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 - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By beauttafly23 - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I like the car.....its really nice

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  Smile cause its cheap! - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By scott777 - October 19 - 10:50 pm

  People that complain about this car need to either remember they got a great deal on it, or they need to negotiate better next time they purchase. I believe that Suzukis in general are "decent" cars, not at the same level of say Toyota or Honda, but same or perhaps better than American "small" cars. I was in the market for a Corola, but found the price too high. I paid at least 20% less, so I can live with the compromises. I purchased a fully loaded 5-speed and enjoy the performance once I get out of 2nd gear. The "get up an go" from a dead stop is too slow and so is the 1st to 2nd gear shift, once youre shifting out of 2nd its a rocket! Gas mileage is unacceptably low (22-26mpg).

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  Wonderful Little Wagon - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By kc5yti - October 17 - 9:46 am

  Our third Suzuki. I have grown to love them since I bought the 2002 XL-7 that I still have now. Now we have replaced our 2002 Vitara with the Forenza Wagon. My wife drives it most of the time, and loves it. It has been on several long trips and fuel economy averages 26mpg. 22-26 city and 29-34 on the highway. The styling is great. The seats are confortable, and the back seat has plenty of room for our 3 kids. It nearly has the same amount of cargo space as my XL-7, but with better fuel econ. BTW, lookunder the cargo platform in the back, and you will find a spare and more storage space. Amazing. Bravo Suzuki

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  Excellent Vehicle!! - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By Kelly - October 13 - 10:26 pm

  My boyfriend and I bought our Suzuki Forenza about a week ago and I love it! Although ours is a 2008, its still similiar to the 2007. Its a great vehicle. The exterior design of the car is excellent, and the interior has more than enough room. We have two small children and we are both still young ourselves, so the exterior and interior fit our needs very well. Its a great vehicle and I would recommend it to anyone!

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  Two Forenza family - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By tedrik - October 11 - 1:46 am

  I am writing this review for my wife who was smarter than me and bought a 2005 Forenza LX for less than my 2006! Oh, well -Suzuki had better discounts on its closeouts! Anyway, the car rides and handles like a larger sedan - it is very quiet with and attractive design in and out. it has a great sound system that is usually an option in higher priced cars (140 watt CD / Cassette system). I am totally happy with my purchase.

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  Fabulous and Affordable - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By Happy2 - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Lots of room, comfortable , cute and affordable. I Love my new Forenza. Great gas mileage and lots of trunk space. The armrest with the cupholder on the backseat is great for kids to put drinks in. Less accidents. Very family and Pocketbook friendly car.

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  Great car - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By greg - October 1 - 12:03 pm

  I am so impressed with this car. The price is great, the performance is impressive, and the look works. Not so generic looking as the hondas and toyotas. Mine is the premium with the alloys and moonroof, white, with a black pinstripe. Feels like a much bigger car, holds the road well. Mines an auto, has great acceleration. Not as stiff riding as the other cars, but I prefer that. plus, the best warranty in the country. Whats not to like?

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  Suzuki Forenza - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By Justin Maier - October 1 - 9:50 am

  I love my Forenza. Ive had it for almost six months now and everything about it is great. I feel like it has a good amount of power, especially in the higher gears and at higher speeds. This car is everything I needed in a car.

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  awsome car - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By Adam06 - September 23 - 10:00 am

  this car if fun to drive loaded with up to date equipment and ghreat on fuel and has a very smooth ride the only thing wrong is that its not as fast with a 2.0L but its good enough.

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  Great Car - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By anjellyka - September 23 - 10:00 am

  Great car especially for the money ($10,000). It has many standard features.