Overview & Reviews

No matter how you slice it, the departed Suzuki Reno was basically a Suzuki Forenza wagon with a slightly more stylish body. It shared that car's basic architecture, engine and transmission. A four-door compact hatchback, the Reno should make for an affordable used car with plenty of interior space and lots of features. Don't expect class-leading performance, however, as the Reno lagged behind the competition in virtually every driving-related category -- even fuel economy.

Most Recent Suzuki Reno

The Suzuki Reno debuted for the 2005 model year. With its emphasis on value, the Reno's long list of standard features took center stage. Many modern compact cars come standard with power door locks and windows, a tilt wheel and other convenience features, but the Reno went a little further by offering such features as a micron air-filtration system for the cabin, a CD stereo with MP3 capability and a height- and lumbar-adjustable driver seat -- all without requiring the buyer to check a single box on the options list.

Clearly the Suzuki Reno has excellent value as a used car. Still, "excellent value" doesn't exactly mean comfort or power. While the EX trim level was loaded and included features like leather seats, remote keyless entry and cruise control, the Reno in any trim offered barely adequate performance. This was particularly true in the acceleration department, with subpar fuel economy adding insult to injury. Handling was also less than spectacular, as Suzuki endowed the Reno with a soft, smooth ride at the expense of cornering ability. However, this is a trade-off that the average consumer will likely appreciate.

Because the 127-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine has to work so hard to keep up, a good deal of engine noise makes its way into the cabin. Competitors like the Mazda 3 are more refined and quicker by comparison.

The Reno's interior came up short as well when compared to other domestic and import-branded small cars. The materials were of low quality and many panels simply didn't fit correctly. We suggest that shoppers looking for an inexpensive used hatchback skip the Reno and check out more viable choices.

Changes were minimal during the Suzuki Reno's run. Model year 2006 brought the addition of a standard tilt steering wheel and new seat fabrics, while '07 saw the inclusion of a standard tire pressure monitoring system for all trim levels. Unfortunately for audiophiles, the formerly standard eight-speaker stereo was dropped altogether for '08, leaving a meager four-speaker unit in its stead.

User Reviews:

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  They "Got" me!! - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By K. payne - December 10 - 12:13 am

  we purchased our reno right after we got married as a 2nd car, boy what a mistake we made. I think the car stayed in the shop more than we drove it; head light continues to go out for now reason, airbag light on, dealer dont know why, no good a/c heater output, replaced tires under a year, middle console will not close and we had to the timing belt in less than a year. This car is a piece of crap, cant trade cause its worth nothing. Biggest mistake we ever made

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  Reno - Good Car, Little Money - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By Beverly O. - December 6 - 1:03 pm

  I was apprehensive about buying a small car such as the Reno, but after test driving the Kia Rio and then the Suzuki Reno I was assured that the Reno was the car for me. The Reno out-performed the Rio with its acceleration, comfort, noise level and cost! I love my little Reno. It would be just perfect if only it got a wee bit better gas mileage for its size.

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  Happy so far. - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By Reno Owner - November 7 - 9:20 pm

  We bought a 06 Reno a few years ago and so far has been a reliable car, overall I like the car. Im around 6-2ish and I fit comfortably into the vehicle. No knees into the glove box, no hair touching the upholstry on the roor. Has gotten a bit cramped with the addition of a car seat, had to move pass seat forward. Have not had any major mechanical problems to this point. Have not experienced the bad starting as some others have. Did eat through the factory serp belt though by 36,000. Have flushed the engine cooling system and serviced the auto trans, no problems with the fluid exchanges either. MPG is nothing to totally rave about, but full it once a week, not terrible.

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  Suzuki Reno - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By John - November 4 - 8:40 am

  When I bought the car, I loved it. Specially the one on display which had special rims and tinted windows. I had decided to get a manual but ended buying the auto. I read reviews and the person did not recommended doing this, but to me its a very reliabable car. I drove it during the snow and it took me to and back from work. The only thing that I dont like is the fact that is not good when it comes to gas.

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  so far very happy - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By winger21067 - September 23 - 12:06 pm

  Ive owned this Reno for about 2 months now and Iam very pleased. Gas mileage is averageing 30/mpg. (thats city/hwy average mixed)My family fits decently. 2 Adults, Im 62" , and 3 kids. Gabriella is still in a car seat also. As for the cars power, you would accually think this car had a larger engine. Ive got the 5speed Manual. the only real downfall Ive noticed is pedal spacing. I have trouble hitting 2 pedals at once. All in all, Im pleased. This is a far cry better than getting 9 - 13/mpg in my full-sized conversion van. Until gas goes down this is ,I feel, good transportation. Dwayne H.

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  My 08 Reno - 2008 Suzuki Reno
  By Keair - September 13 - 2:53 am

  I just bought my 08 Reno a few days ago, and so far Im very impressed with its performance and ride quality. MPG arent too bad, but they could be a little better. For about 20-25 dollars you could expect to ride for a pretty good bit on a full tank. Thats pretty good compared to a much bigger vehicle. My roommate has a minivan, and that take anywhere from thirty to forty dollars to fill up, and gas doesnt last half as long as it does in mine. Im 24, and this is my very first vehicle, and so far Im very happy, and well satisfied with my purchase.

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  Reno....not broken in yet - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By Charley - August 16 - 5:50 pm

  I just got my Reno and am pleased. A few things need to be changed but overall its a great car. The main selling point of any Suzuki is the warranty. You cant beat 7 year/100,000 miles. Plus, if you are a loyal customer to the dealer for your services, you get free tires as long as you own it. For a base model, it has a lot more than any other base model you can get. We were looking for budget...and thats what we got. But this is by far the best bang for your buck as far as dependability goes. Power isnt all there. My 92 prelude puts the Reno to shame in that aspect. But all in all its a nice car with a lot of benefits you shouldnt pass up if youre on a budget.

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  Okay Car for the Money - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By Renee - August 14 - 7:43 am

  I bought this car used. I have not had to do anything to it except oil changes and standard maintenance stuff. Its almost time to replace the tires. The price of the standard tires was higher than I expected. Every tire place I went to said they were not a size they stocked, so that was surprising. But overall, I really like the car so far. Have not had any mechanical issues. The main thing is to remember it is an inexpensive car, dont expect it to drive like a Mercedes or youre setting yourself up for disappointment. But great car, glad we bought it.

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  I Love It - 2007 Suzuki Reno
  By James - July 14 - 5:33 pm

  I love it. The Reno is everything that I need and nothing that I dont. It is spacious for such a small vehicle. The base level is what I went with and with such an affordable price tag who could pass it up?

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  Some Quirks - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By Good & Bad - June 6 - 6:43 pm

  To start, let me say I really do love this car. But, it has had many problems that make it annoying at times. I had the problem with it not starting for the 1st 6mo I had it-the dealership could never fix it but it stopped happening. Then I had an airflow problem (scary)- The tires wore out (low profile)at 24000. And, Ive had non-stop issues with the airbag sensor, that they just cant seem to fix. I was just told that it would probably need a new Serp. belt soon. But, the car is fun to drive, sporty, decent on mpg. MPG could be better for a car this size, but Its better than an SUV! If you know how to drive the automatic as a manual (as you can in this car) really gets up and goes.