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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  This is a Great Car! - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By Kaley Blesse - October 10 - 5:26 am

  This is a great looking car and it drives wonderfully. I drive about 40 minutes to work everyday and its great on gas! The only thing that I can say I dont like about this car is the size of the tires. No one carries this size tire that makes it inconvenient to find replacements. I had two flat tires in one week. But otherwise this is a great car!

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  Nice family SUV - 2006 Suzuki XL-7
  By sam - October 7 - 4:26 pm

  I have used Toyota vehicles till now. We were reluctant to buy Suzuki. But when we compared Highlander to Suzuki, the price won and we decided to try Suzuki XL-7. XL-7 has still not disappointed us at all. It has been reliable, no troubles at all. So far satisfied with its performance. We used it to tow when we recently moved and it was great. Nice SUV.

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  Great Car for the Price - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By Louie - October 6 - 8:00 am

  The 2005 Suzuki Forenza is well made and fun to drive. It is a surprisingly nice vehicle for the price. It comes standard with many options that are cost extra on many other cars, cush as power windows and door locks. I have owned a number of Hondas and this car is right up there with the Civic.

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  Door Handles - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By KarmicX - October 4 - 10:00 am

  I just called Suzuki because I heard of the recall on certain Suzuki models. The door handles have all broken. They want to do nothing but charge me a phenomenal rate to fix them. Its a flaw they had when using cheap door handles. I love that Suzuki is standing behind their product. I drive with my kids all the time and this is a safety issue. If you cant exit the vehicle without unrolling the automatic windows and the back passengers cant even reach their exterior door handles to exit doesnt this constitute a severe safety issue.

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  Fun to Drive - 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By Go-go - October 3 - 5:06 pm

  I have been very happy with my purchase. I looked at many SUVs before I chose the Vitara. Looked at Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, even Dodge. The Vitara just felt right. It is fun to drive and well made. Love the features on the steering wheel and the interior. Great value for the money.

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  Great Deal, Great Car - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By drdud - October 1 - 4:00 pm

  I traded my Subaru Legacy for this sweet ride. It has a smooth ride, good gas milage, an attractive exterior, and a nice interior. Plus I saved a bunch of money by buying it instead of buying a new Subaru. Its AWD system is the same, it has a good driving position and good seat height (which is important if you have a bad back). Its seat is higher than the ones in Subarus . This is a great little wagon.

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  2007 SX-4 - 2007 Suzuki SX4
  By kBurke - October 1 - 11:53 am

  Great car, great buy. Ive averaged right at 30 mpg on almost every tank. Mind you, I drive conservatively and kick it out of gear and coast whenever possible (manual transmission) but this is still way over the EPA estimates of 23/27. Lots of room, good ride and performance and the all wheel drive is handy in bad weather.

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  Big Mistake - 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By Jeff - September 30 - 8:46 am

  We purchased this car thinking it would be as good and reliable as the Honda we traded in. Big mistake. After 6 trips to the repair shop and many telephone conversations to the customer relations department, the problems remain unfixed. The warranty is not worth the paper it is written on. We had problems from day 1. The dealer finally admitted there were problems but was not capable of fixing them so customer service sent us to another dealer. They are unable to fix them also. We have not been able to travel any distance all summer and we certainly would not carry our precious grand children in this unsafe car. Please learn from our experience and do not buy a Suzuki.

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  I love my Verona - 2006 Suzuki Verona
  By VClue - September 27 - 7:23 am

  I purchased a Suzuki Verona because it appeared to give me the most options for my money. I have totally enjoyed my car. No, it doesnt have a lot of pick up for a cold start but, once it gets going, it has no problems keeping up with the crowd. It has a smooth quiet ride. The steering is easy to handle. The interior options are a plus. I feel truly blessed to have this car. Unfortunately, my daughter recently had an accident in my car, and the police said, it must be built pretty well because it should have been a lot more messed up from that impact. Shes doing fine and the car is back on the road to enjoy.

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  2004 Suzuki SX AWD auto - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By bren - September 26 - 11:13 am

  I bought my Aerio used with 10,000 miles and it currently has 56,000 miles. Overall my Aerio has been reliable, although the brake pads and rotors seem to require replacement more quickly than in other vehicles.