Overview & Reviews

Born in Japan, Suzuki is an automaker that has made a name for itself by crafting vehicles that emphasize value and affordability. Through the years, the brand's lineup has included sedans, wagons and SUVs. However, in late 2012 the company decided to stop selling new vehicles in the United States.

The company was founded by Michio Suzuki in 1909 as Suzuki Loom Works. By the 1950s, its focus had expanded beyond just loom machines to include both motorcycles and automobiles. In 1955, it rolled out the Suzulight, a compact car that proved to be a harbinger of a new era of Japanese lightweight vehicles. The automaker expanded its lineup to include a truck in 1961. Like its sibling, the tiny Suzulight Carry pickup distinguished itself with its featherweight specification. By the end of the decade, the Suzuki lineup had grown to include the Fronte passenger car, the subcompact Fronte 800 and the Carry Van full-cab van.

In 1970, Suzuki rolled out the Jimny, a four-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicle that resembled a playful version of the Jeep CJ-5. The automaker's roster continued to grow throughout this decade, with the addition of the Alto and the subcompact LJ80.

The 1980s saw Suzuki partnering with General Motors when GM acquired a 5 percent stake in the company. GM made this move partially in response to the growing popularity of subcompacts in the U.S. market. After the purchase, Suzuki products were rebadged and sold as GM vehicles on American shores.

In 1985, the carmaker launched an American outpost, and for the first time, Suzuki-branded vehicles became available in the U.S. The company's first model was the Samurai; available as either a convertible or a hardtop, this compact SUV met with immediate success. However, the Samurai's glory days were short-lived.

In 1988, Consumer Reports published an article in which it deemed the Samurai unsafe, saying it was more likely than most to roll over during certain maneuvers. Suzuki took the magazine to court (and eventually won) but the bad publicity from the article cast a pall on the Samurai that never quite lifted. Suzuki soldiered on, though. By the end of the decade its total aggregate car production had topped 10 million units, and its line had grown to include the compact Swift and the Sidekick, a compact SUV.

During the '90s, Suzuki expanded its reach to include territories like Egypt, Vietnam and Hungary, and launched new models like the Cappuccino convertible and the lightweight Wagon R. On U.S. soil, Suzuki rolled out the Esteem, dropped the beleaguered Samurai, introduced the two-seat, T-topped X-90 and replaced the Sidekick with the Vitara and Grand Vitara.

Suzuki and General Motors purchased ailing Daewoo in 2004, and two of that manufacturer's vehicles were rebadged and given new life as Suzukis. The Suzuki Forenza and Suzuki Verona both had former lives as Daewoo cars.

Through the first decade of the 2000s, Suzuki continued to evolve and improve its models, culminating in the Kizashi, a midsize sedan that was good enough to challenge segment front runners. But with overall sales and consumer interest stuck on a downward trend, Suzuki finally announced bankruptcy and termination of its U.S. vehicle operations in late 2012. The company plans to honor existing warranties, and some Suzuki dealers will continue to provide parts and service.

User Reviews:

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  Kizashi vs Jetta - 2011 Suzuki Kizashi
  By sabkosalam - December 13 - 12:03 am

  I have an 06 jetta and just got my Kizashi. Its only natural for me to compare the two. I have fallen in love with the Kizashi so I only want to mention the things I didnt like or am not used to. Car is extremely beautiful but too low, Id be scared to drive on serious bumps/snow. Doors dont lock automatically when you start driving. All four windows are not on one touch auto like jetta (I am spoiled by this jetta feature). Center armrest doesnt extend forward like jetta. Floor Mats are too black, can see dirt. Harsh ride in the GTS sport trim that we got. Has bump steer because of strong suspension. Front passenger seat cant be moved up and down like the Jetta.

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  Great car - 2005 Suzuki Verona
  By Phil - December 11 - 6:13 pm

  A great car for the money. I bought mine for 1000 below invoice and I love it. It looks and feels fantastic.

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  Love my little mobile bubble - 2003 Suzuki Aerio
  By mmaddalena3 - December 10 - 3:45 pm

  If you dont mind looking like youre driving around in a gigantic bubble-then this is the car for you. Im 511 and my husband is 64 and this car has enough room for us and our family of giants. I have had this same car for about 7 years now, used, and I havent had trouble with driving in the snow. I owned it through the summer in South Florida and through the "sno-maggedon" in Virginia and found it to be a great vehicle for either location. I will agree its basically plastic but I was side swiped a few years ago and it kept me safe. The cables on the battery though do fray so keep an eye under the hood ever so often. Otherwise its money well spent.

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  You get what you pay for - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By lory conover - December 8 - 11:23 pm

  At two weeks after purchase, the dash light switch went out. One month later the door locks stopped working. At 4 mo. the transmission went out. Was replaced by a new one, but now Im concerned about the overall quality of the car. Looking to trade it in for a more reliable model. Darn. I liked the feel of the Forenza and the interior as well as fuel economy. Suzuki should stick with building motorcycles!

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  Great Car! - 2002 Suzuki XL-7
  By caseyph - December 8 - 4:43 pm

  I love my XL-7. I got it after I needed to use my aunts XL-7 and loved it. It has plenty of room for myself and children. I recently took it on a road trip and it did wonderful. This truck is a keeper until its time to trade it in and even then Itll be for another XL- 7.

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  My bad experience with Suzuki cars - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By Tina Hull - December 7 - 8:16 pm

  I purchased a Suzuki Forenza new and have had nothing but problems, brake lights staying on, windshield pops and cracks, seats upholster coming undone especially front seats (been fixed twice), a problem with the power windows, hard to start on cold days, does not get mileage it should, boggs down, engine idles too fast, hard to get in reverse. The dealership tears it up more each time it is serviced. By the way, the joke at the 4 wheeler suzuki dealer is that you should buy the 4 wheeler because it will get you where youre going, even if Suzukis cars are "falling apart."

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  Suzukis are bulletproof - 2004 Suzuki XL-7
  By sbehrman - December 7 - 2:00 am

  This is my fifth Suzuki. They are bulletproof. Very high reliability, conservative engineering, excellent fuel economy. The XL-7 is geared a bit low, so I fitted the biggest Michelin tires that would fit in the wheel wells, making the gearing "taller" by about 5%. The car still clims the 6% grade between 6000 and 7000 feet on the east side of Donner Pass in 5th gear.

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  Overall Disappointment - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By RCassell - December 5 - 11:43 am

  When I first got my Forenza I absolutely loved it, the styling and ride were seemingly above class. I purchased it used with 6,000 miles on it. Then, when it hit 20k miles, there was a problem with the brakes and it wouldnt go into gear. Needless to say, the brakes are only covered to 12k miles. Now, the door handle fell off, my speedometer is off by 5+ mph depending on your intended speed, a valve gasket is blown, and the power steering pump needs to be replaced. It only has 33k miles on it! This shouldnt happen, and while the warranty covers it, Im still disappointed that I spent 10k on this when I could have bought a different make and had less problems.

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  Go Hamsters! - 2002 Suzuki Vitara
  By samarui hamster - December 5 - 10:00 am

  This little guy has lots of gumption and will turn on a dime and give you nine cents worth of change. It comes pretty well equipped for the price and goes anywhere.

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  Nice small car but with issue - 2008 Suzuki SX4
  By Wythe - December 4 - 6:40 pm

  Looking a new car for me to commute to work. Test drove Saturn Astra, Toyota Matrix and Suzuki SX4 (Sport with convenience pkg). After compare with the price and warranty, the SX4 is the final winner. This car is easy to handle and with about 30 MPG (city and highway combine) but shakes between 65-80 miles/hr. Took it back and Suzuki dealer spend two day to work on it. I picked up the car and they told me it was the balance problem of the tires which is not true. The car still shakes and who knows how many time I need to take this car back to Suzuki to get it fixed.