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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  Best small car! - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By jayqohardd - November 4 - 10:54 pm

  So my best friend has had her Reno since 2005 so over the years road trips have been abundant! This car is sooo much fun!! I love it more than anything. I am actually about to by an LX for my commute to and from work. The reliability is beyond expectation, I mean, we have put over 200,000 miles on it in 7 years! She just keeps going. Now, the bad thing is that the stereo system in the doors went out quickly, the fact you have to push down to shift from Drive to park, etc.. has made the shifter loose & you have to press the shift towards the driver to make sure it locks in when turning off the vehicle. Other than that I cannot complain!

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  Cool little car - 2008 Suzuki Reno
  By vickid - September 12 - 10:03 am

  Good car for the price with a good warranty. Comfortable, good looking. Lots of base price features. Its zippy, quiet, and rides well.

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  Practical with a small kick - 2008 Suzuki Reno
  By rye - July 18 - 11:23 pm

  I drive 90 miles a day and I get from 420 miles to 380 miles on a full tank of gas so the mileage is alright. Needs cruise but hey its a good price on a car that get me to were I gotta go

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  Why I DIDNT get a Reno - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By DC - June 9 - 10:06 am

  Although I was impressed with the Reno LXs ride, features, performance, and quiet cabin, the following items turned me away. 1. Very weak AC, which I found in all three Renos I drove. Sub-par at best. 2. Poorly designed sunroof operation, with no "one-touch" closing, requiring you to keep a finger on the button and your eyes on the sunroof as it closes, meaning having to take your eyes off the road to make sure it stops and seals where it should instead of going into vent mode. Frustrating, and a safety hazard while driving. 3. Tight rear storage. Not enough lateral room for my guitar cases without putting seatbacks down. That means no passengers. 4. Sub-par gas mileage No thanks.

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  Scooter car - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By lexie0199 - June 8 - 4:53 am

  A practical car, not a head turner, I bought it for just that practical with decent gas mileage. At 79,000 miles there has been no problems, the 5 speed is great and the sound system for the quality of the car is awesome. I dont like the windows, when they are down they vibrate something fierce. Outside of that great little car, and of course I put the spoiler on, lights inside and options that were available. I would buy another one.

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  What the VWs GTI should be. - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By EC Transplant - April 10 - 3:46 pm

  I bought this car as a replacement to my 2000 VW. Value for the money, you cant beat this car. No problems whatsoever. I have entered this car in several autocross events and it has shamed cars costing at least twice as much. The styling is distinctive and euro, a nice touch. Interior is simple, the way I like it with just the right amount of convenience such as power windows, mirrors, and locks. Although the cars suspension is soft (see below), the overall balance is great. If Suzuki can bump the car up to about 150 bhp and stiffen up the suspension at least 50% the car would be a hit with hot hatch enthusiasts everywhere.

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  Great Car for a Low Price - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By Wunderly - July 25 - 11:03 pm

  I bout this car used at 4600 miles for about 6 grand at an auto auction. I have had this car for almost a year and I have have no problems with it so far, engine is easy to maintain. one issue is that the dashboard can glare on to the windshield, but other then that small detail the car is a good one to own for high school and college age kids.

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  No problems in 30,000 Miles - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By PSJ - May 15 - 3:20 pm

  Love the car. Got what I expected which was reliable service with no a problem to date at 30 thousand miles. Car has good vision fields and ride is tight and solid but it is a small car ride so if you think youre getting a Lexus at this price wakeup... although with all the radio and cruise controls on the steering wheel you will feel like you got more than you paid for. Oldest kid going off for college this fall. She wants and will get one for graduation.

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  Good Little Car - 2007 Suzuki Reno
  By Glenn - April 18 - 1:33 am

  So far my Reno has been a good solid car. I have the manual transmission. Its power is OK for a car in this class. The interior is a little uncomfortable, but with an 8-way adjusting driver seat and plenty of front leg room, its OK. It sounds good, I havent noticed excessive wind noise yet. Backing up is a little troublesome. Coming from a Ford Ranger with a very open rear view, it feels a bit claustrophobic looking out the rear window. Overall, at the price I bought it, Im very satisfied.

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  Reliable Little Buggy for 2 Years Now - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By Harvester - September 30 - 1:43 pm

  This has to be one of the best deals Ive ever gotten on a used car. Bought it less than a year old, with 8500 miles. The cost was already 2/3 of a new one. All the complaints Ive read about have never happened to me. There were 3 recalls that the Suzuki dealer performed - one for a wiring harness, one for a seatbelt thing, and the other for the running lights. I took this car on a road trip across Texas and back and was very good on gas. For $200 I put a Pioneer radio and it made all the difference in the world. The speakers are actually very nice sounding if you put some wattage behind them.