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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  DO NOT buy this car - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By rrowlan6 - September 22 - 12:07 am

  My dad bought this car in 2007 as a temporary commuter vehicle for my mother after she blew up our Ford Taurus. This car has been an absolute nightmare from the start. Shortly after purchasing we ran into some financial troubles (as everyone did) and ended up paying the loan off and now own the car outright. We have put more than $18,000 in this car over the last 7 or 8 years and every time something is fixed, something else blows up. Normal wear and tear on a vehicle are understandable, but we had it in the shop every 3 months at least. Not to mention everything that went wrong with it was a safety issue.

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  2011 GTS impulse buy / AWD w. navigation - 2011 Suzuki Kizashi
  By KizDan - September 19 - 2:00 am

  We took our 2008 SX4 to the local dealership (Ellis Suzuki) for the 15,000 mile checkup. While we were waiting we saw the silver GTS and fell in love. Took it for a drive and came home with it. I hate impulse buys, but Ive not had any regrets with this purchase. I always wanted navigation, and this GTS had it installed. Stereo is wonderful, although I was surprised it only held one cd. Used the IPOD connection, and it sounded wonderful. Bluetooth worked with Iphone just great. I could go on and on. Oh, I could have gotten a 2010 for a lot less, but I really liked the changes in body styling on the 2011.

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  One Week Old - 2008 Suzuki SX4
  By rick (pgh pa) - September 18 - 11:43 am

  Only one week old with 350 miles. First tank of gas 23.89 vs my old envoy of 15. Love how it handles and great visablility. Front seats very comfortable. I drive 50-75 miles a day in mixed. It looks like the 2nd tank is around 28 mpg. I love it. Wife has ford escape 2003. Might buy another one.

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  2001 Suzuki Vitara JX - 2001 Suzuki Vitara
  By Mary - September 17 - 6:40 pm

  I like my vitara very much and feel very safe driving it. It handles excellent in the snow and I have never had a problem with it when windy out.Its been very reliable and I have had it since it was new and I still love it. I would say to anyone looking to buy one that you really cant go wrong with this Vitara 2001. I have had mine 8 years now and its still going strong.I can understand why you dont see too many people selling them. Once you have one its hard to part with it.

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  aerio - 2004 Suzuki Aerio
  By dan sauvie - September 16 - 2:00 am

  i had my aerio for 2 days when the ice buildup on the wipers cause the wipers to freeze up and, when they freeze up the car automatically blows a fuse in the fuse box and disables the wipers...this is a safeguard against the wipers motor stripping out the gears..i later found that out but i was glad that it did that...good safeguard

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  Love the car - hate the gas milage! - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By Cquick - September 16 - 2:00 am

  Love our Verona - got a great deal. But the gas milage during city commutes is not a good as I had hoped. Seat belts in back are difficult to manuever - but otherwise, look and feel is great.

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  great automobile - 2004 Suzuki Forenza
  By gcarr2003 - September 16 - 2:00 am

  I have been looking for some time for a new vehicle and this one is a great buy. It is great on fuel mileage, it is very comfortable to ride in, and it has a classy look to it.

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  Mid-Life crisis car - 2008 Suzuki SX4
  By Rusty Franklin - September 13 - 8:23 pm

  I just sold my 19 year old Civic with 165k miles on it. This is a nice step up. Sharp looking car. Gotten comments on its looks. Comfortable ride for a small car. 17" tires help the ride and looks. The steering wheel controls are great. Climate controls are positioned nicely. Trunk is large. Motor has plenty of power for me. Ive put 1750 miles on it in 1 1/2 weeks and it is getting 32 mpg on the highway. Good head room in the front. Would recommend this car to anyone. I feel I got a good value for my money. I hope to have for well over 100k miles.

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  underestimated car - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By TexasJay - September 12 - 10:00 am

  Just bought the Verona. I think the engineers copied a 2002 Maxima, which isnt a bad thing. Its very comfortable and drives extremely well. A little better acceloration would be nice, but I dont care if its a second or two behind the new Altimas or Accords. The build quality appears to be no different than Honda, Toyota, or Nissan. My first new car was a 1987 Samurai that went eight years and 120,000+ miles without a problem. Performance is nice, but my main concern is quality and I like this one.

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  A Suzuki? - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By Suzuki Bob - September 12 - 4:36 am

  Ive been waiting to trade my Chevy Blazer ZR2 with 88,000 miles on it for an SUV thats just as "cool." The Suzuki Grand Vitara fits that bill! I like the firm "truck ride" but unlike the my old Blazer the GV is smooth and quiet. The GV is one of the few remaining small SUVs with a real 4WD. Its a great looking SUV and feels good too!