to start. They fixed the problem. There was a recall with the programming. Also when coming to a stop the brakes act funny. They almost give out like there is air in the line. They didnt check it, they just replaced the brake master cylinder. Also it sounds like my left rear brake sensor is chirping. Gotta take it in again. And my lumbar support on the driver seat broke. They had to replace that as well. I love the car but this is ridiculous! There is just over 16K miles on it and it is acting up already!

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  Good Car for Price - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By BBowman0711 - August 14 - 10:23 am

  I like driving this car because it looks good and its pretty roomy for a sedan. Going from a Corolla to this the extra room is amazing. Perfect for the baby car seat that I have to fit in the back. Not a problem with it so far and its at about 25000 miles now. The manual shifts great and the speed is suitable enough for a four cylinder.

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  headaches! - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By HEADACHE - August 12 - 4:46 am

  I was so excited when i first bought this car. it was my first brand new car and i was excited that i got such a great price...unfortunately all that changed 2 years into owning it. the check engine light had been an on going problem since the beginning. multiple small problems arose in between then and now. the pickup in the car when accelerating is very slow. as for the last 2months. i have had the car in the shop more than ive had it at home. it has not been able to pass inspection for the THIRD time. lets see its had, a head gasket replaced, antifreeze leak fixed, serpentine belt replace 2x, new thermostat 2x, new pcm ,still not fixed now. buyer beware!

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  Bipolar Suzi - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By cortez - July 22 - 6:16 am

  Bought two of these in june of 07. Drive these cars about 4,000 miles a month, under extreme conditions, snow, ice, desert heat, rough two lane roads, speeds of 85-90 for extended times and short bursts, high altitude always at least a mile. Have had several problems starting, but just kept trying and now problem has resolved on its own. Increased air intake with filter and exhaust... mileage about 31 hwy, not that great, hold button feature works well for steep grades and getting up to speed. excellent car so far, no problems needing service, passes extreme x2 test with 96

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  Mixed emotions about the 2006 Suzuki Forenza - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By mbrown282 - July 11 - 3:50 am

  As I read other reviews, I noticed a trend. There have been a lot of issues with the Forenza. I dont disagree with any of them. I got mine with 55,000. 34 months and 55,000 miles later Im now looking for a new engine. Like a previous reviewer experienced, I too had a problem with the shift switch. Next to go was my transmission. Those were replaced under warranty. Other than that I was getting new rear pads almost twice a year. Thats until water all of sudden showed up in my oil. Despite the issues, I like the way the car rides. Call me crazy, but Im putting another engine in and driving it until the wheels fall off.

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  I wish I would have known o_O - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By Jenny - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I wish I would have known that this car is the cheapest car there is! My SIL had this car (2004 version) and I really liked it. I asked about the reliability and heard it was good. Well, the only thing I had wrong with this car so far is the gear change. Knock on wood. Thats all. I drove this car from Lawrenceviile, GA to Houston, TX twice (so you get the ideal miles I put on this car). I only now use this car to and from work. The tire pressure is low for some reasons. I get what I paid for. Errgghh.

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  Do Not Buy! - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By onesorrysuzukiowner - June 26 - 6:03 pm

  Living on a tight budget and needing a new car, I selected the 2006 Suzuki Forenza. I bought this car new with only 63 miles on it. After owning it for three days I have had rough idling / no start problems, the engine intermittingly trying to die while driving, and warning lights that appear then disappear. Please think twice before buying this car. I have had to get spark plugs and my new cars computer replaced only now to find out there is a glitch in the software program that downloads data into the cars computer. The company says that there is no fix for my car yet I have had to be the one to DEMAND a refund. I have had to get a rental and pay for their costly insurance . This car is no value for the money. Please be wary of this car!