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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  You wont pass any gas stations - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By Steve - November 10 - 5:53 am

  Purchased 2005 Forenza LX wagon with 4 speed AT & 4 wheel abs. Like the style size and features with the vehicle. Like the small engine , I have a new driver in the crew and figured the meek acceleration would be a plus. The car is embarrassing for a 2005 model year vehicle , gas mileage in the city is 13.5 to 14.5 mpg. If you live in a rural area may be an excellent purchase for those of us in city driving the gas mileage makes this vehicle a mistake to buy. First foreign car purchase and it looks to be very disappointing.

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  Junk door handles - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By John - August 15 - 10:00 am

  Three of the four interior door handles broke off, but since the chinzy warranty of 3yrs, 36K miles expired they were not covered, so I crazy glued them all back together. Also, paint is peeling off the exterior door handles, and I baby this car, dont drive in snow or ice, and wash and wax often. Its impossible to service the antifreeze, transmission, and drive belts yourself. The car drives ok, but doesnt get as good gas mileage as my 1970 dodge dart, which got close to 30mpg on highway, this one gets 26, and I tune it and maintain it myself.

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  lemon - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By Rick HENDERSON - July 25 - 10:00 am

  We bought a new Foreza in Dec. of 03 it was taken back for minor issues at 1000 miles. So we thought. It was taken back at 1500, 2800, 3000, 3450 and finally 3500 miles. All for excessive smoke out of the tailpipe. The car has been in the shop since June 1st of 04 with the engine taken apart. We where told there was a problem with the cylinders or pistons. They where not sure and Suzuki inc. didnt know what to do about it. Well over 2 months later it is still in the shop with the engine torn apart. I have filled on the lemon law. I could not get suzuki to call me or give me an answer on when it may be fixed. It seems that it should not take 2 months to repl

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  What a difference a year makes - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By Dean - July 24 - 12:46 am

  I have the 2006 wagon. Im 6ft 1, 300lbs, and very comfortable in this car. The exterior styling is reminiscent of a smaller version of the dodge magnum, and the 7yr-100000 warranty speaks for itself. Its interior is styled nicely, and you get accessories for thousands less than similar vehicles in this category. fuel econmy is superb so far, and it holds the road like a glove. Its not a pavement burner, but it gets out of its own way when it needs too. safety features abound, hidden storage everywhere, and plent of room for rear passengers. An excellent car as is the whole 2006 line. Catch one if you can....

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  Can I Give It Back?? - 2008 Suzuki Forenza
  By Can I Give It Back?? - May 12 - 10:43 pm

  I have been less than impressed with this vehicle. I feel like I am driving a manual transmission because it jerks pretty severely when you step on the gas. I had to have my speakers replaced because they blew out - I dont blast my radio! My fuses blew out on my cigarette lighters and turn signals within a year. My engine light is on again, this time due to a bad transmission sensor! The gas mileage is horrible! I was in a pinch and needed a new car, but at this point, I would have been better off keeping my old one!

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  Need to dump this car - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By jessinral84 - April 5 - 2:01 pm

  I have a 2006 Suzuki Forenza Sedan. Where do I even begin? The check engine light comes on constantly; it has comes on at three times in the past year for me. Each time, I spend $300 getting it "fixed" only to have it come on again soon after. The paint on the door handles chips. This car SUCKS during long trips..and by long, I mean trips over an hour. Its noisy, drives poorly and has difficulty accelerating. It also jerks every time I put it in reverse. The battery drains very easily, Ive spent $ getting that replaced. Gas mileage is terrible. Crappy car all around. Every day, I worry that this car will break down (because it has..a lot)

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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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  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.