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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  Well kept secret - 2010 Suzuki Kizashi
  By joer5 - April 22 - 6:03 am

  My son just bought his first new car, a 2010 Kizashi SE, CVT, AWD. Beautiful interior with top of the line materials, very comfortable seats, quite a few standard features found on cars 10 to 20K more. Handles great, fun to drive, and looks better and better each time I see it. Why buy a Camry or Accord when the Kizashi looks better, has more features for the dollar, and a 7 year 100,000 mile warranty! Suzuki has a winner here.

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  Could drive into a wall and still work! - 2001 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By Andrew - April 19 - 6:56 pm

  From an engine standpoint, the only problem I had was with the exhaust system rusting out. This truck keeps on going and going. I believe that it would probably run without oil! (only joking). I am now on my second Suzuki (XL-7), but it had that GM body (everything else is great, except the GM stuff). The 2001 units are great and will last a long time, as long as you take care of it.

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  Never miss the beat - 2003 Suzuki XL-7
  By jay-jay - April 17 - 10:00 am

  still going strong, not even a single concern to make a trip back to the dealer. A real pleasure to drive.

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  Great car - 2009 Suzuki SX4
  By MtTop - April 13 - 5:00 pm

  My son bought a used 2008 SX4, I liked it so much I bought the 2009 model. I have bought over 10 new cars in my life, but this car is by far the MOST FUN to drive. Ive had it about a year now, and I still look forward to driving it. Its that much fun. Excellent AWD, used it many time in Northeast PA. No worry about shoveling, just put it in AWD and go, let the FWD car people shovel. Plenty power for passing and cruising. Spent many 6 hr drives to Boston and never get tired or uncomfortable driving it. Avg about 30 mpg to and from work, 44 miles both ways, with city and interstate driving. Bought the iPod adapter and also factory fog lights. Very easy to install. BUY ONE!

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  we got a lemon - 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By lovebug - April 13 - 1:46 am

  Bought truck in April 2009. LOVING the truck until the cold weather hit and we started turning on the heat. Late November motor started overheating. They replaced the thermostat. Early December motor overheating again, and no heat in the vehicle. They replaced the thermostat again, but it was still overheating. They opened up the motor and the head was cracked! Theyve had our vehicle since Dec 14th, waiting for parts from Japan. Asside from the mechanical/electrical problems, my biggest complaint is about their customer service. Theyve never once contacted us to give us an update. Its always us calling them. We usually get voice-mai

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  2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By brad averitt - April 12 - 12:43 am

  I love this vehicle. It has great gas mileage. I cant say enough about how much we enjoy it.

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  worst car ever - 2005 Suzuki Verona
  By scolvell - April 7 - 5:07 pm

  after owning the car for just over a year and a half I have already replaced MAP at $75, MAF at $90 (twice), head gasket under warranty, catalytic converter under warranty, ignition coils at $800+ (all 6), and a fuel pump under warranty all with only 54k on the car. I just brought it back in for a problem that I have been having with the car almost since day 1 with the cars idle dropping to about 400 and dieing or surging to 1200 and trying to ram the car in front of me at the stop light. The transmission shifts rough. With all this the dealer cant duplicate my problems stating that it drove fine for them. It has the power of a 4cyl with all the mpg of a v8

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  Need to dump this car - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By jessinral84 - April 5 - 2:01 pm

  I have a 2006 Suzuki Forenza Sedan. Where do I even begin? The check engine light comes on constantly; it has comes on at three times in the past year for me. Each time, I spend $300 getting it "fixed" only to have it come on again soon after. The paint on the door handles chips. This car SUCKS during long trips..and by long, I mean trips over an hour. Its noisy, drives poorly and has difficulty accelerating. It also jerks every time I put it in reverse. The battery drains very easily, Ive spent $ getting that replaced. Gas mileage is terrible. Crappy car all around. Every day, I worry that this car will break down (because it has..a lot)

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  My Third Grand Vitara - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By Holly Wensel - April 1 - 5:13 am

  This is my third Suzuki. I started with an 95 Sidekick, then got a 00 Grand Vitara, and finally upgraded to the new GV in June. Each vehicle has been steadfastly reliable and Im hopeful this one is too. So far, so good. This is one solid vehicle. It feels much heavier than the previous models. Its interior design is simply awesome and the exterior is sharp. I love the new size, compared to my 00 GV it is much more spacious. It is nice to know that I can carry passengers and have room to spare for "stuff". It has a decent engine - this vehicle wants to take off on the highways!

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  Best cheap car ever! - 2000 Suzuki Esteem
  By MotorMom - March 31 - 9:46 pm

  Im a car gal. Ive owned at least 20, from Porsches to SUVs. We bought this car used with 30,000 miles on it. Our expectations were low, we were just buying a cheap car to drive around town. We love it! We have taken it on road trip vacations for several summers in a row. It is peppy, reliable, gets good mpg and holds a lot of gear. Im glad these cars werent "discovered" because it allowed us to pick one up cheap. The GLX package is packed full of features that make it comfortable and pleasant to drive. (AC, CC, moonroof, 6 CD changer, roof racks, etc.) I think this is one of the most under-rated cars Ive ever owned.