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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  my Suzuki - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By nuprin6790 - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! Its easy to drive ,handles great, and gets great gas mileage! Its a great first new car!!!! The cassette/cd player,and speaker system is awesome!along with the controls for them on the steering wheel. What more can I say!

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  Forenza - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By Arbormist97 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I love driving my 2004 Forenza the only thing I wish was different is its mpg. I feel like I am constantly putting gas in it.

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  This is a good car - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By tony - December 19 - 5:06 am

  The Forenza has pretty good performance, a very good body style, an excellent stereo, stops on a dime, and comes with lots of extras that other models of this type do not have. Go with the LX or EX model and you get what you pay for. They say it has a lot of wind noise, but when the windows are up this car is very quiet and smooth.

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  Good for the price? - 2008 Suzuki Forenza
  By David - December 13 - 12:43 am

  I thought this car would be good on gas and boy was I wrong! The dealership said it would get better the more I drive it, but who wants to drive more than they have to with the price of gas as it is. I get about 325 to 360 miles per tankful, which averages about 25 to 28 mpg. I have the standard and when it is in 5th gear it sounds like it is going to take off. I think there should be an overdrive or sixth gear.

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  Happy Forenza owner - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By petert - December 12 - 4:20 pm

  I purchased my Forenza 12/28/05. I have almost 9,000 miles and love the new car! I have the 5-speed which gives it a little extra pep when needed. I travel to Atlanta a lot - this used to take me 1.5 tanks of gas in my old car - I now drive door to door approximately 390 miles with gas left over to get around town! The most mileage I have gotten to the tank was 422 miles - I think I could have pressed it a little further but my E light had been on so I didn’t want to take any chances. I had my first tune up @ 7,500 miles - an oil change, tire rotation, etc. cost $22 only. So far I have nothing but good things to say about my Forenza. I have recommended it to my family and friends.

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  My First Suzuki and Maybe Not the Last - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By LMR - November 30 - 7:23 pm

  the Suzuki Forenza is a lot like a Toyota Corolla or a Honda Civic without the high price tag. It has a great warranty, although I havent had to use it! :-) It is roomy, gas-efficient, and has a nicely appointed interior. The trunk is deceptively large and the 40/60 split on the rear seats is very convenient. This car is very practical, but not very "sexy." I would buy another one.

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  Forenza - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By pschofield - November 7 - 10:00 am

  Thus far the forenza seems to be a great buy.. Been driving it for a little less then a month now and have no problems what so ever. I am impressed with the warranty on it and for about a 1000 more you can increase all warranties to match the 7 yr/100000 mile powertrain warranty (including the roadside assistance.)

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  treat it right - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By campercasado - November 5 - 6:19 am

  if you treat it right it will treat you right. that means regular maintenance. i have had it for awhile and it works great. big enough for my family.

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  Better value than Corolla or Civic - 2008 Suzuki Forenza
  By Ryan - November 3 - 3:36 pm

  The Forenza is the best value on the street. I have had two Civics and one Corolla and the Forenza tops them all. For what you pay for the Forenza you couldnt get a bone stock Civic. The Forenza comes with all power windows, a really good stereo, and a world class a/c. Suzuki has come along way from jet skis and motorcycles. With Americas best warranty 7years/100,000, why wouldnt you go with the Forenza?

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  Great Car - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By deon - October 30 - 9:36 pm

  The 2006 Suzuki Forenza is a great buy. It provides superior value and has a strong warranty.