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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  Love this car!!! - 2008 Suzuki Forenza
  By Love this car!!! - May 4 - 10:33 am

  First I would like to know who reviewed this car? It cant be what I am driving because I love this car. I owned a honda civic for 2 years prior to this, also 2008 sedan model and the forenza drives better. My car payment went down 200 bucks! Smoother ride and quiet. I got 26mpg on my first gas tank. Not bad city/highway. If you are thinking of getting one of these cars, just get in it and drive. Youll be sold! 11k for a new car, nuts!!!

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  The Forenza is an EXCELLENT choice - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By LuvMySuzi - April 20 - 10:00 am

  After seeing the commercials, and advestisements in magazines I decided that the Forenza was at least worth a look. At first glance the Forenza looks a lot like most of the cars in its class. The exterior styling is fresh and new. The interior is very well equiped, especially in the LX modle I purchased. The most impressive thing about this car to me is the durability, and quality in the materials used to make it. After having an 03 Maxima, and comparing its materials and quality to the Suzuki Forenza I found myself amazed. There really isnt any comparison; the Forenza just feels all around like a much better built automobile.

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  Decent Ownership - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By RichW1 - April 13 - 3:23 am

  I bought mine new in 04, have been blessed with only minor items.Overall experience has been great. At 57,000 miles I need to spend $1200 on "normal" things like a water pump,struts, transmission flush, and timing belt. I cannot complain.

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  Great looking car for the money - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By chad - March 23 - 10:00 pm

  Nice comfortable ride, okay acceleration, great exterior and interior styling, cant beat the 17,500 msrp for all the options you get.

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  My Suzi - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By Marlyn - March 5 - 2:10 am

  I got my Suzi at 35k. I love my car. It has a sunroof and other cool stuff. The engine has its own quirky sound. Its the perfect family car for 4. The sunroof button is starting to stick. I would never trade it.

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  Never buy, cant drive my family safely around!! - 2008 Suzuki Forenza
  By maloney1124 - February 25 - 6:46 pm

  I got my Suzuki two years ago this month... Bought it wil 18,000 miles on it. To start, they replaced the transmission a day before I got it. Dealer never said anything and said nothing was wrong with it, that it belonged to an elderly woman who only used it to run errands... I get the car n 6 months later (4,000 miles if that!) they had to replace the transmission again! 35,000 miles currently n on its 3rd transmission and current will need replaced yet again cause its slipping. It randomly shuts off, speakers blown out, outside door handle paint is all off n dealer repainted them, check engine light goes on n off, gas light doesnt come on until your out of gas, Nd much more! Dont buy!!!

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  Nice Little Wagon - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By Alan Jay - February 19 - 12:53 pm

  Nice practical wagon. I average about 25 MPG with the automatic, better on highway trips. Great interior. I love the styling. Engine a little noisy on hard acceleration, but quiet at speed. The 2.0 Holden (Australian GM made) engine has a good long record for reliability in Europe, where it is used a lot. The ZF (German designed) auto transmission had a couple of minor quirks, but was fixed with a recent program update. It now is buttery smooth. Great sound system. It has started and run flawlessly. No squeaks or rattles. Handling is competent, but not sporty. Ride is quite good for a small car. Seems sturdy. (It weighs almost 3000 lbs.)

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  Gas Guzzler of a Small Wagon? - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By psc210b - February 18 - 11:03 pm

  I have put 2,000 miles on my Suzuki Forenza LX wagon. Just like others have said, the fuel economy is terrible on this car. I have gotten less than 15 mpg in the city and 27 mpg in highwaydriving. Also, the steering wheel is always vibrating when it starts to take off. I like its design though, pretty much looks like a Jetta wagon. I would hope these are all the problems I have for the next few years.

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  My Forenza - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By gbandlb - February 5 - 2:00 am

  This is an excellent vehicle. Rides smooth and handles great. Has plenty of pickup for a car in its class. Its a pleasure to drive and ride in as well.

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  Good Wagon for the Money - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By Jim Malkin - January 22 - 7:30 pm

  Its hard to find a company that isnt discontinuing its wagons in favor of some kind of crossover thing. Suzuki still proudly offers them and I was pleasantly surprised with the price, standard features and styling.