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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  See for yourself - 2008 Suzuki Forenza
  By JJ - February 26 - 2:50 pm

  I really cant say anything bad. One of the sharpest cars you can buy for the money. This car comes with great base model features and is much more solid than econo-cars before it. You dont buy these cars for sheer performance and gas prices should make the driver focus on doing his part, not just the car. With the money you save invest in a $99 mod-chip for even better mpg & hp. The mpg lives up to its window-sticker quote which is more than a lot of cars can say!

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  Its a decent car, but.... - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By bigjazzfan - February 22 - 6:57 am

  I bought a 2005 Suzuki Forenza with 116,000 miles. For what I need (a commuter car) it ran great. I realized it leaked quite a bit of oil, and the antifreeze was disappearing, and the airbag light was on of course. When speaking to a dealer he said hed never seen a 2005 Forenza NOT leak a considerable amount of oil. I had it for a few months, as long as I kept my eyes on the fluid levels, it was ok. I eventually traded for a different car. If youre looking for a car to rack up miles on, this is it. If youre looking for comfort or long-term reliability, look elsewhere.

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  Great Car - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By Richard - February 15 - 11:06 pm

  After 55,000 miles We have no issues. Did bend a rim on a deep pothole once. This is a nice, good handling little care. The gas mileage could be better than the 22 we are getting.

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  Its a Chevy ... - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By macnone - January 30 - 10:20 pm

  I was driving it for some time ... so far I have to be in the dealership once every 4 months ... something is wrong and needs fixin. Im used to Nissan QUALITY!!! Now I understand why this thing is so cheap! Im disregarding the airbag light all together - after a dealership its off for about a month ... then on again. Do I have to pay $300 each quoter or do I ignore it ... transmission is another common problem ... If you want to see a lot of lights on the dashboard all the time - this car is for you, if not - choose a different manufacturer.

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  I like it - 2008 Suzuki Forenza
  By joakes66 - January 25 - 3:46 am

  This is my second Suzuki car. I liked my 01 Esteem so much, I thought Id try another Suzuki. So far I have been very satisfied. I am a large person, and this is the first car I have owned where I could not slide the seat all the way back; it was too far from the wheel to be comfortable! It has all the extras I was looking for, has enough get-up-and-go for my style of driving, and the controls are laid out nicely. I do think I will spend a few bucks and get some nicer wheels; the steel wheels w/hubcaps have got to go.

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  Suzuki, More Bang for your Buck! - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By Juan G Lozada - January 14 - 4:13 am

  My Forenza has is not only worth every dollar I paid for it, but it tops any Toyota or Honda in its class. We are a family of five and fit comfortabilly and there is space for my daughters wheelchair and luggage. The gas mileage is great, compared to the Toyota I used to have, and is as reliable as the Nissan and Honda we had. If you want more bang for your buck any Suzuki model is worth every cent. I was also an owner of a 2002 XL-7 when I lived in Puerto Rico and with bad roads and weather conditions, I felt super safe and it was fun to drive.