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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  Paint Chip Problems at 3,000 miles - 2010 Suzuki Kizashi
  By neveragain - January 2 - 3:33 am

  This car WOULD be great if Suzuki stood behind ALL of its work in its warranty. My vehicle has numerous paint chips in it and I have had it for < 2 months. I live in the mid-west and havent even driven it on a dirt road yet. It also has scratches everywhere from rocks. Paint quality is horrible. Took it to the dealership I bought it from that was 2 1/2 hours away. The service manager took pictures of every chip at that time. Came home and discovered there were 10 new chips from my 2 1/2 hour ride home on the highway. Suzuki says they dont consider this to be a paint issue and it is not covered by the warranty. Really love the car but it doesnt matter if the outside looks horrible

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  Shotty Air Conditioner Over and Over - 2001 Suzuki XL-7
  By Disappointed - December 15 - 6:36 pm

  I love my car, except that each year the air conditioner goes out. This year I am told the cost is $1,000+ just for the part condenser or compressor?? And it had to have a dual air conditioner. :-( The car is probably not even worth that much. Too bad that the dealer were so bad on fixing this one problem. Other than that, the car has been perfect. Love the fact that the gasoline door is on the passenger side. Its fully loaded and got what I paid for . .no repairs other than regular maintenance-not bad for an 8yr old car. Body and interior in perfect condition still.

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  You get what you pay for - 2010 Suzuki SX4
  By andrewf86 - October 11 - 9:58 pm

  This is a pretty bland car that lacks important creature comforts and is surprisingly small. At first it feels large but once you put 4 adults in you realize how small it really is. We bought this car because we had a baby on the way. The trunk barely fits the baby stroller and the passenger seat has to be moved all the way forward to accommodate the baby seat. This car gets very poor MPG, isnt fun to drive, and isnt very large. The only real redeeming feature I can think of is the AWD which is pretty capable even in very nasty weather. Its not a bad car, its just very mediocre but it doesnt cost much money.

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  GOOD CHOICE - 2003 Suzuki XL-7
  By Luis A.Sara - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Its a good choice because cover my family needs. I dont like vans & mini vans and my wife use it to pick up & drop my kids to school. It has nice handling and very good engine. I like this SUV.

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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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  Nothing But Headaches After the First 3 Years - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By jlaura - June 24 - 7:09 am

  I loved this vehicle for exactly 3 years. I purchased it new in October of 2006. It seems like all the problems began on November 1, 2009. There were multiple recalls (I received notice of the power steering belt recall two weeks after having it replaced); Ive replaced the tires twice; the headlights go out all the time; the CD player no longer works. Most recently, Ive been having engine troubles. My mechanic tells me that the throttle body has some kind of defect that makes it prone to getting clogged. As a result, my car wont start sometimes. My last Suzuki had a rear main seal leak at 55,000 miles. I should have learned my lesson then... At 78000 with this one; hope to get to 100000

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  bare basic car.. - 2000 Suzuki Esteem
  By Titu Bhowmick - June 15 - 2:13 pm

  I just bought this car a month ago with 31 k miles on it. Now it has 33k. The car was in a good condition when used. There are very few good things about this car .. it is usually average or below average. The car is very simple in design and so it is easy to work on. The build quality is bad, there are noises everywhere. A critical bolt for the engine mount snapped in the first few weeks. I think the wagon is a more practical alernative.

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  SX4 Upshift Nightmare - 2009 Suzuki SX4
  By Dodger - June 7 - 2:36 pm

  Do not buy an SX4 Crossover with manual shift!! When I test drove this car I noticed an odd tendency to over- rev when shifting up through the gears but put it down to my unfamiliarity with the car or to the engine being cold. I have driven stick shift cars for the last 35 years and was confident that a slight adjustment in driving style would avoid any issues. How wrong I was! The SX4 has a bizarre electronic throttle linkage that unpredictably decides to rev the engine in between gears when upshifting and no amount of adjustment in style can reliably avoid over-re

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  Two interior door handles broken - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By Donna - May 26 - 6:40 pm

  The interior door handles broke on the front driver and passenger sides. Electrical issues....Occasionally, the emergency lights flash when opening the door and will stop when the ignition is turned on..several trips has been made to the dealer but they cannot find the problem. It also causes the AC to randomly blow hot and cold air while in the on position.

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  trying to hard - 2005 Suzuki Forenza
  By sparkey424 - April 19 - 5:07 pm

  although this is one of my favorite cars i have had, it has a lot of problems. its estimated mpg is [non-permissible content removed]. i have never seen better than 25 mpg. it looks pretty ugly, paint is terrible and is chipping away. has no power what so ever. if i have my ac on and try to go i have to burn the clutch to hell. recently somebody tried to break into my car and messed the locking system up and the dealership wants to charge 1200 dollars for it. break light never goes off. dealer wants 2300 for that. and my airbag light is on, which again is 1200 dollars to fix. although i have no problems with the rims. take it off roading where im not supposed to be and can take the abuse.