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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  Tire/AC woes but overall Im very happy - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By pcs1955 - October 12 - 12:03 pm

  Used to have a 2000 Kia Sportage that I adored. I am coming to love my Suzuki almost as much; however, I am not in love with my service technicians! Had to spend $300 on new tires and an alignment. AC keeps gushing water onto my passenger side floor. Been to dealer at least 6-7 times since February with these two problems. Overall, though, Id buy another Suzuki.

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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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  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.

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  Fine SUV - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By drdud - September 18 - 2:06 pm

  I purchased this beauty after looking at Honda CR-V ,Hyundai Tuson, and Subarus . It was a few hundred more then the above but it sure was pretty. Its ride is stiffer than Subarus and its seat is higher if you have a bad back thatÂ’s important! It rides a bunch better then Honda. Its a lot better looking then the Tuson and I love Hyundai, Ive had 7 of them. Its seats are comfortable, its drive position is good, its controls are convenient. Its sound system is very good. I love the sun(moon)roof and the keyless starting - all you need is the yey in your pocket. Its great how you can lock it in AWD in bad weather. So far, so good.

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  smokin - 2002 Suzuki Aerio
  By crazy canuk - September 17 - 10:00 am

  i ninitially was looking at the grand vitara-but once i stepped into the aerio i was prey to the mesh seats and doors-i know style/quality when i see it. i didnt even test drive it-i let my intuition do the deciding. i luv the seats the best- there thick, supportive and make driving enjoyable! as with any 4 cylinder though-acceleration is loud until you reach cruising. its preety quiet on the highway-much quieter than my dads $50,000 suv.

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  Love my Zuki - 2003 Suzuki Vitara
  By Laura - September 11 - 5:50 pm

  My Suzuki Vitara has been wonderful. It handles easily, is truly economical to drive, and doesnt embarrass the kids. Too bad Suzuki discontinued the model, or Id be trading it in for a newer one. It also has a pretty decent sound system in it, which I found to be a plus as soon as I started taking longer road trips. It even has nice safety features.

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  Good Car For The Money - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By rickb - September 5 - 5:23 pm

  Like the both interior and exterior style. Overall built well. Handles nicely. Being from the old school, keyless entry and drive is a waste. Too many settings for both windshield wipers and lights. Door locks drive me nuts. Up here in the mountains of NC it could use some extra hp and torque. The performance is much better in FL on flat land. We have taken this car on several trips and I have little complaint other than the mileage. The poor hwy mpg really is an issue for a small engine of this size. Gets close to the same hwy miles as my 95 Explorer 4.0 V6. Good car for the money. Stylish and nice to drive.

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  New to Suzuki Cars - 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara
  By GVXR - August 30 - 8:13 pm

  After looking at and driving every small SUV, were set on a Jeep Liberty. On the way to purchase we saw the Grand Vitara and stopped. Took a test drive and purchased. It drives nice, looks great and offers many features for the money. With no prior experience with Suzuki cars, although I currently own 4 Suzuki motorcycles, it was the warranty that made the decision to purchase easy!

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  Ive had no problems... - 2007 Suzuki Forenza
  By liljohn32 - August 6 - 3:37 pm

  Im sorry to the people that have had bad luck with this car, but I cant say the same thing. My wife and I bought our car in 2007 and it has about 95000 miles on it now. We have had to replace the tires twice and two of the indoor door handles broke off, but that wasnt the cars fault, that was stupid peoples faults. We just had to put it in the shop and have to have a sensor replaced on the transmission, but besides that, it hasnt given us any problems.