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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  Pretty Fun Little Car so Far - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By SMR - November 11 - 6:23 am

  So I have only had my 2006 Suzuki Reno for about two weeks but it has been pretty impresive for the money. Lets face it, its a cheap mode of transport. But its got some class thats for sure. I think the Italian design really helps. To me it looks better than cars out there that cost twice as much. Its very European looking. It could be that the car is actually a Holden Viva from Australia which was basically rebadged as a Suzuki. Overall I have been quite impressed by this stylish little guy. If you like the little European cars (like I do), then you wont be dissapointed. Test drive one and I think you will see what I mean.

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  Suzuki Reno 05 Problems! - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By Tom - October 23 - 3:20 am

  Bought car in 08/2006. Right after purchase the serpentine belt needed replaced. After one month (9/06) the steering joint had to be replaced, I also had an oil leak and the valve cover gasket needed replaced. 11/06 I had to have the power steering system flushed and the fuel emission serviced. 1/07 The following needed replaced: Front strut upper mountings, bearings, and sway bar links. Luckily most of these repairs were covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty. I had a brake from repairs until 5/08, the power steering sensor had to be replaced along with the drivers seat assembly. Ive had some starting and idling issues and now I have a really hard time starting it. No power.

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  Great looking, but whatsup with the a/c? - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By fastdriverNleather - October 5 - 5:53 pm

  Nice clean lines easy to drive , even for me being 6ft3.lots of room. this car doesnt wear you out on long road trips . Ive driven it to las vegas from LA, was very smooth, quiet and relaxing to drive. even at speeds in excess of 80mph..

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2007 Suzuki Reno
  By jpcommute - September 28 - 5:40 pm

  I recently purchased a 5spd Reno (46K) for a commuter. I drive 90 miles round trip to work, about 90% interstate. The car is better than expected. The editor reviews seem to be a bit harsh. The ride is good, pretty quiet, handling is OK, peppy engine with the 5 spd, no problems merging etc.The standard features are way above the economy class norm. The mpg has been close to advertised, I have ranged between 26-28.5 mpg with an average 25% city 75% hwy driving. Hwy speeds between 70-77 mph. If you are looking for max mpg, look elsewhere, the Reno offers a pretty good package at the current used prices, shop around and get one at trade-in value and you will have a good 1st car or commuter.

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  Better than it gets credit for - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By Ben - August 30 - 6:50 pm

  Bought this car brand new in Feb. 2005 - now has 105K miles and Ive never paid for anything other than routine maintenance (although, routine maintenance is a bit expensive on this one, especially hard-to-find tires!) Best features of this car are handling, and interior roominess for its size (I am VERY tall, and this car is more comfortable to drive than some full-size sedans!) Engine performance is adequate at best, but despite this, the gas mileage is subpar for a car this size. (Mileage IS a lot better on the highway, where I do most of my driving)

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  Good Car - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By Saverio - May 10 - 10:33 am

  I have owned this vehicle since February of 2005. It now has over 31,000 miles. It has been great. I put new tires on it 2000 miles ago. I opted for wider tires and it has improved its handling.

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  Great Buy - 2008 Suzuki Reno
  By Tony - February 2 - 4:43 am

  I bought this 08 Reno with 2,400 miles on it. Its my ride from home to work and back. This is the first small car that I have ever owned. I traded in my 98 Lumina (168k miles)and $5400 cash and drove it off the lot. So many of the reviews have been less than complimentary, but as an owner, I think this is a great little car. 3 year/36k mile bumper to bumper, a 100k powertrain warranty, and 24 hour roadside assistance. I dont like the fact there arent many dealerships around for service concerns, but I have only had one issue with the airbag light staying on all the time. Remember that you get what you pay for. I bought a 4-cylinder automatic. I dont expect to keep up with a Vette!

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  So far - so good - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By BK - January 16 - 2:53 am

  We have 30,000 miles on our Reno and have not had it in the shop yet. It starts easily and is pretty good on fuel. I drive 40 miles round trip to work and run a few errands around town in it. It is a manual 5 speed and we average 35 miles per gallon consistantly around town. The air is pretty weak and living in Florida can be a bit frustrating. Overall, we have been pleased but we are holding our breath. We also owned a Suzuki Verona at the same time that was a nightmare - we finally got rid of it, thank God.

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  2006 Suzuki Reno - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By dora5 - July 17 - 7:40 am

  I purchased my car in 2011 at 48,000 miles, and the biggest problem is that it isnt good on gas. Also, I was told by a mechanic at a a Goodyear Service Center two days ago that I might need struts, rack and pinion work and rods!!! Even though the car was given a clean bill of health just six months ago, and only has 52,000 miles on it. Today, I went to the Suzuki authorized service center and they said I dont need anything but an alignment and new wipers. They thought the struts where getting dry, but not a problem. Seems to me Goodyear wanted to make a little money. To be safe, I am taking it to a third shop just in case. Luckily, I purchased an extended warranty.

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  Awesome toy - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By russgoble - December 27 - 12:16 am

  I bought the car and to be honest with you, stock, the car isnt much, but after putting some 17" rims, limo tint, a sound system, underglow light, a custom grille and much more, that car has turned into a one of a kind here where I live. The manual has a lot more power than it look like. Adding NOS, turbo chargers, intake, exhaust will really make this car get up and race with the best. If anyone wants a car at an affordable price that you want to fix up and make unique, then I recommend this car