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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  best kept secret - 2003 Suzuki XL-7
  By malexa00 - May 6 - 10:00 am

  Just purchased the XL-7 Touring model without the 3rd row seat. Very happy so far. Comes with a lot of standard features for the price paid. The size of the XL-7 is somewhere between the compact SUVs (Rav-4, CRV) and the mid-large SUVs (Pilot, Explorer). Fun to Drive. If Suzuki came out with a full size SUV it would give the Explorer and Pilot a lot of competition.

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  My New Aerio - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By mrmmac - May 6 - 2:33 am

  I purchased this car three months ago and am still very happy with it. The only problem is the driver side does not have enough leg room.

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  A Good Long Term Investment - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By Satisfied Buyer - May 5 - 10:20 pm

  My Grand Vitara has exceeded my expectations. This is a solid well-built vehicle. There is only one way to get this SUV - with the Luxury Package. The keyless entry and start is fantastic. My wife never takes the control unit out of her purse. The combination of two-tone leather, brushed aluminum and wood grain finish is rich and classy. The driver seat subwoofer will rock your world if needed. The driving is nimble; ride is acceptable for a SUV. However, watch when you test drive one. The dealers over inflate the tires (40 PSI), resulting in a bumpy ride. Once we got the correct tire pressure (32 PSI) the ride was fine. The strong V6 engine gets, 21 MPG on avg (it’s an SUV). For the money, extras and quality this one was the best product.

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  Great car for the price - 2002 Suzuki Esteem
  By sj - April 30 - 11:53 am

  Bought it used (5 speed, wagon) and never had any issues whatsover. With the rear seats folded down, it had very good usable cargo space. You can fit stuff in there you can never imagine in a sedan. Wonder why people still prefer to buy sedans over wagons.

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  forenza rocks =) - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By forenzalovr - April 30 - 10:36 am

  I have owned the car for 2 weeks and it has 30,000 miles on it. It has no problems, no not starting issues, or any other issues. It rides and drives great, it is very comfortable, you do not feel like you are squished in a compact car. Looks great, i have the summit white paint color. Love the interior design and feel, looks above and beyond what you would expect. Everyone throws down on this car, I dont know why, its a great car, if you treat your car the way it should be treated, it will work just fine! With 30,000 miles on it, i am pretty sure i would have experienced a problem if there is any by now.

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  Disappointed - 2001 Suzuki XL-7
  By Rosebud1955 - April 24 - 2:00 am

  This was a good car for the money. The dealership was very accommodating. I havent had any major problems and found it very reliable. Low trade-in value.

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  Roomy but should have better gas mileage - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By David G - April 24 - 2:00 am

  It is fun to drive, shifting is not very smoothe. Fuel economy 30 on highway not very good for such a small car! The interior is very roomy and seats four very well 5 if 5th is child! Has alot of amenities for the money and warranty is excellent! Long trips or snow driving not very good (low ground cleance) even though it is front wheel drive! Might want to get 4WD version for snow areas!

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  Class Value. - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By Carsel - April 24 - 2:00 am

  Just a test drive will confirm what others have been saying. The car rides very smooth in normal driving conditions. The interior looks upscale and controls are very well located. The best thing is the price and features compressed into the car. On highways and hills the car rides very well. The inner space is large and easily sits five.Trunk space is good.

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  Amazing Vehicle! - 2006 Suzuki Aerio
  By jason132 - April 24 - 1:47 am

  I bought this car new and now have over 290,000 KMs (180,000 miles) today. You did not read that wrong! I have never had a problem with the engine or transmission. To put this in further perspective, I live in the coldest city in the world, Winnipeg MB. This car has been an absolute blast to drive! It still handles beautifully and still has as much power today as the day I drove it off the lot. With routine maintenance I dont think this car will ever die. I would recommend this car to everyone!

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  SX4 Crossover Touring2 - 2008 Suzuki SX4
  By Sid - April 22 - 3:50 pm

  Bought the new 2008 Xover in Touring-2 trim and 5-speed, in copper metallic. Great car, solid feel on road, avg mpg so far is 29.2. Good on gas if you drive like you want it to be. I find the seats very comfortable, better than the Prius I was going to buy at twice the price. Cabin noise is quite low for this class, engine is smooth, doors shut with solid thump. 9- speaker stereo is excellent. Front end styling is great, back end could use a little more edginess to it. Very intriguing little vehicle. Suzuki, I wish you would replace rear differential with brushless DC motor along with smaller engine and make it a mild hybrid. I just might do it for you Suzuki!